Strawberry Plant Not Producing Fruit? Here’s 6 Reasons Why – Plus, How To Boost Your Berries

There’s nothing wrong with strawberry plant foliage. But a strawberry plant not producing fruit is like a chocolate box without chocolates – a little underwhelming. When you’re craving that first bumper harvest of strawberries, a plant full of green leaves doesn’t make up for a lack of fruit.

If you’re growing strawberry plants and they are not producing fruit, you’ll need to figure out what is wrong. Just about any serious slip-up with cultural care can cause a strawberry plant to react by not fruiting. Here are some of the core issues standing between you and a dish full of juicy homegrown strawbs – and the simplest ways to clear those hurdles so you can be sure of happy harvests.

Why Is My Strawberry Plant Not Producing Fruit?

Strawberries are not known to be prima donna fruit plants. Indeed, the plants have a reputation for growing anywhere. So strawberries not producing fruit is a justifiable cause for consternation. When you’ve put in the time and effort of starting with the goal of lush fruit in mind, it’s worth checking you haven’t missed anything important – if you optimize each element of cultural care, you can kickstart the fruiting process and salvage plants that might be struggling.

Why is your strawberry plant not producing fruit? It could be an environmental issue, a cultivation problem, or it could be as simple as timing. Regardless of strawberry plant types, it helps to ask a few key questions, and approach the problem methodically. Maybe the soil doesn’t drain well, or maybe it doesn’t contain sufficient organic content. How about sunshine? These plants can be sensitive to extremes and won’t like it if it gets too hot or too cold.

When this happened to me, the cause of my problem turned out to be excess nitrogen fertilizer. I switched out for organic compost and was rewarded by a crop of berries. But to figure out your plants’ problem, you’ll need to walk through every step of strawberry care. Whether you’re growing strawberries from seed or from runners, follow the checklist below to assess and amend key problems.

1. Plants Too Young to Fruit

There is one simple reason for strawberries not producing fruit that has nothing to do with cultural care: age. Most strawberry plants need the first year to establish a strong root system. This is where they focus their energy until they develop strong and healthy roots – hence the lack of fruit.

It is often recommended to pinch out flower buds during the first year as well, which of course is where the fruit comes from. During the second year and later, the plant roots will have become established enough to handle flowering and fruiting. All being well, they are likely to produce berries starting in year two. So if you think this is your problem, consider yourself lucky! All you need is patience.

It is also important to understand that you’ll only get a few years of top production with a plant. After the second or third year of fruiting, the quantity of fruit and the size of those strawberries will diminish – until there are no fruits. That’s the time to start bringing in new plants.

2. Poor Planting or Growing Conditions

Did you plant your strawberries at the right time, and in the best way? The best time for planting is in early spring, not fall. Just wait until the soil has dried out a little. Also, when you are planting, be sure to do it right. Whether you are growing strawberries in raised beds or containers, you need to make sure the roots are planted vertically in the soil.

The roots must all be under soil, and you’ll also want to cover half of the short stem above the roots, called the crown. The top half of the crown needs to be above the soil, and all of the leaves above ground.

Plants grow best on warm days and cool nights. Plants that are grown when it's too hot will likely not produce many berries, if any. Likewise, if a cold snap occurs, especially while the plants are in bloom, the open blossoms can be damaged, resulting in little to no fruit.

Whether you are growing strawberry plants indoors or outside, plants should generally be spaced at least 12 inches (30cm) apart, depending on the variety. June-bearing plants can be spaced further apart but no closer. Day-neutral varieties can be spaced closer, but no farther apart than 12 inches (30cm).

Added to this, did you select a good site for your strawberry patch? A poor planting location is a common cause for a strawberry plant not producing berries. The site should have loose, organically rich soil with excellent drainage. It should also receive at least six hours a day of direct sun.

3. Too Little or Too Much Watering

If you haven’t given much thought to the water needs of strawberries, it’s high time you did. Either too little or too much water can affect fruit production in strawberry plants, which have shallow root systems. These plants take in most of their water from the top few inches of the soil, which unfortunately tends to dry out the quickest. Container-based plants and strawberry hanging baskets dry out faster, too.

Strawberry plants require plenty of water throughout the growing season to produce an abundance of fruit. However, while strawberries need moist soil, they don’t like wet soil. Too much water can be detrimental to the plants by rotting crowns. If this happens, not only will plant growth and fruiting be limited, but the plants will likely die. So either extreme has grave consequences in terms of berry production.

Different rules apply if you are growing strawberries hydroponically, but it is still important to make sure plants are receiving the correct amount of water regularly, and in the right way. If growing in the ground, be sure to mulch strawberries as this can help regulate water intake, as well as helping keep roots cool.

4. Poor or Improper Feeding

As with water, too little or too much fertilizer can become a problem when growing strawberries. Without the proper nutrients, strawberries will not grow well. As a result, fruit production may be low. So fertilizing strawberries is an important step if you haven’t done so. Amending the soil with compost or other organic fertilizers will go a long way in adding beneficial nutrients to the plants.

However, too much fertilizer can also limit fruit production. In fact, too much nitrogen will give you lots of strawberry leaves and no berries. If you suspect this could be the issue, cut back on the nitrogen fertilizer. This is also why a strawberry will not bloom. It may help to add more phosphorus to the soil as well if this is the case. Just remember, balance is the key.

5. Possible Pests or Diseases

Quite a few pests and diseases can affect strawberry plants and interfere with the natural production of fruit. Some of the key strawberry pests that might cause plant development to stall or fail include aphids, cutworms and slugs. Careful and regular monitoring can help with identifying sudden changes in appearance.

Sometimes you can manage the issue by manually removing pests. You can apply homemade pest controls such as neem oil sprays to reduce pest numbers. However, if your plants have been hit by a disease like leaf spot or root root, you may need to take more extensive steps.

Fungal diseases can be another potential issue. Try to keep plant foliage as dry as possible to prevent or alleviate this issue. Adjusting air flow around your plants can make a big difference. Get wise to common pests and diseases, check plants regularly for sudden telltale signs of trouble on foliage, and use homemade sprays or manual interventions to keep most obvious problems in check.

6. Plants Not Fully Pollinated

There isn’t one ‘grow’ button that you push to trigger strawberries to fruit. But pollination is one of the critical factors. Unlike some fruit plants, strawberries have both male flower plants and female flower parts on every flower. That means that self-pollination is possible with help from wind and rain to shift the pollen.

However, a strawberry has multiple ovules where fruit can be formed. Full pollination of these ovules is not likely with self-pollination. Complete pollination may require the presence of bees. So be sure to attract bees to your garden with nectar-rich flowers and plants. If there are not a lot of native bees in your area, consider creating a pollinator garden area and starting a hive in your backyard.

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