A few questions on strawberries

[dan1979]

Very much enjoyed eating my first few and have a (small) few to pick yet, some questions though:

1.My Elsanta has loads of leaves and a few runners but zero flowers, should there have been flowers by now?

2.Is it worth keeping the runners if this plant is 'unproductive'?

3.Where I have runners which are just setting their roots in would it be too optimistic to expect any fruit this year?

4. Is it normal for plants to just die (bought as young plants from garden centres) for no apparent reason? I've had a couple die when the others around them have been going fine - one had just started to bear fruit, the other in the same container is doing fine.

5. Some of my cambridge favourite are fruiting great, others not at all - are these just slower plants that will give a good crop next year or are they just rubbish?

6. How do you know when a strawberry it ready to pick? The few I've sampled have been delicious but slightly firmer than they should be.

Thanks experts

[rustylady]

I'm no expert, but here goes!

If they're first year plants you shouldn't really let them fruit (so the experts say). The idea is that strawberry plants are at their best for around three years. First year you let them establish, second year they fruit, third year they fruit and then you dig them up as they will decline after this.

Complications: Strawberries are desperate to reproduce (which they do by means of runners, as you have noticed). They will produce them as 1st, 2nd, 3rd year plants. 1st year you should cut all runners and flowers off to let the plants establish themselves. 2nd year you should get good fruit. When and whether to root runners is really up to you. If you don't need more plants cut them off. If you have good varieties and want to replace old plants then root runners. You can cut them off after the first little plant if you wish (they will if left to themselves produce 4 or more plantlets on the same runner)

As to your question about plants dying off - could be a number of reasons. Poor plants, soil pests, drying out, getting too wet (pick one).

If you have runners just making plants, they probably won't produce fruit this year,but even if they try to be hard hearted and cut the flowers off. You will be thankful next year.

As to knowing when a strawberry is ready to pick, I would say just before the blackbirds, slugs, etc start eating it. It really is trial and error. I like them firm. If they taste good then they are ready. Don't forget that supermarket fruit have been hanging round in their plastic tubs for several days at least so do tend to get soft. If you pick when you think they are ready you can always leave them a day or so to mature a bit more.

[valmarg]

dan1979, my simple and basic replies to your questions are:

1. Yes
2. Probably not
3. Yes
4. Check for vine weevil grubs. One of the best places to import them from is a garden centre.
5. Sorry, don't know
6. Personally, I leave them on the plants until really, really ripe.

Whether fruit is ripe of not depends on the smell. Based on buying, for example, nectarines and melons from a supermarket, you see people pressing the top of a melon with their thumbs to test 'ripeness'. The true taste test is to pick it up and smell it. If it smells of nothing, it will taste of nothing. But if it smells of honey - WOW. It will be juicy, and delicious. (Same for nectarines).

valmarg

[Flummery]

I always reckon if I give the berries a pull and they don't come away easily they can spend another day or two on the plant ripening.