| I have strawberries,Blueberries, and Grapes in containers and they seem like they aren't doing anything. The Strawberries are growing up but there are no berries. I had one berry but something ate it when it started to ripen. my tulips this year didn't bloom because of fly magots can they still be saved? |
| The strawberries need to flower, then a berry will form following each bloom. Depending on the variety you are growing, they may have finished bearing for the season. (Often, the blooms are removedf the first year to allow the plant to establish without using energy to bear fruit.) If it is an "everbearer" it will bloom off and on all summer, you can let it go ahead and set fruit beginning in July. Strawberries are suited to containe growing, but the grapes and blueberries can be difficult. They are large plants with big root systems and need large containers to stay healthy. In your area, you may also need to bring them into a sheltered place such as an unheated garage each winter to protect them from the extreme cold. The reason for this is their roots are not as well insulated in a container as they would be in the ground. During the growing season, keep all three watered (the soil should be evenly moist like a wrung out spongem, not sopping wet and not dried out.) ALso fertilize regularly. Use a slow release granular fertilizer or a water soluble fertilizer such as 10-10-10 plus minors, (read and follow the label directions for how much to use). You could also top dress with good quality compost. They all need full sun or at least a half day of direct full sun to do their best. If these are new plants, they will need some time to become adjusted to the location and their new containers. If these are older plants, they may need to be repotted into larger containers or in the case of the strawberries, older plants that have lost vigor may need to be renewed by planting the baby runners and using those to replace the original mother plants. I hope this helps you trouble shoot. |
