Strawberries Bloomed But Most Have No Fruit - Ask Extension
My June bearing strawberries had a lot of blooms. And I am just starting to get some large berries. But the majority of the plants have what appear to...
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Strawberries Bloomed But Most Have No Fruit #647583
Asked June 07, 2020, 11:24 PM EDT
My June bearing strawberries had a lot of blooms. And I am just starting to get some large berries. But the majority of the plants have what appear to be small, empty stems. Pictures below.
Is this a pollination problem? Anything i can do at this point?
Is this a pollination problem? Anything i can do at this point?
Dauphin County Pennsylvania
Expert Response
I suspect your strawberries were the victims of a late frost earlier this year.
Strawberries, and especially June bearing strawberries are particularly susceptible to this type of damage, since they are such early bloomers. They are often in bloom well before the last frost date.
While dormant, strawberries are pretty much unaffected by cold, and even the young berries can withstand a bit of frost, but the blossoms themselves are vulnerable.
While there's not much you can do this year, in the future you might want to try row covers or some heavy mulching.
Here are a couple of fact sheets you might find helpful.
Thanks for your question. I hope this helps.
