I don't see a "fruit" forum, so I hope it's OK to post this here.
Two summers ago we purchased a dozen strawberry plants. The plants are big, but the berries are very small (see pictures). And the berries aren't particularly tasty, so not "wild strawberries," especially with the size of the plant. Since this is the third summer of small strawberries, and since the plants look healthy, I'm puzzled. I think I'll throw them out, but I'd like to solve the mystery first.
TIA
LAS
Picture #2
Pictures #3
Those look exactly like my little wild strawberries that I have all over my yard. They make a great ground cover. The chickens love them and do the harvesting. LOL I have a red one like yours that I don't like and I have a creamy white one that has a pineapple flavor that I love. They look exactly like the red one but taste so much better. So tiny though.
We have wild strawberries that could be called a groundcover in our field. But do your wild strawberry plants ever get a foot wide and almost a foot tall??? Mine sure don't. And my problem ones don't have the wonderful sweet intense taste of the wild ones.
Actually, the plants Can get that big in really good soil. One seeded itself in my one of my garden beds this year and it is huge. Luckily, it is the white one, which I love.
I was wrong when i called them wild strawberries. They are actually Alpine Strawberries. Here is a link for you to investigate. http://www.farmfreshliving.com/Alpine_Strawberries.html
Happy 4th and Happy Strawberry Pickin"
Beebonnet
I'm glad I found this post - I've tried for 3 years on some plants that I bought - pretty foliage, small berries, not worth the space. I'll transplant them to the other side of my house where I plan to raise chickens and maybe the chickens will like the tiny berries.
A friend asked us to pick her strawberries while they were on vacation. They were so small that it wasn't worth fighting the mosquitoes or the heat to pick. They looked like they were way too overcrowded. It could be that you need to thin out your bed. I've heard of tilling between rows every year so that you get new plants (runners from the mother plants) started in the tilled area for the next year. Then the following year, after the new runners have set, you till under the mother plants. Old plants that are too crowded develop small strawberries. Just a thought but what do you have to lose? Give it a try. :)
There is a a fruits and nuts forum with more experienced fruit growers. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/fruit/all/. Basically tho strawberries come in all sizes. Your basic problem is the variety. If you want large strawberries plant a variety that grows large. The beds also need to be rejuvenated at intervals. Usually two years.
I've ordered strawberry plants from a few mail order houses and bought some locally. They are very often mislabeled, very frustrating.
I suspect you got lousy plants. Toss them out and try again. Give them LOTS of sun and organic mater and you should get large flavorful fruit.
I'm saw seedling plants at the nurseries this spring. A friend planted some and they are doing great.
Look for Day Neutral varieties.
Andy P
Could they be the Alpine Strawberries?
They are minute--but tasty. Gita
I think they are. Someone else posted a response, pretty sure that's what they were. But ours aren't very tasty. :-(
I'm sure you have the Alpine Strawberries. The white ones are delicious and taste like pineapple mixed with strawberries. The red ones aren't so good. I have both and am thinking of pulling the red ones.
I have some very small strawberries as well as some larger ones. IMO the smaller ones are absolutely delicious and well worth the trouble to pick them.
We have very small strawberries in our meadow. And they are delicious. But they grow on very small plants. Do yours grow on large (Alpine, I've come to understand) or small (wild) plants?
I have discovered that the Alpine strawberries will grow in my sandy light soil with very little water or feeding and become kind of a ground cover. (They don't put out a runner, but reseed prolifically.) However, like herbs or whatever, the fruit is smaller. Good tasting, but smaller. One plant (or seed) found it's way into my veggie beds this year that are much more fertile and get lots of water. The berries on that plant are much larger than on the plants I don't pay much attention to. So, I guess, like anything else, they need care and feeding to get the best berry. I still just love the taste of the white Alpines. I snack on them when I am out in the garden, but now maybe I should use the larger ones in shortcakes or smoothies.
