Strawberries

[MissPea]

Hello all, me again. Does anyone have any tips on getting my strawberries bigger? They are tiny! 5p is the biggest the majority get to have I done something? And can I encourage bigger fruit? Tia

[Potstubsdustbins]

How are you growing/feeding them?

[MissPea]

I have two each in 2 troughs, 3 each in 2 hanging bubble shaped planters and another 4 in regular different sizes pots due to lack of pots and time to repotting them. I try feed them once a fortnight with tomato feed and water them whenever dry or only slightly damp. One of the crowns in one bubble shaped planter seems to be producing bigger fruit more 2p piece sizes. But silly birds have got to two of them and I got two. The original is still in the pot from last year in which it was given to me. They might have dried out slightly due to winds and a needy baby, the leaves where slightly droopy but the rest have been fine.

[MissPea]

This was before fruiting the drooping happened.

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^ That didn't help. Also you might try feeding them more often say once a week, they are in containers so will use up the nutrients quickly.

Finally do you know the variety some are quite small anyway.

[burnie]

I used a bit of growmore on my strawbs in containers as well as tomato feed twice a week, in the spring I will re plant them in new compost with added manure.

[MissPea]

I have no idea, I could ask him the next time I'm through, but I remember seeing a strawberry growing and it was a normal size strawberry so definetly know they're not a tiny variety. I'll up the feeding. I'm hoping I'll get more bigger strawberries. They're so amazing. Don't know why more people don't grow them! Also I noticed one of them have red on the leaves can anyone advise if it's diseased? I can't seem to upload pictures at the moment. It's Not spotty if that helps

[veggiechicken]

Strawberry plants are usually replaced after 3 years because they've worn themselves out. We keep a 3 years cycle of plants growing, propagating the runners to provide the new plants. Second year is usually the best. You may have been given plants that were a year or two old and this year they're on their last legs.
Older leaves turn red - its normal - like autumn colouring!

The GYO Growing Guide is worth reading http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/how...g-strawberries

[MissPea]

Thank you I'll read that. The majority of them are runners that are tiny, minus the main plant and one of the runners seem to give a decent size

[bramble]

Are the containers they are in big enough.
Are the roots growing out through the bottom.
Maybe they need to be moved into bigger pots.

[MissPea]

I've noticed on two of them I misjudged the runners for one (not sure how) so there is two plants in one, but the others are in ok size pots. I'll check for the roots, thanks. Can you repot at the time of flowering/fruiting?