Bad strawberry crop this year?

[Spuds up]

Yes

It was my first time growing Strawbs so I thought it was me. They have been pathetic.

Rasps have been great I don't have a lot of rasp canes but I have been harvesting bit by bit for over 3 weeks.

[Sirius]

This is my first time growing Strawberries too - didn't know any better and got an Elsanta which I understand is getting pretty bad press. However, the plant itself it gorgeous, glossy leaves and growing brilliantly.......... but I haven't had a single flower..... what am I doing wrong????

[JennieAtkinson]

This is my very best year for strawberries, getting a huge punnetful every other day.

They are no special type either, just front plants dug from a friends garden, but this is year 3, so probably the best and its all downhill from here!

[terrier]

Still lots of green strawbs. I looked at the plants tonight and found only one (1) ripe fruit! But the plants still look healthy,here's hoping.

[mrskp]

pure guesswork here .......... but at least if the experts come on and shoot me down, that will prove/disprove my theory ....

too much nitrogen and not enough of the flowering stuff

N - Nitrogen: promotes the growth of leaves and vegetation
P - Phosphorous: promotes root growth
K - Potassium: promotes flower and fruit growth

give them a quick shot of tomorite and see what happens.

[Nicos]

N - Nitrogen: promotes the growth of leaves and vegetation
P - Phosphorous: promotes root growth
K - Potassium: promotes flower and fruit growth

I was told 'Leave rotting fruit' ( leaf, root, fruit)


to help remember the order of what NPK actually does!!- Ties in well with your theory mrskp!!

[roitelet]

Sorry to boast, but my Strawberries are one of the sucess stories this year. They are one year old plants and I have been force feeding CK for several weeks. They are remontant varities and yesterday I sorted them out and put a bit more straw round them and there are still lots more fruit and flowers to come

If they can produce like this in their first year I have great hopes for next year. Jam?

[clckwork]

We planted 6 El Santa plants into 2 grow bags and got about a dozen fruits from them back in June/July and have nothing since. The bags are on stands (one is about 18 inches from the ground the other about 4 ft) but the slugs and things still got them. New leaves have grown since I trimmed the plants up and they have come out a very dark green. They have also put out a couple of runners. Being new to all this should I cut these runners off or encourage them for new plants for next year?

[scarey55]

Sorry to boast, but my Strawberries are one of the sucess stories this year.

Me too, could it be something to do with the French soil? - proper English plants though I haven't had much luck with other berries but I had to resort to strawberry jam quite early on. They seem to have more flowers on too so.... if this B!**:Y rain stops we may have some more.

[moggssue]

My first year with strawbs and had a reasonable crop early June, then something started eating them, now nothing except lots and lots of leaves and runners. I'm going demented trying to cut off all the runners to get stronger plants for next year - oh well, the pigeons or slugs or whatever had a good feast from me at least!

[momol]

My strawberry don't do well this year too, from 12 plants I only get to pick handfull of them, the rest were eaten by black birds and slugs...
I think it is really about the mad weather ( loads of water, less sun ).

Momol

[Cutecumber]

My first time with strawberries this year...

I bought 12 bare-root runners in the spring, and gave away 3 to our neighbour as thanks for some hedge cutting.

My crop was healthy, but small (wished I'd kept those 3 plants!). I grew them in pots, so that kept the fruit away from the soil, but the big problem was squirrels and birds!

I hope for great things next year, though.

That reminds me, I must pot up some runners...

[kernowyon]

absolute watse of time this year, 3 year old plants and all leaf, few flowers and have actually eaten 6 strawbs from 24 plants. the bed has been dug up this morning and the plants drying in the sun on top the pile of stuff to burn later in the year. off to the PYO farm this weekend. the OH picks the fruit, the kids eat more than goes in the punnets and i pick as many runners as possible and stuff them in my pockets.

[roitelet]

Me too, could it be something to do with the French soil? - proper English plants though I haven't had much luck with other berries but I had to resort to strawberry jam quite early on. They seem to have more flowers on too so.... if this B!**:Y rain stops we may have some more.

Mine were French plants, Gento and Cueillette. Suprise de Marche not remontant were not as good but did fruit before the rest.

[Sirius]

give them a quick shot of tomorite and see what happens.

Thanks for your advice! The strawberry has had regular doses of tomorite - looks like this year is out and I'll just have to try again next year.