Although growing strawberries is super rewarding, there are some common problems and mistakes that can occur. So, to succeed and get healthy plants and the best harvests, there are key points to remember and things to avoid.
Picking the right varieties and planting them in the right place is the first port of call for a healthy crop. Then there are annual maintenance tasks involved in growing strawberries, including removing runners and leaves, that are very important to keep your plants producing fruit.
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6 problems to avoid when growing strawberries
There are many strawberry-growing mistakes that gardeners can make and they can all have a massive impact on the resulting harvest.
Some of the issues will not apply if you are growing strawberries in pots or attempting to grow strawberries indoors. However, if you find yourself wondering 'why aren't my strawberries growing?', then one or more of the following could be the cause.
1. Picking the wrong variety
When perusing catalogs, websites, or nurseries, there may be many different types of strawberry plants to choose from. However, you must understand the differences between them. There are June-bearing, everbearing, and day-neutral types. June-bearing offer a single, large crop in June, everbearing give two crops a year in June and fall, and day-neutral berries produce fruit all the way from spring into fall.
Nancy Trautz Awot (opens in new tab), Horticulture Specialist at Burpee Gardening, advises that growers take into account their USDA plant hardiness zone and available space, as well as their goals and needs for their strawberries when picking the variety to grow. She adds: ‘Picking the correct variety of strawberry is essential to having the most success in your garden.’
You will discover that there are some cultivars that can thrive in many environments, while some may not be happy in all climatic zones. It is always best to research varieties to make sure that the plants will grow successfully in your USDA zone. Taking the time to select the right variety can help give some level of guarantee that the plant will survive in your yard. Furthermore, if you are growing strawberries in pots, then make sure to pick a variety that is ideally suited to containers, such as strawberry 'Tristan' available from Burpee (opens in new tab).
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2. Planting in the wrong spot
Getting the location right for planting strawberries will be key to having happy plants and the biggest and best harvest. Most strawberry varieties want to be planted somewhere that gets six to ten hours of direct sunlight every day. They will tolerate some shade, but the more sun they get, the more fruits you will be rewarded with.
Strawberry plants also want to be in well-draining soil – they like the ground to be moist but not waterlogged.
Certain strawberry plant diseases, including gray mold and black spot, can be deterred by growing strawberries in the ideal spot with enough sun and also by giving each plant enough space for good air circulation. Pests or diseases can have a massive impact on any crop so take measures, including correct planting, to help give your plants a fighting chance.
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3. Planting crowns too deep
Strawberry plants have very shallow roots and planting them too close to the surface of the soil can cause them to dry out very easily and perish before establishing. However, you also do not want to plant the crown too deep as it can cause serious problems.
Ben Hilton (opens in new tab), Founder and Editor of The Yard and Garden warns: ‘The crown is the point at which new leaves and shoots will form, so it's important that they are not buried too deep in the soil.' Doing so exposes the crown to excessive moisture, he explains. 'This can lead to crown rot which will ultimately kill the plant.’
Strawberry crowns want to be planted no deeper than one inch below the surface, with the crown poking out of the soil. Gently firm the crown into the soil and water it well to help settle the soil around its roots. Around six weeks after planting is a great time to fertilize strawberries to help them start to produce flowers.
Ben Hilton
Ben Hilton is a seasoned Master Gardener and author of the book Propagating Houseplants Made Easy, available as an e-book at Amazon (opens in new tab). He has contributed to numerous publications, includingBetter Homes & Gardens, Garden Design Magazine, and The English Garden,and is the Founder and Editor in Chief of two popular gardening websites – TheYardAndGarden.com and TheGardeningFix.com.
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4. Not mulching around plants
Putting mulch around strawberry plants is very important and not adding it is one of the most common strawberry-growing mistakes that people make.
Mulching is good for most crops, but especially strawberries. Ben advises: ‘Mulching strawberries is essential to conserve soil moisture, regulate temperature, and suppress weed growth. Without mulch, soil can dry out quickly or get too hot, making growing conditions tough for strawberries.’
He adds that growers should spread an inch or two around the base of each plant, making sure not to cover the crown. You do need to lift any foliage up so that it sits on top of the mulch layer. As well as retaining moisture, the mulch can also keep plants clean and raise fruits from sitting on the soil and potentially rotting or being eaten by pests such as slugs.
Mulching can play a key part in how to winterize strawberry plants as, if you live in USDA zones 3, 4, 5, and northernmost parts of 6, a mulch with a lightweight material such as straw can protect the roots from harsh winter frosts.
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5. Not removing the old leaves
At the end of each growing season, growers should remove the old foliage from their strawberry plants. Not doing so is a common mistake, however it is an important task as old leaves can reduce the plant’s overall strength and prevent new fruits from developing. Old leaves can also become a breeding ground for strawberry pests and diseases that can be damaging to a plant.
