Although some of my plants are now flowering, I've noticed this year
there appears to be a lack of pollen normally seen dusting around the
edge of the anthers. Coupled with a lack of bees and pollinating
insects, I'm worried whether any strawberry stigmas will be pollinated
if the anthers prove sterile. I've got out my trusty water-colour
horsehair brush to try and hand pollinate the flowers, but there's just
no visible pollen around, although a few flowers have shed their petals
after a couple of days.

"Frank Booth Snr" wrote in message
...
Although some of my plants are now flowering, I've noticed this year there
appears to be a lack of pollen normally seen dusting around the edge of
the anthers. Coupled with a lack of bees and pollinating insects, I'm
worried whether any strawberry stigmas will be pollinated if the anthers
prove sterile. I've got out my trusty water-colour horsehair brush to try
and hand pollinate the flowers, but there's just no visible pollen around,
although a few flowers have shed their petals after a couple of days.

Can't help with strawberry advice but my redcurrant bushes are already
showing small green berries, so no lack of pollinating insects here.
Tina

Frank Booth Snr wrote in news:cqydnftf5-
:

Although some of my plants are now flowering, I've noticed this year
there appears to be a lack of pollen normally seen dusting around the
edge of the anthers. Coupled with a lack of bees and pollinating
insects, I'm worried whether any strawberry stigmas will be pollinated
if the anthers prove sterile. I've got out my trusty water-colour
horsehair brush to try and hand pollinate the flowers, but there's just
no visible pollen around, although a few flowers have shed their petals
after a couple of days.

Could it be that your plants are old? I have read that they only last a few
years and shoots should be grown on.
My strawberries are not doing much good either. Flowers are there and have
been for a few weeks but nothing has set. I do water them during this dry
April.

Baz

"Christina Websell" wrote in
:


"Frank Booth Snr" wrote in message
...
Although some of my plants are now flowering, I've noticed this year
there appears to be a lack of pollen normally seen dusting around the
edge of the anthers. Coupled with a lack of bees and pollinating
insects, I'm worried whether any strawberry stigmas will be
pollinated if the anthers prove sterile. I've got out my trusty
water-colour horsehair brush to try and hand pollinate the flowers,
but there's just no visible pollen around, although a few flowers
have shed their petals after a couple of days.

Can't help with strawberry advice but my redcurrant bushes are already
showing small green berries, so no lack of pollinating insects here.
Tina



We have one blackcurrant bush and several gooseberry bushes which are
bearing fruit.

Our Redcurrant are twigs, no leaf. They(2 of them) gave loads last year and
I can't think what has happened to them this year. A big pity because my
mother used to make jellies and shakes with them and we kept 2 plants in
case one of them died. I can see now why some people get a bit sentimental.

Baz

Baz wrote:
Frank Booth wrote in news:cqydnftf5-
:

Although some of my plants are now flowering, I've noticed this year
there appears to be a lack of pollen normally seen dusting around the
edge of the anthers. Coupled with a lack of bees and pollinating
insects, I'm worried whether any strawberry stigmas will be pollinated
if the anthers prove sterile. I've got out my trusty water-colour
horsehair brush to try and hand pollinate the flowers, but there's just
no visible pollen around, although a few flowers have shed their petals
after a couple of days.

Could it be that your plants are old? I have read that they only last a few
years and shoots should be grown on.
My strawberries are not doing much good either. Flowers are there and have
been for a few weeks but nothing has set. I do water them during this dry
April.

Some of them are getting on, 3 years plus. But a few of the maidens
although growing vigorously have produced no flowers. Some of the
flowers that opened today have at last shed pollen. It just seems to be
the early flowers that look sterile.
The older plants often have 2 - 3 crowns, but only one crown produces
flowers.