u/the-big-pill

I first posted 18 days ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/IndoorGarden/s/MrOCA6y9pv

Thanks to all who replied! Growing strawberries on my NYC windowsill and fire escape for the first time. Really enjoying this. If anyone feels inclined, I have a couple more questions.

1. I clipped off the early buds to encourage root structure as was suggested. They are back on plants one and three…keep them this time?

2. The leaves (and new buds) are smaller in plant 3, and the soil seems to stay moist for longer. Thoughts on why?

3. Should there be more flowers arriving? Thoughts on why one plant (plant 2) is still just leaves? It’s been blazing hot with bright sun in NYC for no good reason the last few days, but before that, a couple weeks of cool weather and cloud cover.

4. Watering is a little bit of a conundrum because everything I read says watering too much and watering too little will prevent flowering. Not sure how to thread that needle. On one of them, some leaves did dry up/die (ish) so I removed them.

5. I’ve been leaving them on the windowsill over night and on the fire escape during the day so they get sun.

I’m not just new to strawberry plants but to plants in general, and even though I know I should keep my expectations realistic, I’m enjoying this immensely and see why you all do it. Any thoughts at all would be welcome! Also what should I try next? Thanks again!!

Two weeks ago I bought these three strawberry plants at the farmers market. I live in a high floor NYC apartment with lots of sunlight. I’m told strawberries are tricky, and pretty much everyone expects me to fail, so any advice from anyone who has done this? They are in soil w/ controlled release fertilizer, and there are small, bright green growths emerging under the dark green ones that were there when I bought them (those have grown a bit too). Are these buds or leaves? (Third/fourth pic, fourth is zoomed in third, looks maybe like budding, but know almost nothing about this…I just really like strawberries and would love to have my own source!) Any advice at all is welcome, thanks!!