Author Topic: Poor strawberry crop (Read 6488 times)

mwncigirl · « **on:** August 01, 2013, 11:50:12 pm »

Well after reading about other people's wonderful strawberry crop, I'm feeling a little glum

I rooted lots of runners last autumn and planted them out into a new strawberry bed this spring. The crop has been rubbish, only a handful of fruit from about 30 plants. What have I done wrong?

I may have planted them out a little early, our spring weather was so harsh, but surely there should be more than that.

The problem definitely isn't that something has eaten them, there have been a few flowers, not many, but they don't seem to have developed at all.

Now the plants look healthy, lots of runners, but I'm afraid that's just not good enough!!!

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** August 02, 2013, 01:48:52 am »

You'll get a crop next year. The first year after rooting runners is always a sparse crop. Mine have been the same. The only way to get fruit in the first year is to buy in expensive large plants.

suziequeue · « **Reply #2 on:** August 02, 2013, 04:40:28 am »

I have had the same experience mwncigirl. I am relieved to know it's not just me.

We have managed about a kilo so far but the plants look very healthy so looking forward to next year

Min · « **Reply #3 on:** August 02, 2013, 07:54:33 am »

The advice I have been given is always to grow from seed rather than from runners (let a strawberry dry out and then rub the seed off) as you will get stronger plants that way. This is for wild strawberries though, not sure if they are different.

waddy · « **Reply #4 on:** August 02, 2013, 08:54:36 am »

The usual advice is also to take both flowers and runners off in the first year to develop strong plants for next. Always tempting I know when you are eager for strawberries! I would take any runners off still.

helen

Simon O · « **Reply #5 on:** August 02, 2013, 10:08:43 am »

If you took your runners from your own or someone else's plants that were infected with virus then this will probably be transmitted to the new plant. Last year I planted bare root runners from Marshalls who were doing a good deal, had a not bad crop from the plants (given the weather), allowed the runners from the original plants to root in the bed area (and separately potted up a lot more). This year I have had an amazing crop of huge strawberries. So many that unfortunately some have been wasted. The problem now will be to try to control this years runners. Previously in my allotment I had left the bed in one position for a large number of years and thought it was ok but setting up the new bed and seeing the result has made me realise that it may be a good idea to follow the recommendation of starting a new bed every 3-4 years with infection free stock. We took some of the potted runners and planted up in growbags in the polytunnel and this gave a nice little early crop. Might do more next year, perhaps in the polytunnel soil rather than the growbags

Rosemary · « **Reply #6 on:** August 02, 2013, 12:01:51 pm »

Ours are rubbish this year - lots of fruit but totally tasteless, even when cooked.

To be fair, we brought them from Alloa three years ago and theyr've been moved twice, si I think they are just done. So they are all coming up shortly and we'll buy fresh plants this year.

Thinking Sonata as a variety?

Like Simon, will put some in growbags or pots in the polytunnel for an early crop.

mwncigirl · « **Reply #7 on:** August 02, 2013, 08:25:43 pm »

Ok so if I take all the runners off now (there are billions) I might get a crop next year.

I'll give it a go.

Bert · « **Reply #8 on:** August 03, 2013, 08:57:17 am »

I've only had one ripe strawberry so far this year and the black bird ate it

. But to be fair I have grown all my strawberries from seed this year. so I shouldn't be getting any fruit , but I'm not going to stop them if they want to

mwncigirl · « **Reply #9 on:** August 04, 2013, 07:26:31 pm »

I watched gardeners world the other night and whatshisname said to cut off all the foliage when the plants have finished fruiting. So...... should I be cutting everything off, leaves, runners and all?? Seems a bit drastic!

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #10 on:** August 04, 2013, 07:58:52 pm »

I took last year's rooted runners and planted them out in the Autumn and they looked very poorly but suddenly took off at the end of April and were laden with fruit, which were then all eaten by Super Squirrel. I call him this because he's a veritable Einstein of the squirrel world - runs 3 metres up the house wall, takes the top off the bird ball feeder and runs down with one in his mouth, eats off the sweetcorn plants 3 cm from the ground .... Winter job is making some low wire panels to form a mini fruit cage for next year.

Simon O · « **Reply #11 on:** August 05, 2013, 09:15:02 am »

I have read you can go down the row with lawnmower on high setting but I am not about to trty this

Fleecewife · « **Reply #12 on:** August 05, 2013, 11:50:13 am »

Quote from: Simon O on August 05, 2013, 09:15:02 am

I have read you can go down the row with lawnmower on high setting but I am not about to trty this

Strimming might work too if you have a lot.

For young plants, if you have just a few, it's probably worth just cutting off the old leaves and leaving any new growth to help build up the strength of the plant before winter.

The idea of cutting the plants right down to ground level is to get rid of any diseased foliage and allow new growth through. It's important to clear away every last bit of debris and any old straw which was there to protect the crop from the wet soil.