Strawberry plants

[lonewolf]

Put 8 strawberry plants in last year. They didn't produce last year .Will they this year? I covered them with staw threw the winter.

[M.Magis]

They should, though I'm a little surprised you got nothing last year.

[icebucketjohn]

I read that strawberry flowers should be picked before fruit development during the very first year. This is so the plant can concentrate more on root development & plant growth for its first growing season. 2nd year plants with 1st year fruit yields should be high.

[cmiller]

Lemme check into this for you. I have a commercial Growers handbook on Strawberries.

[lonewolf]

Thanks guys!

[billonthehill]

need full son, but this year should be better.
give them a little fertilizer treat!!

good luck

[bajuski]

give them a little fertilizer treat!!


You can fertilize them but wait until you have picked the fruit if they are June bearers, or mid season for the everbearing varieties or you will have very nice foliage and little fruit. I have two 30 foot rows of June bearers because my wife makes jams and jellies so she needs them to mature pretty much at the same time. A few everbearing would be nice for eating thru the season though.
Also, pull off the runners every now and then, unless you want to save a few to start new plants, they drain a lot of energy from your producing plant. I don't cover them for the winter at all and they do just fine, I think mulching for the winter just provides mice with a cozy home.
Good luck, you should get a heavy crop this year and don't forget the netting just before they turn red, birds love them too!

[c. j. stone]

We planted two packs of everbearing last year in a raised bed about 4x8 ft. All we got was lots of runners and many more plants-one berry from the whole thing! Could we have gotten some bad stock??

[cmiller]

Could we have gotten some bad stock??

No. They need anywhere from 2-3 yrs to grow and mature.

I cannot find my book. As soon as I find it, I'll post about how to raise them. Your local county extention offices are gold mines for alot of info. (they are ran through OSU)

[c. j. stone]

Thanks, cm. I'll look for the info you post.