Anne Swithinbank (opens in new tab), a gardening expert for Homes & Gardens, advises: ‘Immediately after cropping, shear away and clear old foliage along with straw and other debris to be disposed of away from the garden. This removes diseased foliage and lets more light into the crowns, encouraging new growth.'
It is very simple to remove the old leaves. Simply use pruning shears – such as the Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears available at Amazon (opens in new tab) – to snip away dead foliage ahead of the new growth appearing.
Anne Swithinbank
Having trained at Kew Gardens in London and worked in parks department nurseries and as Glasshouse Supervisor at RHS Wisley, Anne has been a freelance horticulturist since 1986. Anne writes forAmateur Gardeningmagazine in the UK and has been a panelist on BBC Radio 4’sGardeners’ Question Timefor 27 years.
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6. Leaving the runners intact
Growing runners takes a lot of energy from a plant, meaning there is less energy to put into producing fruit. What's more, the new plants that form from runners reduce the nutrients available to the mother plant, and its overall vigor and production of fruit take a hit as a result.So, to prevent your strawberry plants from being overgrown and their yield being reduced, it's important to remove these runners.
You can plant the runners separately in their own pot or in another area – that way, not only will you be preserving the vigor and health of existing plants, but you'll be getting a new generation of plants, too.
Strawberries are so popular to grow, partly due to their versatility. They are tasty additions to kitchen gardens and can also be grown in pots in a container garden. However, there can be many reasons for plants not performing as well as expected.
Many factors can be out of your hands – for example, you cannot choose the weather. But focus on the things you can control. Pick the right varieties and plant them properly and in the right spots. And always make sure to have the likes of mulching plants, removing old leaves, and taking off runners on your to-do list for the season. The plants will benefit, be healthy, and reward you with an abundance of fruits each year.
FAQs
Common problems with strawberries – 6 simple issues that can reduce your harvest? ›
If temperatures rise too high, the plants stop producing, even if they are an everbearing variety. The best temperatures for growing strawberries fall between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but if it gets consistently hotter – above 85 degrees Fahrenheit – the plants cease fruit production and may even die.
What causes strawberries to stop producing? ›If temperatures rise too high, the plants stop producing, even if they are an everbearing variety. The best temperatures for growing strawberries fall between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but if it gets consistently hotter – above 85 degrees Fahrenheit – the plants cease fruit production and may even die.
What defects do strawberries have? ›Other diseases that challenge strawberry cultivation include black root rot, leaf rot, fruit rot, blossom blight, powdery mildew, leaf scorch, and verticillium. After picking, strawberries are gently packed in the field and fruit should be cooled as soon as possible to maximize shelf life.
What affects the growth of strawberries? ›Favourable soil media and macro, micronutrients are the utmost important factors that aid the growth and yield of strawberry plants.
Do strawberries stop fruiting? ›Strawberry plants can produce fruit for up to four or five years. However, the crop yield mahy reduce dramatically after the first two or three years due to disease, so we recommend buying a new plant at that time.
Why are my strawberries drying up on the vine? ›A. Hi Maxine, possible causes include poor pollination, drying out between watering and inconsistent watering (either too much or too little). Use a mulch to help conserve soil moisture and feed regularly with Tui Strawberry Food, which contains potassium to help flowering and fruiting.
What is the most serious disease of strawberry? ›Grey mold is very common and often causes serious losses in strawberries. Customers usually complain of off-flavored fruit if berries infected with grey mold are eaten. This disease affects blossoms and blossom stalks of green or ripe fruit.
What are the most common contaminants in strawberries? ›Occasionally strawberries can become contaminated with harmful bacteria or viruses known as pathogens. Examples of pathogens include Salmonella, E. coli 0157:H7 and Hepatitis A.
What is the new disease in strawberry? ›What is Neopestalotiopsis leaf spot and fruit rot? A fungal disease was recently identified in strawberry fields in North America, specifically in several states including Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia, and in Ontario, Canada.
What is the best fertilizer for strawberries? ›Specifically, strawberry plants rely heavily on nitrogen. You can use a fertilizer containing only nitrogen such as urea (46-0-0) or ammonium nitrate (33-0-0). Another option is to use a balanced fertilizer such as a 12-12-12.
What is the secret to growing strawberries? ›
In-ground gardens, raised beds, and containers are all excellent growing areas. Give strawberries room for runners by planting them 18 inches apart. Strawberries can be grown in a variety of ways, but make sure they get 8 or more hours of sun and are planted in slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8.
Why are my strawberries growing so slow? ›Without the proper nutrients, strawberries will not grow well. As a result, fruit production may be low. Amending the soil with compost or other organic materials will go a long way in adding beneficial nutrients to the plants. However, too much fertilizer, especially nitrogen, can also limit fruit production.
