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Strawberry novice
JossVam
Posts: 7
in Fruit & veg
Hello
I'm growing strawberries for the first time this year on my allotment. I've read conflicting reports about what to do in the first year. Some say you should pinch out all flowers in the first year (to allow them to develop a good root system and a better crop in year 2) - but this means no fruit - booooo!
Others say leave them to their own devices. Let them flower in the first year, pick and eat the fruit and it'll make no difference to how they behave in subsequent years.
Can anyone offer some advice, please?
J
0
Posts
I've done both JossVam. I think it really is up to the individual and how pedantic you want be. With good growing conditions and good feeding they will do well for several years. Pot up any runners to replace every year. By doing so you will get a succession of 3yr old plants, which is about their best growing season.
I've never bothered pinching off the flowers JossVam. I had runners from my sister and plants bought in end of season sales which had already had a crop on them,and I've not noticed a huge difference. As Dave says, good feeding and care brings a good crop. Shame to have a load of them sitting there and not get any benefit till next year. You could always leave half of them if you've got quite a lot so that you get the best of both worlds!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Brilliant, thank you.
I think that if you plant strawberries early so that they get settled in before flowering then there is no need to pinch them out. If you plant late and the flowers are just about to swell than pinch them out to help them concentrate on root growth.