Mother Strawberry vs. Father Strawberry

Mother Strawberry of 2010

My First Strawberry of 2010

Baby Strawberry of 2010

Mother Strawberry vs. Father Strawberry


I have been growing strawberries for two years. My strawberries are called 'June-Bearing' strawberries. Last year was my first year to have them, but I got NO strawberries due to the invasion from wild rabbits who ate all the strawberries and did not leave anything for me. Ummmm…very selfish!

I knew that I needed to be smarter than wild rabbits. I came up with an idea of putting chicken wires to protect my strawberries from selfish wild rabbits before they can finish them all early this year. I have been watching every day. I have been taken excellent care of my strawberries patches. I have checked every day if chicken wire stays the same as I put and if there is a sign of any attack from wild rabbits.

While I was observing strawberries patches every morning, interesting phenomenon was found. Based on my observation, Strawberries patches in my backyard were divided into two different groups: one group has strawberries—FRUIT-BEARING; the other has runners shooting—OFFSPRING-BEARING. Even if I was instructed to prune back the runners, I did not cut back the runners. I just let them do what they are intended to do because I want to see their growing tendency and temperament and I do not like manipulations.

After speculating for a while, I want to redefine these two different groups: FRUIT-BEARING vs. OFFSPRING-BEARING.

I call the first group of FRUIT-BEARING as Father Strawberry and the second group of OFFSPRING-BEARING as Mother Strawberry. This is exact explanation of Chi tendency between Em and Yang. Like our fathers, the Father Strawberry plants have several strawberries and keep producing new fruits. Like our mothers, the mother Strawberry plants nourish and allow the runners—her new babies— to take root and grow new plants. After having an excess of six runners, I was instructed to cut back the extra runners. This is to keep the mother plant strong with more vitality and produce strawberries. I did not do cuttings. I want to see how one mother strawberry can do or would do. One mother strawberry has 11 runners, which means that she has eleven children. This mother Strawberry plant seems exhausted with eleven children.

To me, it looks like reflecting the relationship of my mother and me. Just as mother hen protects her chick under the wings until a little chick can be her own, I lived under the umbrella of my mother’s pure and endless love, but covered with her extreme sacrifice and exhaustion. As I was my mom’s last child, she gave me all the love she could possibly provide. In this essence, I am very, very blessed! I miss my deceased mother so much. And also my loving father!

As I write this, I have so many questions to ask: How do they know each other?—one is responsible to play as acting mother, and the other is responsible to play as acting father.

Acting as female and male…Mother Strawberry and Father Strawberry…Em and Yang

How come they are evenly divided into two groups?

How do they define the groups?

Were they born as male and female becoming father and mother later?

Do the roles of male and female be interchangeable?

It seems strawberry feel the rhythm of the universe and the nature’s will to follow/obey the law of the universe. It seems they are constantly communicating with the physical law of the universe and apply them in their lives. It seems that Strawberry enjoy cheerful energy from Father Sun, cool energy from Mother Earth and contemplative energy from Grandmother Moon.

Based on my gardening experience, Strawberry is not the only plant doing listening, communicating, and following with the Universe, but also other flowers, plants and trees. There are neither existences nor non-existence, but have constant flow and communication with the Universe.

Like my happy Strawberries in my backyard garden, we need to enjoy cheerful energy from Father Sun, cool energy from Mother Earth and contemplative energy from Grandmother Moon. This will bring balance and harmony.

Thank you, my Strawberries, for giving me the life lessons in our life!