Why are Strawberries so hard for me?

kcunha 3/28/2013, 12:36 pm

This is my 2nd year doing strawberries and I tried 3 different varieties. They have been in the ground for a few weeks now and I can already tell that they look a lot like last year; small and slow:( Not sure if I need to water them less, add sand, etc. Any tips from strawberry veterans?

Thanks!

HillbillyBob 3/28/2013, 4:10 pm

any blooms or fruit started? do you see any bees around the bed in the morning? Wink

strawberries - Why are Strawberries so hard for me? 3170584802

memart1 3/28/2013, 6:36 pm

I just saw an interesting tip to keep birds from eating your strawberries, and I thought I'd run it by all my sfg friends since this year will be my first year for strawberries. A young relative saw this on pinterest. Paint small stones to look like strawberries and the birds will tire of hitting their beaks on hard stones. I figure I can lay landscape cloth over my MM and then spread out the stones. That way they won't get mixed into the soil, but water can still get in. I have lots of paint since I own a ceramics shop. Any opinions out there?

**camprn** 3/28/2013, 6:40 pm

Tell us about the growing medium in which you are growing them. If you can, please post a photo.

littlejo 3/28/2013, 8:33 pm

kcunha ,
I have mine in MM and they do great. I have a couple types of everbearing and a couple types of June bearing. If you think that your MM is not good (bad bagged compost) then you can add some organic fertilizer for tomatoes, but I would never add sand. It does nothing for any type of soil, MM, clay or good loam. If you have them in some type of regular soil, you could add some good compost to feed the berries and improve the soil too.
What did last yrs berries do? I think that you are worrying too soon. 1st yr. berries don't get big and beautiful in a hurry. My plants are all small after the winter, but they are blooming. They will get 'big and pretty' late spring maybe, and will bear better in their 2nd yr.
JO

Unmutual 3/29/2013, 10:52 am

kcunha wrote:This is my 2nd year doing strawberries and I tried 3 different varieties. They have been in the ground for a few weeks now and I can already tell that they look a lot like last year; small and slow:( Not sure if I need to water them less, add sand, etc. Any tips from strawberry veterans?

Thanks!

Do you have the strawberry cultivar that's right for your area? Just because someone sells it, doesn't mean it will do well. Visit your AgCenter online and see what varieties they say to grow. Also, planting strawberries is very specific.

This is taken from the LSU AgCenter(by Dan Gill)

Dig the planting hole large and deep enough to accommodate the root system. Then place the plant’s roots into the hole. The plant’s roots should extend vertically into the soil and spread out like a fan.

Fill the hole with soil, and firm the soil around the crown (the point where the roots and leafy part of the plant join). Be careful not to plant too deep by covering the crown or too shallow, which leaves roots exposed.

HillbillyBob 3/29/2013, 11:18 am

memart1 wrote:I just saw an interesting tip to keep birds from eating your strawberries, and I thought I'd run it by all my sfg friends since this year will be my first year for strawberries. A young relative saw this on pinterest. Paint small stones to look like strawberries and the birds will tire of hitting their beaks on hard stones. I figure I can lay landscape cloth over my MM and then spread out the stones. That way they won't get mixed into the soil, but water can still get in. I have lots of paint since I own a ceramics shop. Any opinions out there?

I would be careful adding red rocks your inviting squrriels What a Face

when you do that I tried small x-mas balls one year and still see them in the trees once in a while

btw squrriels will eat tomatoes too tongue

**camprn** 3/29/2013, 11:35 am

kcunha, we could speculate the trouble until the cows come home, but more info is required if you are looking for some good advice.
What did you plant the plants into? When did you plant them? Have you already fed them? Are you following any of the standard growing advice for strawberries? What has the weather been like there? Have you contacted you County Extension Service for advice>?

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