Strawberry Problems....

Frogeye

Hi Lads

I have maybe a dozen strawberry plants ( in pots) that had loads of flowers a month or so ago and are still producing more flowers but no fruit. I’ve watered them regularly and feed them with Tomatrite ((??) feed every two weeks or so. Any ideas why I’m not getting fruit?


Thanks

Frogeye

miezekatze

Are they indoors or outdoors? Maybe they're not getting pollinated?

rolion

Not the best weather for outdoors 'berries this year.

Also,you need patience as they work "inside" and cut any runnings of the main plant if you want fruits now.
Cut the runnings and plant them in another place, deep in the soil with the "want to be roots" for next year fresh plants...

Lumen

Mine are doing very little this year.

Zzippy

Strawberries should be producing fruit very shortly after flowering, if they are not it sounds like a lack of pollinators. Are they indoors?
You could get a very soft fibre paintbrush and transfer pollen between flowers, just a quick rub on each flower one after another should transfer enough to fertilise the flower and set fruit.

Frogeye

Hi Lads

Thanks for the replies.

They are outdoors and have been all year. Lack of pollinators? Never thought of that. I'll try the brush tonight...

I've been cutting the runners off as soon as they appear.

All these plants came from a handful I bought a few years back. I've never had much from them but this is the first year I actually took care of them...

Graces7

The cool weather has made many things late and also affected pollination . I am seeing this even with broad beans as we had high southerlies for weeks. Although they are self pollinating wind can do this. They are now flowering again.

My marigolds are not setting seed either; same issue

My strawbs are just in flower; things tend to be late out here ( island) so we shall see
They are determined are plants but the weather this year has been a problem

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It's clearly a pollinator issue if they have been flowering for a month. Ours have been excellent and cropping very well for a couple of weeks.

upupup

Frogeye wrote: »

Hi Lads

I have maybe a dozen strawberry plants ( in pots) that had loads of flowers a month or so ago and are still producing more flowers but no fruit. I’ve watered them regularly and feed them with Tomatrite ((??) feed every two weeks or so. Any ideas why I’m not getting fruit?


Thanks

Frogeye

Just one good feed at the start of spring is enough...Too much feed results in lots of foliage and smaller berries.
Feed again after the berries are gone

Pretzill

Ours are doing well too - had the first bowl yesterday but I had to prize most of them from the slugs grasp. All berries are doing well overall considering the colder start to summer but the apple trees are a disaster, they lost their flowers and any tiny fruits early on.

Graces7

Pretzill wrote: »

Ours are doing well too - had the first bowl yesterday but I had to prize most of them from the slugs grasp. All berries are doing well overall considering the colder start to summer but the apple trees are a disaster, they lost their flowers and any tiny fruits early on.

Noticed today that the elderberry bushes are still in flower. No sign of any progress for weeks. Bramble blossom good so we shall see. Still so much wind.

uck51js9zml2yt

I have the same problems with strawberries. Loads of flowers but I've not seen one berry.

The kids I believe are to blame

Wife made cordial from elderberry flowers a few weeks ago.

Roen

Plenty here. Wexford though.
Lots of early raspberries too.

The chillis are finally fruiting too.

Frogeye

upupup wrote: »

Just one good feed at the start of spring is enough...Too much feed results in lots of foliage and smaller berries.
Feed again after the berries are gone

The plants do have lots of foliage and loads of runners ( which I'm snipping off).
I got my brush out last night so I'll wait and see what happens. I'll cut back on the feed.

There was one plant that had a few berries on it when l looked last night but they did seem small and funny shapes.

upupup

Frogeye wrote: »

Hi Lads

Thanks for the replies.

They are outdoors and have been all year. Lack of pollinators? Never thought of that. I'll try the brush tonight...

I've been cutting the runners off as soon as they appear.

All these plants came from a handful I bought a few years back. I've never had much from them but this is the first year I actually took care of them...

How old are the plants?
Its best to dump plants that are more than 3 years old and use new plants created from the runners.

baaba maal

upupup wrote: »

How old are the plants?
Its best to dump plants that are more than 3 years old and use new plants created from the runners.

I think that's the mistake I made this year- I have been randomly digging up plants from previous years, potting up for the winter and planting back out in the spring- but I have no idea how old any of them are! I am going to grow on the runners and just keep them for next year.

Frogeye

he plants would 2 years old. I bought a few plant 3 years ago. The one flowering now would be in there second summer I'd say. I have lots of plant I got from runners last summer with and they have no flowers.

upupup

Frogeye wrote: »

he plants would 2 years old. I bought a few plant 3 years ago. The one flowering now would be in there second summer I'd say. I have lots of plant I got from runners last summer with and they have no flowers.

It may be a poor type of strawberry plant..did they ever do well when you first got them?

The pollinator issue may be caused by pesticides reducing the numbers of your bees but it's odd to lots of flowers and no berries at all

Frogeye

upupup wrote: »

It may be a poor type of strawberry plant..did they ever do well when you first got them?

The pollinator issue may be caused by pesticides reducing the numbers of your bees but it's odd to lots of flowers and no berries at all

No they never did well. I'm going to see if i can still get new plants in the garden centre this weekend and start afresh for next year.