What conditions do strawberries like for fruiting? ›Strawberries grow best in a deep, sandy loam soil rich in organic matter. The soil must be well-drained. Keep away from areas that remain wet late into the spring. The site should receive full sunlight and have a gradual slope.
Should you cut runners off strawberries? ›Strawberry Runners
Runners take a lot of the plant's energy to produce, so in the first two years of life they should be cut off from where they emerge to concentrate the plant's efforts on fruit production. From year three some of the runners can be used to propagate new plants.
Of these, the June-bearing type of strawberry produces once a year, sometime around June; hence, the name. It stops production sometime around July. Everbearing strawberries will fruit twice, once in June and again in late summer.
Do strawberry Runners affect fruiting? ›Yes you can remove the runners now, or you can leave them on the plant, it won't affect fruiting.
What does overwatered strawberries look like? ›Overwatered strawberry symptoms include yellowing leaves, root rot, wilting, and soggy soil.
What are the signs of root rot in strawberries? ›Strawberry plants with black root rot show a general lack of vigor with poor runner growth and small berries. Plants may collapse when water demand is high such as during spring growth, during or after fruiting, or during drought stress.
Will vinegar hurt strawberry plants? ›To kill aphids, mix vinegar with water at a 1:3 ratio and spray it on your strawberry plants. Be careful to cover the stems and undersides of the leaves where aphids like to hide. Repeat the process a week later to kill them all. Insecticidal soap spray is another effective alternative.
What is post harvest disease of strawberry? ›Rhizopus rot or 'leak', caused by the fungus Rhizopus stolonifer, is a common postharvest disease of strawberries usually associated with handling damage. First signs of infection may be leakage of juice from packed fruit, and on inspection a white mould with black fruiting bodies is often seen.
What is the Verticillium wilt in strawberries? ›
Verticillium wilt of strawberry is caused by the fungi Verticillium albo-atrum and V. dahliae. When a strawberry plant is severely infected, the probability of it surviving to produce a crop is greatly reduced.
What is the most common pesticide used on strawberries? ›| What Pesticide? | How Often is it Found?6 | Other Foods with this Pesticide |
|---|---|---|
| Tetrahydrophthalimide (THPI) | 55.3% | Other Foods |
| Pyraclostrobin | 43.5% | Other Foods |
| Captan | 42.6% | Other Foods |
| Fenhexamid | 39.3% | Other Foods |
Leaf spot, leaf scorch, and leaf blight are three major foliar diseases of strawberry. These pathogens can occur individually or together on the same plant or even on the same leaf if the cultivar and climate are conducive. A few spots from these diseases are relatively harmless if spread is controlled.
How do you keep strawberry plants producing? ›Give plants 1 to 1.5 inches of water weekly, and avoid wetting the leaves. Promote excellent fruit production by keeping plants fed with a continuous-release fertilizer. Harvest ripe strawberries in the cool of morning and refrigerate them right away.
What to do with strawberries after they stop producing? ›Renovation is an important step in strawberry management that comes after harvest. Renovating allows the strawberry plants to grow vigorously and prepare new fruiting buds for next year. Steps in renovation include mowing, weed control, cultivation, fertilization and irrigation.
At what temperature do strawberries stop producing? ›The blossoms are more sensitive to freezing than the leaves, and they become more cold-sensitive as they open and bloom. Before the flower buds have fully opened (tight bud stage) the buds can survive at temperatures as low as 20° F. Once the blossoms are open, they are damaged at 30° F.
Should I cut runners off strawberry plants? ›Strawberry Runners
Runners take a lot of the plant's energy to produce, so in the first two years of life they should be cut off from where they emerge to concentrate the plant's efforts on fruit production. From year three some of the runners can be used to propagate new plants.
Strawberries are one of the most eagerly anticipated crops of the year. By growing a range of types, it's possible to have a continuous supply of fruit from late spring, throughout summer and into autumn.
What does Epsom salt do for strawberry plants? ›Adding Epsom salt to your fruits and vegetables soil will mean sweeter fruit and delicious vegetables. The Epsom salt will help to boost the chlorophyll levels in your fruit and nut trees. The more chlorophyl means more energy, and more energy means sweeter fruit.
What does coffee grounds do for strawberry plants? ›They grow so much after that. It's works great and is better for you than store bought plant food. The coffee grounds also keep away sugar ants and pill bugs.
Do you water strawberry plants everyday? ›
Strawberry plants need regular water to thrive, especially during fruit bearing season, when they need an average of 1-2 inches of water daily. The best way to water strawberries is to use drip or soaker hose placed at least two inches away from the plant.