We all feel excited when we plant strawberries in our garden, only to see them produce beautiful flowers and fruit. However, few growers have also reported strawberry plant flowering but not fruiting.
Therefore, you might feel very concerned if your strawberry plants flower but no fruit. Plus, seeing all that potential go to waste feels very frustrating. However, before you dumb strawberry plants, there are a few steps that you can take to encourage your plant and make them start producing delicious berries.
Even though there are several reasons why your strawberry plants may not produce fruit, several solutions are available too. Today, in this article, we’ll go over seven things you can do to encourage your strawberry plants to start producing delicious berries.
5 Causes Of Strawberry Plant Flowers But No Fruit
Improper Pollination
Firstly I have heard many complaints about improper pollination, which also seems to be the main culprit for strawberry plants not producing fruit. Since bees pollinate strawberries, I highly advise attracting as many pollinators as possible.
If your garden or yard lacks enough bees or the weather conditions aren’t suitable, your strawberry plants will not get the pollination they need to produce fruit. Therefore, I first recommend attracting more pollinators like bees to your garden by planting flowers they love, like lavender & bee balm.
Additionally, it would be best to try hand-pollinating your strawberry plants. You must use a small brush and transfer pollen from one flower to another.
Pest Infestation
Another common factor we have frequently noticed is directly related to pests and diseases. We have seen some of the most common problems, like spider mites, aphids, and slugs, affecting plants severely.
On the other hand, conditions like verticillium wilt and powdery mildew can also cause fruitless plants. Therefore, you should prevent these issues by keeping your garden clean and removing any debris or dead leaves that may attract pests and diseases.
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Overcrowding
In some cases, overcrowding may be the culprit behind your strawberry plants’ lack of fruit production. Ensure your plants are not too close together, as it may result in competition for resources, leading to less or no fruit. I highly advise you to consider spacing your strawberry plants about 12-18 inches apart to give them plenty of room to grow.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Another common reason for the lack of fruit production in strawberry plants is nutrient deficiencies. I hope you already know that strawberry plants usually need a balanced mix of nutrients, mainly nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium. Without proper nutrition and care, a strawberry plant will have hard time surviving. If you think that your plant is dying, read this to learn how to revive a dying strawberry plant
Therefore, I recommend you check your soil quality and test its pH level. If your soil lacks any of these nutrients, your strawberry plants may not produce fruit. It is straightforward to fix this issue by using a balanced fertilizer. However, I highly advise avoiding chemical fertilizers and adding organic matter to your soil to improve its nutrient content.
Environmental Factors
Lastly, environmental factors like temperature and sunlight can also affect fruit production in strawberry plants, as per my experience. You know that strawberries prefer cool temperatures to produce berries with about 8-10 hours of sunlight daily.
Therefore, if you don’t provide proper shade and sunlight to your strawberry plants, they may not produce fruit. To fix this, I’ll advise you to plant your strawberries in an area with plenty of sun and shade during hot periods.
7 Things To Do If “Strawberry Plant Flowers But No Fruit.”
Provide 8-10 hours of sunlight per day to your strawberry plants.
Without proper sunlight, your strawberry plant will not be able to facilitate photosynthesis, which will directly impact its fruit production and overall health. I don’t need to tell you that adequate sunlight is an integral and essential part of fruit production in strawberry plants.
According to the University of Minnesota, you should provide about 8-10 hours of sunlight daily. If I were at your place, I would have planted my strawberries in an area with plenty of sunlight and shade during hot days.
Make sure there are no pollinator issues with your strawberries.
Another common reason strawberry plants do not produce fruit can also be related to inadequate pollination. I learned about an article by ScienceDirect which states bees as the most effective strawberry flower pollinators.
Therefore, if you don’t have enough bees in your area or the weather isn’t suitable for bees, your plants may not get the pollination they need to thrive and cross-pollinate. If so, you can always try hand-pollinating your strawberry plants. I always prefer planting flowers that attract bees to my fruit garden for better production.
Provide a balanced mix of nutrients by using fertilizer like 10-10-10.
