strawberry plants

[hiker125]

I sent out several strawberry plants last year. They sent out lots of runners, but no blossoms, which I think was good.

I read that you should cut them back in the fall, so I did. My friend, who has the same berries did not. I mulched with leaves and straw but my buddy didn't .

My question is- what do we need to do now to ensure a good crop?

 

[dickiebird]

I would apply some 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 at a rate of about 1 1/2lbs per 100 ft of row, probably about now.
Then I'd set back and let 'em be.

I don't cut mine back or mulch in the fall. I do mulch early March, this allows the plants to grow up through the straw and when they set fruit it is up off the ground on the bed of straw.

I also do not pinch off the blossoms of first year plants and get great yeilds.

THANX RICH

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

I also do not pinch off the blossoms of first year plants and get great yeilds.

Really!?!

I'll be putting in strawberries for the first time, when the plants I ordered last week arrive. Bed's all ready! I was considering 'cheating' and only pinching off about half of this year's blossoms, so that we get a taste of goodness this year for our efforts....

 

[dickiebird]

A friend of mines family had what was known around here as a "truck farm". One of their main crops were strawberries. Each fall they would remove all the plants from the field, cull the smaller ones and put the rest into cold storage until spring. At that time they would replant the whole field.

If they had pinched the blossoms they would have never had berries to sell.

THANX RICH

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

Good to know, Rich!! Thanks for sharing this!

 

[trunkman]

I wouldn't pinch blossoms...That's just me

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

I keep hearing pinch the first blossoms and I'm always hesitant because I don't want 0 fruit the first year. Do I sacrifice the first yield to get a couple more fruits the next year on each plant? If I don't pinch the first year and get 20 strawberries per plant, and if I do pinch and get nothing the first year and the plant gives me 25 percent more the following year that means I get 24 berries the 2nd year from a pinched plant. If I don't pinch and get 20 the first year and get the same amount the second year that means I get 40 strawberries in two years compared to 24, so the math tells me not to pinch, what do you think? :/

I like your math, trunkman ... to pinch or not to pinch ...

 

[hiker125]

Then I will probably only get two berries this year-provided the eldery basset hound doesn't eat them!