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Strawberry plants


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About 5 years ago, I planted about a dozen of 'everbearing strawberries.' The first and maybe 2nd year they truly lived up to their name. Since then, I have a hillside of strawberry plants but no strawberries. The runners established themselves on top of mulch so I'm thinking that is the problem for why they don't produce but even the original plants don't produce fruit. I've weeded the patch but I wonder what I can do before the season to boost them and get some fruit this year. Suggestions are welcome!

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Strawberry "Mothers", the original plants, don't produce forever, but their "Daughters" will repeat the cycle of 2-3 years before stopping.

Some of it is genetic because they are designed to quickly produce seeds which may or may not make it to become seedlings.  Germinating strawberry seeds is possible, but only under very good conditions.  Some are sterile.  Putting out new Daughter plants is one way to foil those who eat the berries.  

The soil and plants become exhausted and the Daughters take over the job.  The Mothers must be removed and care must be taken to make sure the Daughters land in quality soil far enough away from other plants not to compete for nutrients.

I would thin the row down to only new plants about 18 inches apart in amended soil.  Toss the oldies unless you just want to grow Daughters to give away.  They will probably not get enough berries to make it worth keeping them.  

Another problem is letting the plants develop fruit the first year.  You shouldn't let them bear fruit till their second year and then you will get bumper crops.  

This link will provide you with excellent information.  https://extension.psu.edu/growing-strawberries

 

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