Why can't I grow strawberries?
by
Audra Bailey
+5
I have tried everything. I got some strawberries in a nice container, I test the soil wetness with an instrument before watering and trim off the runners and dead stuff. The berries start to die and I lost 16 berry buds. What's wrong with me?
8 answers
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I just learned (after several years of off and on attempts to grow veggies in containers for friends-I have a garden) that container gardening needs to be fertilized often. When we water, the nutrients leach out. The plant has no other was to attain the nutrients it needs. So I am fertilizing them once a week at least until I see the results I want.
Janice Kohler
on Jun 10, 2015
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Be careful what fertilizer you use though. Containers do require more frequant fertilier than in ground plants, but you still need the correct type. You will see 3 sets of numbers on bags and bottles of fertilizer (like 3-4-4 or 10-10-10 etc) this represents the amounts of N-P-K (nitrogen - phosphate - potassium) in the fertilizer and in that order. Too high of nitrogen will make your plants have lots of beautiful leaves but at the cost of very little blossoms which will mean very little fruit. Phosphate helps with flower and therfore fruit production. That's not to say that your plant doesn't need all 3 elements, just not as much nitrogen as phosphate and potassium. Try to find one with a 3-4-4 ratio to start with, and I'd go with an organic one if you can find one like Espoma organic Garden-Tone http://www.espoma.com/product/garden-tone/ Fruits and veggies also like other minerals like calcium and magnesium for blossom and fruit production too. Hope this helps
Michelle Horne
on Jun 10, 2015
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one other thought, are your plants getting 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day? If not you will have a hard time getting them to fruit. They need the energy they get from the sun in order to produce and mature fruit.
Michelle Horne
on Jun 10, 2015
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be careful about planting them too deep. The crown should be well above ground level. I agree with the others about fertilizer. container plants need a bit more especially if you are using one of the "blue" fertilizers..
Marcia
on Jun 11, 2015
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Audra,it's not you!! Strawberries are not always as easy as they seem. I grow many things but have never had much luck with strawberries. I've been told that they do better after multiple seasons, so maybe just don't give-up and in the meantime try and enjoy their lovely greenery!
Tashia
on Jun 11, 2015
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Ok thanks guys. They get full sun and I trim dead stuff all the time. I dried and ground up banana peels, eggshells and Epsom salt for fertilizer and mixed it in the soil before planting. Should I just get a store bought one instead?
Audra Bailey
on Jun 11, 2015
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You also need to know that you should not let "first year" plants produce. Pick off the flowers. This will make for a stronger and healthier plant. The second year you can let it produce berries. Third year, If you want the plant to "mother" some baby plants, place a few (3-4) smaller pots around the plant and bury a runner in each pot. Pick off the flowers and all the energy will go to growing the baby plants. After the babies are well rooted, cut the vine from the mother plant. Or the third year just trim the runners and let it keep producing berries ever year. Just know that most strawberry plant are spent about the 5 year mark. When you buy a new strawberry plant you are getting a first year plant.
Wanda Arganbright
on Jun 12, 2015
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Wanda Arganbright, that was a wonderful explanation...I am going to copy this to my notepad for future reference! This is AWESOME information, thanks!
Christina Dorrego
on Jun 13, 2015
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