How to encourage potted strawberry plants to fruit?

[Kapster]

I recently bought a few strawberry pot plants from Bunnings and have repotted them using the potting mix in the pic along with some straw on top. I’ve watered them daily and occasionally with a bit of banana water. The Ph seems ok at around 6.0, leaves look healthy, good drainage,

 

no insect issues. However I’ve only seen a small strawberry or two and only a couple of flowers on some and these two in the pic haven’t really flowered yet at all. I’m worried they need Nitrogen or something but don’t want to over fertilise if the potting mix already includes fertiliser (slow release?) and I think it also contains compost? They’re getting full sun.. am I just impatient, is it still too early or is there something I should do to promote more flowering and fruit? 

[JacobZ]

Hi @Kapster,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it's wonderful to have you with us.

Most strawberry plants will start to flower and produce fruit about 4-6 weeks after planting. However, production may be limited in the first year as the plants establish themselves.

Your plants look like healthy and you're clearly taking good care of them well.

The plant on the left has quite a bit of foliage. If you’re mostly seeing foliage, try gently pinching back some new runners if they appear, as this helps the plant focus on flower and fruit production instead of spreading.

Strawberries may take a few weeks to settle into new soil and adjust. Since you’re giving them a great start, they’ll likely flower and fruit more as they establish in the new pot. Keep monitoring the flowering over the next few weeks, and you should start to see increased blooms and eventually more fruit. Patience and monitoring are going to pay dividends soon. 

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[Jason]

Hi @Kapster 

Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the community. 

Just wanted to add to Jacob's advice that the Bunnings team has a comprehensive guide How to plant and grow strawberries that you should find useful.

Thanks,

Jason

[mich1972]

Good morning @Kapster as always there is great advice from the Workshop Community 😀 that potting mix is brilliant, I love it. Also may I suggest and this is what I use on my fruiting plants is Sulphate of Potash. This trace element encourages more stronger flower production and more fruit.