It is not uncommon to notice nutrient deficiency if you check your soil quality if you have never done it before. Getting a soil testing kit from a nearby store or online is essential. It will help you check this soil quality and determine its nutrients to learn if anything is required.
I don’t need to tell you that Nutrient deficiencies can also be a reason for the lack of fruit production in strawberry plants. Strawberries require a balanced mix of nutrients, including nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium. Even Penn State Extension advises applying a balanced fertilizer that provides all the necessary nutrients for your plants.
Inspect your plants regularly for signs of pests and diseases like spider mites, verticillium wilt, etc.
As I told you earlier, there are many types of Pests & diseases, like spider mites, aphids, and powdery mildew, which can affect your strawberry plant and make it grow fruitless.
As per Pennsylvania State University, you should inspect your plants regularly and remove any dead or diseased leaves to prevent pests and diseases from taking hold. I recommend you add some companion planting and organic pest control to treat it.
You should always plant your strawberries with a space of about 12-18 inches apart.
If your garden or yard has many plants in a confined area, overcrowding may result in a lack of fruit production. If so, I will advise you to thin out crowded plants. According to University of Minnesota, you must space your plants about 12-18 inches apart to give them enough room to grow.
Make sure you’re providing proper irrigation and keeping the soil consistently moist.
As per the UCANR, strawberries need consistent moisture to produce flowers & fruits. Thus, Overwatering or underwatering can both negatively affect fruit production.
Therefore I first recommend you check for signs of Overwatering or underwatering that might hamper your strawberry plant’s ability to produce fruit. Since it is tough to determine how much water you should provide right now, I recommend checking the soil moisture. Dip your finger in the soil, and water it if it feels dry. Make sure your strawberry plants receive consistent moisture but are not waterlogged.
You must provide proper protection from extreme temperature fluctuations.
Any drastic temperature change in your region may also result in fruitless strawberry plants. It is common to notice strawberry plants not producing fruits due to Temperature fluctuations.
As I told you earlier, the MDPI article suggests providing cool temperatures to strawberry plants because high temperatures can reduce fruit production. This is why I have recommended placing your strawberry plant at a location that receives proper shade during hot periods to protect your plants.
How Do You Get Fruit On A Strawberry Plant?
Every issue discussed above has its solution, which I have mentioned there. Below I will give your a quick overview of what we have discussed throughout the article for each particular issue so that you can get your strawberry plant to produce fruit as soon as possible.
- Firstly I will recommend choosing the white variety suited to your location and weather type. You should select a combination known for producing high yields and consistent fruit production.
- Another thing that many Universities suggest is to attract bees to nearby strawberry plants that promote better fruit production.
- Ensure your plant is receiving a mix of balanced nutrients that consist of nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium as a main ingredient.
- Also, it is essential to keep your plant protected from pest and disease infestation by inspecting it regularly & removing any dead or diseased leaves.
- As I told you earlier, overcrowding will result in a lack of fruit production in strawberry plants if they are not spaced at least 12:18 inches apart to give them enough room to grow.
- Also, check the consistency of the strawberry plant soil and never keep it waterlogged.
- Lastly, temperature fluctuations will hinder your plant’s health and ability from producing flowers/fruits. You can provide proper shade during hot days to protect your plant by relocating it.
Conclusion
Here, in this article, I tried my best to give you all the reasons why your strawberry plants produce flowers but no fruit. In addition, I have given you a proper explanation and the solutions for each cause that might be affecting or hindering your strawberry plant growth or ability to produce fruit.
As I told you earlier, getting fruit on your strawberry plants requires a combination of factors, including proper nutrition, pollination, pest control, irrigation, and temperature regulation.
You can produce a bountiful harvest by following the tips and tricks outlined in this article. However, I still advise you to choose a suitable variety, space your plants properly, and regularly check for pests & diseases.
If you find the article helpful, then consider sharing it. Your share is going to help many people understand the actual reasons why their strawberry plants are producing flowers but not fruit. Do check our other helpful guide on strawberry plant care and management. See you in the next post, till then take care and goodbye.
