One of the French variety that we started in 2018 was the MIGNONETTE Alpine strawberries.

This variety was easy to grow, entered the flowering stage at 3 months, and a vigorous grower with about 100 – 120 fruits in a 4 months window.

This matched growing data from gardeners abroad, even though we started them in a tropical climate.

This strawberry variety is hardy in United States zone 5 to 9.

Our seeds were freshly harvested from a private grower and germinated in 4 days with 90% success and they are available for sale in SHOP.

 

Steps to germinate strawberry seeds at this post.

Our goal since 2016 after learning how strawberries grew, was to grow them better in a systematic method.

We hope with this method to minimize the stress lapse from one development stage to another.

It should be easy for even a novice gardener to understand and learn.

It can be cross apply to other cool seasoned plants.

 

Grow Mignotte Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
Stages of Mignonette from seeds

 

This method is only taught in our workshop.

Home gardeners from different growing experiences would be able to use this technique and scaffold to other plants.

Mignonette’s journey began on July 13 2018 when the first sprouts were spotted.

We used the balancing act method to hasten germination progress.

 

 

Alpine strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2018 July 13 – Sowed July 9, 4 days

 

Germination rate increased over the next few days.

 

Alpine Mignonette strawberries from seeds in Singapore
July 15 – 70% had seed leaves

 

Over the years of growing strawberries from seeds, we observed that seedlings that showed “strong” characteristics will grow to maturity with ease.

The signs are quick development from sprouts to standing seedlings.

The better seedlings will carry the husks of the seeds for a while.

Development leaps from seed leaves to true leaves were within days instead of weeks.

 

 

Grow alpine strawberries from seeds
2018 July 19

 

We grew all our workshop seedlings from Heirloom seeds, to offer varieties not available in Singapore to our participants.

It is also important that these seedlings started in our natural environment to acclimatize faster.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2018 Aug 01

 

One-month-old seedlings showed significant leaves development.

What was unseen, was how much the roots zone area had progressed.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2018 August 16 – 1 month old

 

Beneath the soil, the roots length were about 4 cm and the crown turned pink.

Fling Test (new workshop curriculum) is required to establish seedlings at every stage of transplant.

This method ensured that transplanted seedlings were set properly to approach flowering stage with ease and reduce transplant stress as much as possible.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
Below Soil

 

Healthy strawberry plants have un-cupped leaves with red stems and thickening crown.

They love the sun while roots zone preferred to be cooler.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2018 September 16

 

A scent of sweetness emitted from the plants during active photosynthesis, this became more pronounced during the fruiting stage.

Thus, pests prevention is a good idea!

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
Sticky Trap 

 

The first flower were spotted on October 22 2018 from only a single crown and at 3 month old!

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
First Flower

 

Although small, these fabric pots work very well to carry young seedlings towards the flowering stage with ease.

In my humble opinion, growing strawberries is easier than tomatoes!

They were not fussy at all, readily accepted low soil depth (2 inch) of mini pots.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2018 October 24 – new flowers

 

Even if the fruits bearing stem snapped, it can continue to carry the fruits to ripen with a scotch tape bandage.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2018 Dec 18 – scotch taped aid!

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2018 December 20 

 

With this confidence, we tested and modified more ways to grow them.

It is important that the starting stage from germination to 3 months, was established properly.

Thereafter, we could plant them in mini or high pots or any way we want to grow them.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
LIHO Tall, modified

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
Mini Pot

 

Mignonette Variety is a vigorous grower.

Even in a less than ideal environment or low soil depth, they will produce many berries.

Once these mini starter plants were plugged into their permanent pot, they continue to thrive without transplant stress.

We developed a crossing over technique to ensure they are able to ease over to the new environment.

In addition to growing seedlings for the workshop, we also grow to learn.

For example, understanding how roots developed is important for hydro or soil-based nutrients application.

This new understanding allowed us to find new ways to grow them better and more importantly, faster to fruit in our natural environment.

Other trials included moving mature seedlings from soil to liquid base to study how they adapt to a new environment.

 

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
Knowing Roots

 

We saw that they adapted with ease although fruiting was delayed.

