Tiny strawberries

Cook in SC · Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:27 am

I planted some strawberries for the first time back in February. The plants look beautiful, they are green, and they are producing a lot of flowers. However, the strawberries are tiny. They are growing in some soil with mushroom compost so I did not fertilize them. The compost might be a little spent. Any ideas of how to get bigger berries? Any help would be appreciated.

soil · Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:35 am

I wouldn't expect huge berries the first year the plants arent established enough. plan on keeping the soil where they are as fertile as possible over the next year and expect a bumper crop next spring.

still enjoy the berries, we have a variety that produces nothing but small strawberries. they are the best strawberries you have ever eaten, and we also grow 4 other kinds of strawberries.

SPierce · Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:39 am

They may be tiny (I had similar last year) but they ARE still pretty good for munching

Cook in SC · Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:22 pm

Thanks for the info! They ARE the best tasting strawberries that I have ever eaten. I can't wait to see how they do next year.

applestar · Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:35 pm

What variety strawberries are they?

I have 4 named varieties with larger berries as well as wild strawberries (Fragaria virginiana). the wild strawberries' largest first berry of the season *might* get to be 1" long by 1/2" wide, but mostly they are no larger than a woman's first finger joint. But they pack superior flavor when picked at peak ripeness -- I.e. they are mushy 4 hrs later -- and my kids say they prefer the wild strawberries above all else.

jal_ut · Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:41 pm

Are they June bearers? I like the everbearers. They give a great fall crop as well as a spring crop.

Yes, they will do better next year, or if everbearers, better in the fall.

DeborahL · Sat Apr 30, 2011 2:08 am

What does "Day Neutral" mean? That the strawberry in queston doesn't care if it's a long day of sun or not?

jal_ut · Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:08 am

[url=https://ccesuffolk.org/assets/Horticulture-Leaflets/Growing-Day-Neutral-Strawberries-In-Home-Gardens.pdf]Check This Out![/url]

Deborah, here is something that will help answer your question.

wordwiz · Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:58 am

Are these by chance Alpine strawberries? If so, they will never produce big fruit. But though they are tiny, they pack a huge amount of taste in them.

Mike