Why are strawberry bushes lush, but the berries have grown small: how to tidy up a berry patch
It is too early to rejoice when the strawberry bushes are covered with caps of luxurious greenery in spring. It is quite possible that the harvest will not be so impressive.
Agronomist, landscape designer, botanical artist, and art therapist Anastasia Kovrizhnykh told the online publication Belnovosti why strawberry bushes grow lush and the berries are small.
Why strawberries bear fruit poorly
The reason is not in the varietal qualities, but in agricultural technology errors.
This crop has several growing features that many forget about. Along with the quantity, the quality of the harvest also decreases. The berries become smaller and tasteless, and the bushes do not always show signs of illness or wilting.
1. If we talk about the taste of berries, then we need to pay attention to the growing conditions - berries that grow in the shade turn out sour, and strawberries do not like this.
If shade is a feature of your site, then you will have to look for and grow varieties that tolerate shade well.
2. When it comes to visible damage to bushes after transplantation by pathogens or insect pests, the strawberries were not planted in the best place. They will not grow and bear fruit where potatoes, tomatoes and other nightshades, as well as zucchini and cucumbers grew. The soil after them is poor, and some crops can leave behind diseases for strawberries.
3. If you plant strawberries in a lowland, you also need to prepare for a lousy harvest. The reason is that melt water and cold air are concentrated here. The berries grow watery, the bushes start to get sick and the yield drops.
