Strawberry instruction sheet

[daveb]

Here is thumb nail of the sheet that came with one of the seeds that arrives today. variety is new just called " Red climbing " 250 seeds were $6.99 USD$ also included the photo from the sales page. other berry coming is is an ever bearing variety 2000 count for seeds.

 

[Bushboy]

Hi mate, you tried strawberries in hydro? I havent done strawberries before in hydro, just tomatoes and lettuce.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I was always told to keep them in the fridge, not freezer. Is it actually safe to freeze the seeds?

 

[daveb]

I was always told to keep them in the fridge, not freezer. Is it actually safe to freeze the seeds?

actually the seeds in nature are subjected to below freezing temperature. it is this process in many seeds that trigger the seeds to actively germinate so that as the ground warms they can set root and become established before the next cold cycle. it id referred to as cold stratification. there are numerouse seeds that require cold to trigger a few others are apples - cherry - artichokes - sand a huge list of various flowers.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

That's very true come to think of it 🤔

 

[daveb]

and if you wonder what 2000 strawberry seeds look like ...

 

[daveb]

Hi mate, you tried strawberries in hydro? I havent done strawberries before in hydro, just tomatoes and lettuce.

i have grown nurse purchased plants in ebb and flow aka flood/drain with the plants in the expanded clay and had a huge harvest, going two routes this time tower planter with a pump to send the nutrient to the top and drain back to bucket and back into a bucket, and some in NFT system, just remember in hydroponics to shoot for a 5.8 to 6.2 ph on the solution for the strawberries, i shoot for as close to straight blend of 20 - 20 - 20 and top out with an extra shoot of Potassium as they set fruit as i can. Which means a total change from the mix i use on tomatoes peppers and herbs and leafy greens.

 

[Bushboy]

cheers. Thanks for that.

 

[SamfromWA]

Here is thumb nail of the sheet that came with one of the seeds that arrives today. variety is new just called " Red climbing " 250 seeds were $6.99 USD$ also included the photo from the sales page. other berry coming is is an ever bearing variety 2000 count for seeds.

Hopefully your strawberreis go well, i haven't had a lot of luck with them persisting in my garden here but was thinking about trying some seed in the hope of more resilient plants.

 

[daveb]

Remember most strawberry plants last only 5 years then start to slow production and some will even die off. that is why they are so prolific to send out runners. Some of the hybrids will last slightly longer. One major key on the plants grown from seed, many seeds even off hybrids plants may revert to one of the parent stock type berry so could be considerably smaller in berry size.

 

[daveb]

A couple things to make sure of first years on those started from seeds, pinch or cut back runners, also majority i will also pinch back flowers leaving one or 2 plants with only a couple flowers so i can see the berry size.
Pinching back will make for a stronger plant and let it get a good root established the first year. second year i will select some to just bear fruit and a few to propagate runners. so basically its a balancing act

 

[SamfromWA]

Remember most strawberry plants last only 5 years then start to slow production and some will even die off. that is why they are so prolific to send out runners. Some of the hybrids will last slightly longer. One major key on the plants grown from seed, many seeds even off hybrids plants may revert to one of the parent stock type berry so could be considerably smaller in berry size.

Mine here don't even last a year, i think the direct sun is a bit too harsh on them in summer with the air being so dry. Once the fruit trees are a bit bigger they might do better in the shade. Much like loquats they seem to be just a little bit overwhelmed, i've been trying seed grown loquates direct in the soil and they seem to be doing much better, as seems to be the case with almost everything grown from seed. Plus you can plant hundreds of seeds and you only need a few to be strong enough which gives a lot more chances of finding something suitable.

 

[daveb]

It could be also a too sudden a shock of sun and heat combined, same with taking plants from indoors to outside to harden of an adjust to temperatures its the sudden change in the light also that plants need to be hardened off to also. Specially if it is placed in location where it gets full afternoon sun this can severely impact young plants.
Sun scald (same as us getting sunburns) is common in some plants the surface of the leaf gets damaged very noticeable the leaf can discolor turn brown and dry up and crack even the fruits will show damage in big spots that will start to ripen then turn white and eventual rot at that spot. Young strawberries a nice morning to early afternoon sun 4 to 5 hrs is good and gradually up to 6 to 7 hrs for some varieties.
On an additional thing have you checked the soil PH ?? and an NPK test, in years past when doing transplant outdoors I always do one thing that grandpa always drilled into head i go down the area after and do a light side dress of a high potassium fertilizer i use a little 5-0-20 to help young plants set more roots or if you want to go an easy method see if your local nursery or garden center carries green sand broadcast about 1 pound for every 20sq feet and give it a try to get the potassium plus other essential trace minerals

 

[SamfromWA]

The soil was a little acidic when i started but i spread some wood ash out which will have improved things as well as increased potassium. Plus i use lots of straw as mulch which is full of nutrients. Most things do well but some things struggle in such low humidity during the warm season in our arid/semiarid environment. Even beans produced nothing last year but are doing much better in shade through most of the day this year. For now i have limited shade though the fruit trees will help as they get bigger. Also planted a little nursery bed of tree seeds and will transplant them around where i need more shade next winter.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

I can't seem to keep strawberry plants alive either. I've tried keeping them in sun or shade, wet or dry. No luck either way. They always make me feel like I have a black thumb, haha.

 

[daveb]

well dont go crazy on the wood ash pound for pound it is equal to lime, too sweet ( alkaline ) a soil is not good for strawberries they can do well 5.5 to 6.5 ph do mine in 5.8 to 6.2 range . They prefer a loamy soil rich in compost that drains well. Early season as they start a good composted chicken manure and a feeding of fertilizer and then after harvest give another good treatment. They do tend to be heavy feeders so do well with a good nitrogen level in soil. they like plenty of water but do not spray from over head a soaker hose run long enough in early morning to soak down to dampen soil 3 to 4 inches 2 or 3 times a week.