Their soil-based comrades were fruiting aggressively while these new hydro seedlings were still pondering at the change of environment!

From here, we understood that any change in their growing environment can delay fruiting progress even though they remain healthy plants.

We now fully understand these plants and had learned how to tweak our environment to “cheat” them to fruiting without the perks of a cooler climate.

 

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2018 Sept 21 – Soil to Hydro

 

Sweet fruits of our labor, from November 01, 2018.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
First pair of fruits

2019 

New batches continued to be grown for our workshops.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2019 May 22 -28

 

Seedlings were transplanted for data collection and workshops.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
Transplanting

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2019 June 22

 

Full Spectrum Grow Lights panel with 3 light options were employed to grow all our plants this year.

They grow better with this extended daylight hours. For more information, please enquire via our SHOP ‘s contact form.

 

 

Grow Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2019 August  24

 

Flowers showed in September 2019.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2019 Sept 20

 

The cycle begins again on December 29, 2019, when we harvested mature seeds fresh off our last fruits for germination.

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2019 October 20

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2019 Dec 29 @ 4.11 pm

 

 

Seeds are red in color too!

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore

 

The above seeds germinated on January 4, 2020, and a new generation began.

It was observed the seedlings grew with less fuss and quicker to mature than our 2018 parent plants.

 

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2020 January 18

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2020 January 30

 

Grow Mignonette Strawberries from seeds in Singapore
2020 February 5

 

A tiny crown on these 5 weeks old seedlings.

Tracking on our plants’ progress allowed us to see how they grew from one generation to the next.

 

 

 

 

7 thoughts on “MIGNONETTE”

  1. Now, when someone say it is impossible to grow flavorful aromatic strawberries in our tropical island, one can certainly proved with Vic’s blog. And that was what triggered the curiosity and interest of mine to attend her workshop.

    It was a great decision!

    In the workshop, she was able to simplify everything with everyday analogy for a green novice like myself, who tried my hands at greens via YouTube and internet. Of course, my fingers turned ‘brown’with no real guidance and hands-on with an expert who has totally adapted and learnt from her own experiments and trial to make plants thrives well in her own indoor environment .

    These valuable lessons shared were really useful for many like me who live in high rise apartments with no patio/gardens of our own. And best of it all, is the ability to recycle our everyday objects (yoghurt cups, bottles etc).

    It was an enjoyable afternoon to learn and enjoy getting back to being ‘grounded’ in greens and soil. What that made it even more worth it, is her friendly and helpful personality which makes one feel like time spend with a friend, that certainly was the main reason I went back for a recent second session of herbs and salads with her.

    Kudos to Summer and Vic for makingy my friends and I felt so welcomed.

    and I feel

    These days, after a hectic week, spending
    time with the green ‘babies’ are one of the therapeutic activities I can wind-down to.

    I hope you will be able to experience the bliss of tending to plants and be in contact with nature in the comfort of your own home, just as I have and still doing so.

  2. I signed up for the strawberry workshop for my mother-in-law and I as we both love gardening, but had limited experience growing herbs and of course strawberries in Singapore. The workshop was a birthday treat for both of us 🙂
    We had a relaxing and fun Sat morning attending the workshop at Victoria’s home. Victoria was patient and answered all our newbie questions, and conducted the workshop in an engaging way.
    We arrived early and she generously showed us around her beautiful apartment to share how she grows her herbs and fruits. After the workshop, she even brought us to see her outdoor garden and gave us cuttings for various herbs!
    It was one of the most interesting workshops I have attended, and a nice way to celebrate our birthdays!

  3. Vic is super generous and my husband booked this as a birthday treat for me as well. Vic taught us so much about the plants, how to not be enslaved by them and really coexist together. How to train the plants to self produce and be independent. I love her philosophy and she is generous not just with her knowledge but also her NUMEROUS plant cuttings which she really didn’t have to give since it is not part of the curriculum. Her passion for gardening shines through and is very inspiring to new gardeners like me.

    1. Please fill contact form in workshop page and we will reply by email. Our workshops’ sessions are booked by participant’s own time preference and if the date is not already booked, we will teach it.

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