Strawberry disappointment.

[bobbin]

My strawberrys were first year last year. Didn't pick any. I put a thick manure mulch on them and this year they look very healthy with lots of big and medium well shaped fruits. Sadly my excitement was short lived as they have very little sweetness or flavour. I put in a number of varieties. We've had lots of hot days here in Sussex. Plus a bit of rain too. I know seaweed fertilisers supposed to help flavour. Any other ideas? So disappointing. I know I can make a coulis with them but I hate adding loads of sugar.

[Jungle Jane]

Tomato feed is good,anything high potassium for fruit. I think maybe the amount of rain we had might have had an effect,I think it’s better not to water them much when they’re ready for picking like this,like with tomatoes?

[burnie]

Those varieties that produce large crops tend to fail to deliver on the taste front, try French ones like Mara des Bois, mine(grown in the greenhouse up here) are superbly flavoured. I do grow more traditional ones outside and find the good old Cambridge Favourite as good as any for taste.

[nickdub]

Sometimes if you delay picking the fruit until they are almost over ripe they develop more flavour, but as others have said the only comprehensive answer is probably to swap to a different variety.

[Mr Bones]

Sometimes the first strawbs don't taste as sweet as those that follow.

[It never rains..it pours]

My strawberrys were first year last year. Didn't pick any. I put a thick manure mulch on them and this year they look very healthy with lots of big and medium well shaped fruits. Sadly my excitement was short lived as they have very little sweetness or flavour. I put in a number of varieties. We've had lots of hot days here in Sussex. Plus a bit of rain too. I know seaweed fertilisers supposed to help flavour. Any other ideas? So disappointing. I know I can make a coulis with them but I hate adding loads of sugar.

Can I ask the variety ?

[bobbin]

Can I ask the variety ?

I have included Marie du Bois,Cambridge Elsanta,
Sonata (I think that’s one) I sent to a nursery specialising in Strawberries for “ a mix of three of the sweetest varieties available” .. As suggested the rain hasn’t helped. What do you suggest I do with them? I can’t waste them.

[bobbin]

I forgot to add I have variety Honeoye as well.

[Jungle Jane]

How many have you got,I usually just try them all,if people are round I share them & wonder does theirs taste as good as mine because you do get the odd ones that are bland. If you’ve got a dehydrating machine you could slice them dehydrate & store? There’s loads of things you could make like strawberry ice cream?

[Craig_C]

Just for info:
Lakeland* sell a good De-Hydrator.
I have used mine for Raspberries, Strawberries, Mushrooms, Tomatoes and Onions so far. (not all at the same time I will hasten to add.)

Btw. Home de-hydrated onions are the knees of the bees.
(But it may make you house smell of onions for a couple of days.)



* I do NOT work for Lakeland

[It never rains..it pours]

Bit odd, you should get some good tasting ones out of that collection. Elsanta maybe the worst as its breed for supermarket shelf life. Presume they get decent amounts of sunlight on thier patch

[bobbin]

Yes lots of sun. Does the de hydration process consentrate the sugars so the dried result tasted sweeter ?

[It never rains..it pours]

Bobbin, my strawberries are now sweeter than the early ones, are you seeing better results now