Strawberries - Loads of runners, but no flowers

[CAMRAMan]

So, I have some healthy strawberry plants that are sending out loads of runners, but not flowering after a promising start.

What to do? Should I just trim off the runners? Can it be as simple as that. I did try it on a couple, but the palnt just sent out more.

[Oaky]

So, I have some healthy strawberry plants that are sending out loads of runners, but not flowering after a promising start.

What to do? Should I just trim off the runners? Can it be as simple as that. I did try it on a couple, but the palnt just sent out more.

I read somewhere that strawberry plants have a 3 year cycle with the 1st year being only lightly fruiting.

Certainly ours (in their second year now) are producing more fruit than the previous year.

EDIT: This wasn't the place I read it, but it also refers to the three year cycle

[Hello, I am Bruce]

I've got a similar thing going on.

We found some strawberry plants in the front garden that had spread from runners.  I guess they were all a year or two old (some very small, with dead runners still attaching them in a network).  We transplanted the plants to a new bed but although they have grown big and produced lots of runners, there have been no flowers.

[CAMRAMan]

Mine are new this year (from Homebase, albeit) and were flowering nicely and fruiting quite well a month or so after transplanting.

They are very healthy, but leafy rather than fruity

[andygates]

If you want fruit, pinch out the runners.  Poor things cant do both.

[vorsprung]

Several things spring to mind

1) what variety of strawberry is it?  Some are late
2) you are further north than me, maybe it's not warm enough yet
3) nitrogen and lots of water = leafy growth.  Add phosphates and cut back on the water

[Hello, I am Bruce]

Several things spring to mind

1) what variety of strawberry is it?  Some are late
2) you are further north than me, maybe it's not warm enough yet
3) nitrogen and lots of water = leafy growth.  Add phosphates and cut back on the water

I've been using nitrogen and lots of water -- I'll add some tomato fertiliser and reduce the watering to see what happens.

[Welsh Man]

Count your self lucky mine have all been eaten by mice as soon as they almost look ripe!.