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Popular in Europe for
many years but only now becoming widely grown
in Britain and America, they extend the season
until almost the year end. Several are able to
survive -11°C (10°F) of frost and will
set and ripen their fruit.
They require a rich soil and, as they should be
covered with barn cloches early in October, they
are planted in rows 40cm (16in) apart and the
same in rows. If planted in spring, and the blossom
is removed until early July (as it should be each
year), they will fruit the same season. The plants
are allowed to form runners, which are grown on
to fruit, along with the parent plants so that
a two-year plantation will yield heavily. Give
the plants a mulch of peat and decayed manure
every spring and keep them well watered in dry
weather.
Fruiting begins about September 1, and continues
through autumn and early winter, depending upon
the amount of sunshine. If the cloches are removed
towards the year end, the plants will die down
completely and come to life again in April.
Watering with liquid manure from early July will
increase the yield and also the quality of the
fruit.
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