[BorkBorkBork]

On a whim, I picked up a strawberry kit from home depot a month or so ago. It contained seeds, and a block of coco coir.

I knew nothing about growing strawberries from seed (though I've learned a little since then, such as the little fact that most people just don't do it, lol!)

Anyways, the instructions said 3-4 weeks until sprouts, but they appeared in a few weeks.

The instructions say to feed them "water soluble fertilizer" but gives no recommendation.

I have some biobizz nutes, which I suppose I could use, but if so, at what strength?

And I'd prefer to use something cheaper and home depot-y if possible.

Any recommendations?

[Miss Blunted]

Hmmm...I use Rainbow Mix Grow/Bloom. It's an organic fertilizer with a ratio of 5-5-2. You don't want to use any chems at all and don't over fertilize. I would only fertilize them every 3 weeks until bloom time...then switch to the "bloom" mix and only use that once...none after your fruit starts to appear. From what I understand...you don't want to dilute the berry production with overgrown vegetation from fertilizing too much. Did you get Junebearers of Everbearers???

[BorkBorkBork]

Okie dokie. How long should I expect until flower? And from what I have read, they don't even bear fruit the first year? :(

I'm afraid like a jackass I can't find the little seed envelope, so I don't know. I only remember that they were an F2 hybrid. Do the everbearers give fruit several times a year, and junebearer's only once?

Thanks for the help! Oh, and the Biobizz nutes are organic (OMRI certified), so no chemicals if I use those.

[Miss Blunted]

You might not get fruit this year....you definately want to snip the blossoms the first round if you have everbearers. I waited until mine were about 3 inches tall to even add any ferts...I have mulch/clay/peat/dirt/worm castings in my limestone bed...with 22 Ozark Beauty everbearers. I'm starting to get signs of blossum buds that I'll probably snip off next week. I started off my berries as sprouted roots that must have been runners cut off mother plants (bought from national nursery)...so I should get some fruit around August. Strawberries are actually really hardy plants and you don't want to dilute the flavor of the fruit with too much water and a lot of ferts....let nature do it's thing. Just use light food for the little guys and unfortunately...excercise the patience. I have a navel orange tree and the strawberries, both started this year....it's gonna be a wait for them to give me fruit.

[Miss Blunted]

Oh yeah...I started this thread a while ago. You might find some more answers there...links to more info!! Happy growing

Here's the link... https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=120440

[Cabri]

Never ever tried from seed just got clones from my Grandma.

[BorkBorkBork]

Originally Posted by Miss Blunted

You might not get fruit this year....you definately want to snip the blossoms the first round if you have everbearers. I waited until mine were about 3 inches tall to even add any ferts...I have mulch/clay/peat/dirt/worm castings in my limestone bed...with 22 Ozark Beauty everbearers. I'm starting to get signs of blossum buds that I'll probably snip off next week. I started off my berries as sprouted roots that must have been runners cut off mother plants (bought from national nursery)...so I should get some fruit around August. Strawberries are actually really hardy plants and you don't want to dilute the flavor of the fruit with too much water and a lot of ferts....let nature do it's thing. Just use light food for the little guys and unfortunately...excercise the patience. I have a navel orange tree and the strawberries, both started this year....it's gonna be a wait for them to give me fruit.

Ok, so I will hold off on the ferts, and just do plain water. Giving them some leftover EWC tea every once in a while can't hurt, can it? (Earth Worm Castings + molasses bubbled for 24-48 hrs). Right now they are in plain coco.

So if and when I see a flower, I cut them off, correct? What if they are not everbearers? Will that be a bad thing? I suppose I can go to the store and see if they still carry them, open up and take a look at the seeds.

Mmmm, navel oranges.

Originally Posted by Miss Blunted

Oh yeah...I started this thread a while ago. You might find some more answers there...links to more info!! Happy growing

I think you forgot to put in the link!

Originally Posted by Cabri

Never ever tried from seed just got clones from my Grandma.

Interesting little experiment. The seeds are TINY little bastards! Those little dimples on strawberries I guess really are the seeds! There were six ini the bag, and they are way smaller than the period at the end of this sentence.

[slappyjack]

In my experience strawberries just need dirt and water. They grow (and spread) like crazy in spite of the gardener. Same deal with mint.

I planted one peppermint seed about 5 years ago and it took over my entire garden. This year I turned the soil and have been plucking the sprouts like a weed, they're everywhere. It'll grow from a 1 inch piece of horizontal root buried in your garden. Very annoying, but I love how they look and smell.

[BorkBorkBork]

:(

My thumbs are so brown....I'm completely surprised my dope is still alive.

Anyhoo, the great strawberry experiment is over for now. The little shoots are gone. My guess is that a bird got them, they were in a hanging pot. Guess it needed a net.

I'm definitely going to try again, but not from seed.

Thanks for the help Ms B!

[Wait...What?]

propagating them by cutting the runners is a jillion times easier