Everbearing Strawberries Only Blooming Once

Q: I have everbearing strawberries yet they only bloom once. I thought they are supposed to bloom twice a year. I really don't know what I'm doing wrong with them.

Any advice?
Joyce Wis

A: Joyce,

You should definitely see two crops per season with everbearing strawberries-one in the spring and a second, smaller crop in the fall. You should expect about 1 quart of berries per plant per year starting midsummer. You need to manage your strawberries to get maximum yields; otherwise they will simply grow thick and choke themselves out. This includes removing the flowers of new plantings once a week for the first three months to establish good root growth, removing runners every few days and making sure they have a consistent supply of water. Strawberries do best when planted in full sun in soil that is well drained and high in organic matter.

They prefer a soil pH of 5.5-6.5. Because most of the plant's roots are located in the top three inches of the soil, care needs to be taken to properly prepare beds with the right nutrients before planting. High temperatures during the mid part of summer can also sometimes seriously reduce the yields of everbearing varieties. Generally, strawberry plants will reach their peak yields during the second season and may produce a successful crop the third year. After that, they tend to peter out.

Ellen