I'm trying to grow everbearing strawberries in a 20-gallon pot on my patio with my family, and I have some questions since we're total newcomers to gardening. Specifically, how often should we fertilize them? What about watering? Any other tips or advice for us would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
Strawberries can take a year or two to really get going, so don't worry if you don't see a big yield right away. For your everbearing strawberries, they should produce berries this year. Just make sure to water them when the top inch of soil feels dry. I use an organic mix—typically, I only fertilize when I first plant them and then again in the summer. If you add compost to your soil, that'll help a lot! Watch out for overwatering and over-fertilizing, as that can lead to bland fruit and make your plants susceptible to diseases.
It sounds like you're on the right track! With everbearing strawberries, you'll get berries this year, so that’s exciting! Just a tip: pinch off the first few flowers until closer to May to let the plants establish better. Make sure the crown of the plants isn’t buried too deep in the soil, or it'll rot. I personally like using Espoma berry tone fertilizer since it's got what they need. Keep the soil moist but avoid heavy watering every day; pay attention to what your plants tell you. Once they’re established, you can switch to a bloom booster to really ramp up production!
Totally agree! Keeping an eye on soil moisture and using a balanced fertilizer approach really makes a difference. Can’t wait to see how your strawberries turn out!