Dead Head New Strawberries

Strawberry flowers getting cut short of fruiting. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Dead Head New Strawberries

It usually takes one little self-talk, maybe two, before I can make myself do this but I know it’s for the best.

I should also confess I use strawberry plants a lot; as border plants as well as in their own beds. I like the idea of walking down a path, leaning over and grabbing a couple of strawberries.

Planting new strawberry plants, though, requires a little patience. The plants will spend their first year getting their roots established. If they are allowed to flower and then fruit, the strawberry fruits will tend to be small because of the energy it takes to fruit.

If you look at brand new and first year strawberry plants, the flowers tend to be small.

First year strawberry plants tend to produce small flowers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Which means the fruit, the actual strawberry, will also be small.

Ergo the need for a little self pep talk. You need to snip off those tiny flowers, Charlotte. Yes, I know. You will have larger strawberries next year if you do. Yes, I know but these look so good, what can it hurt to leave a few and get more strawberries this year…..and so it goes.

But when I spot strawberry plants from earlier year plantings, the argument is won. Those older strawberry plants have large flowers, promising big fruit.

Second year strawberry plants have larger flowers and fruit. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Strawberries are also heavy feeders, meaning they take a lot of energy out of the soil. Planted in beds, it is recommended to move the plants every 3 years and give the soil time to recover.

If you snip off the flowers, the plants won’t drain all of the soil resources and will produce larger fruits. They can also stay in an area longer especially if you add compost yearly.

Charlotte