Strawberries

I'm planting strawberries for the first time. I have 25 TriStar and 25 Seascape.

Should I work compost into the soil when planting? I know some plants like that, some don't.

Any other advice?

Gwendalou

I just planted tristar and seascape. Although I was in too much of a hurry to wait for the compost delivery before planting, I think it would be a good idea to work in compost, definitely! (I'm already regretting not doing it!)

Gwendalou,

Don't fertilize strawberries in the spring. This is when the leaves are developing, and you'll get lush growth and meager, soft berries. Wait until blossoms appear and use a light hand. Potted ones need a little help in this area.

~* Robin

Gardening Jobs by the Month: April http://davesgarden.com/journal/d/t/NatureWalker/2549/

This message was edited Apr 13, 2006 3:47 AM

Oh darn, I already planted them yesterday with compost and come basic fertilizer mixed into the soil. Guess I'll just have to wait til next year for really good berries!

Gwendalou

I planted mine in a raised bed. The old-timers at the farm store where I bought them told me to fill my raised bed with 1/2 compost and 1/2 peat moss and nothing else. I did that last summer and they are coming on beautifully this year. I've got blooms everywhere, and they're huge.

I picked off all the blooms last year though in order to let the plants apply all their energy to getting established instead of berries. No crop the first summer. I did put a little super-phosphate on them a couple weeks ago and have been watering them well. Looks like it might just pay off ! I can hardly wait.

I've heard that about picking off the flowers the first year. I planted everbearing varieties - seascape and tristar. One place told me I didn't need to pick them off with these two varieties. These two do send out runners, tho, and I thought those were the kinds you needed to pick off the first year.

Wow, hard to do that! I'll have to decide.

Gwendalou

Hello
i have some strawberrries from last yr, didn't now much on care and maintanece ,but i did cover them with some straw over the fall and winter, now i m wondering what else do i do? i feel dumb asking this buuuuuut, where can i get peat moss? garden stores. I have looked and i can't see any? maybe i m looking in the wrong place? I do feel real y dumb asking:)
I am going to make a bigger area and add more strawberries this yr too, can't wait for next season!! if all goes well.
thanks
sue

I got peat moss at a local nursery. Why do you feel funny asking? I always ask! I ask before even bothering to look. I just walk in a store and ask for what I want. LOL We should go shopping together!

Gwendalou

G Tristars will do well in a hanging basket and it is kinda fun to have them that way. This year I planted 40 Shuksan 30 Rainer and 30 Hood in the garden the plan is to have big berries over a longer time. I also planted 10 six inch pots with Quinaults for planting in a basket they are ever bearing I will see if I like one over the other. As to fertilizer easy does it is right lol. Ernie

planting now would be good ? wow i th ough i had a bunch of strawberries with my megger 8 . LOL. thanks for making feel not so dumb with the questions. Gwendalou :)))
i have a small veg stand and want to add strawberries becuase the only other place is the grocery or 40 min drive, no other veg stand has them,i my area , so i think i can get in the goods, if i get more strawberries. lots more LOL
Not this yr but maybe in the next, yr the strawbrrry will plenish my soul LOL
thanks i will take all advice on the berry thang, i need to learn.:)))))
sue

I am always with the questions! LOL It drives my husband nuts, but he just laughs at me, and when I was in school, teachers didn't like me. They felt I was challenging them with my constant questions. My mom says I fire the questions and then don't wait for the answers. That is probably true. I just listen to half of it and then can tell where the ending is going so send off the next question.

What can I say - inquiring minds!

Gwendalou

I planted 2 varieties together, one June bearing and an everbearing. I think they were Ozark Beauty, and Cardinal. But I picked off all the blooms from both types and let whoever wanted to run..........run. Started with only 25 plants, but have lots more than that now, since they put out the runners agressively and had all summer last year to establish. Each plant has about 1/2 dozen or so berries on them now. I can tell they're going to be good size because they're already large..........and still green. Even the blooms were about twice the size of the initial ones they made last year.

I think waiting has paid off for me. But yes, it was hard..........I love strawberries. I just bought 40 more plants for another bed. Maybe I can enjoy a few this year while I wait for this next bed to get going.

I just planted 25 new Tri Stars. I've had them before and the flavor is the best.
I put lots of compost in the bed before planting.
I will pinch the June flowers and then let them go and enjoy the late berries.
Andy P

Okay, what I want to know is, has anyone NOT picked off the flowers and had good success? The reason I ask is because I hear this advice from time to time and I just wonder if there's really much difference in the next years crop. Or if I let this year's crop grow out and next years isn't quite as big as it could have been because I didn't pinch the flowers, doesn't it all just average out?

Makes me think of my peony that I planted years ago. Got the same advice, pinch the blossoms off the first year. Well, I didn't and I had some nice flowers. The next year, a ton of flowers and the next even more. I can't see how there would have been even more.

Anyway, back to my original question, has anyone NOT picked off the flowers and had good success with strawberries?

If the berries are planted early in the season in fertile soil, they ought to put out way too many runners the first year for many varieties....mine did.

If the berries are planted on the late side, it is critical to remove flowers the first year.

Does it matter if they're everbearing vs June bearing?

Gwendalou

I was referring to June bearers mainly. I know from experience that TriStars can get too thick very quickly...a total mat

So should I keep the runners cut back then? We planted them 12 inches apart.

Gwendalou

As a general rule I would say ...keep the plants from getting thicker than 6 inches apart....no matter what kind you have.

I thought they were all supposed to grow in so that they were all touching and sort of like one big plant.

Gwendalou

Gwen, Six inches apart the second season is the minimum, for sure.
They need room for the roots to do their job.
The space between the plants helps air circulation and reduces mildew and slugs.
I let most of the baby plants grow the first season then thin them out the next Spring. Use the extras to set up a new bed.
Have fun, they are an interesting crop to grow. Lots of options for culture that take time to figure out what works best for you.
I try a new type of mulch almost every year, LOL.

As far as removing the flowers the first season, I'm still not sure.

Here is what I sometimes do with them in the Winter, they freeze well.
Andy P

Oooo, that looks yummy! What time is breakfast?

Gwendalou

Oh my goodness !!!!!!! Looks so yummy !

JenHill, I just got some berries planted and pinched off all the blooms and baby berries that were on the plant from the nursery. When the plants make more, I'll leave them alone. Since I'm only growing for my own enjoyment and there are a tons of berry stands around, I won't worry about getting a smaller yield next year. I want to be able to stand in my garden and eat berries THIS year! lol. I'm not so good at the delayed gratification.

I hear you Chamelle. I want to eat some berries this year. :)