Clever Gardening Technique
Rejuvenating Strawberry Plants
Strawberry plants lose some oomph each year, but you can prolong the productivity of your patch by renovating it each year. For matted rows, once plants finish flowering, narrow the rows to about a foot wide using a rototiller. Then mow the plants an inch above the crown. Dispose of the old leaves. Thin out remaining plants to three plants per square foot or seven to 11 inches apart by removing old mother plants and weak new runner plants. Apply six to eight pounds of a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 12-12-12, or three pounds of ammonium sulfate per 100 feet of row.
Backyard Wildlife Habitat
If you'd like to turn your yard into a wildlife habitat -- and get a certificate to prove it -- visit the National Wildlife Federation's Backyard Wildlife Habitat program. You'll find a guide to help you make the changes necessary to certify your landscape, and after you do, you'll receive a free membership to NWF, including National Wildlife magazine.