Fruit bearing bushes and vines like strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, are a staple of many midwestern gardens. However, they can present some challenges. Shelia Gerot is a Washington County Master Gardener. She says there are a few rules to follow. She says strawberries shouldn’t be planted too deep. She says they have a little crown that needs to be kept at the ground level. Gerot also says you shouldn’t pick any fruit during the first year first of the plant’s life, that way the roots can get established and put on a better crop the following year.