It only takes minutes after application for soluble fertilizers to make their way into the plant's nutrient stream. Many nutrients need to be in the nutrient stream constantly for the plant to grow normally. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are considered mobile nutrients and are readily borrowed from one plant part to sustain other parts, particularly strong sinks like new growth o flowers/fruit. Calcium and boron are usually considered immobile nutrients, and need to be in the nutrient stream at all times for normal growth to occur. Sulfur, chloride, copper, zinc, manganese, iron and molybdenum are intermediate in mobility, and only under certain circumstances are intermediate elements mobile. The mobility of the intermediate mobile nutrients is usually linked to the breakdown of amino acids and proteins in older parts of the plant under low nitrogen conditions and their movement to younger parts of the plant via the phloem stream. Again though, unless nitrogen availability is good, these elements are mostly immobile. That it rains doesn't mean all the fertilizer you applied is washed from the soil. Elements attach themselves to colloidal surfaces and tend to remain there to some degree until they are exchanged. Cation exchange in soils occurs when root hairs utilize proton pumps to pump hydrogen ions (H+) into the soil. The hydrogen ions effectively displace the cations that are attached to negatively charged colloidal surfaces, making the cations available then for root uptake and incorporation into the nutrient stream. AL

Dave, thank you SO much for posting that link, it's very useful! I now realize that I am being paranoid and inpatient. :) It appears to be early still! I just hope to pick as many as possible before frosts hit considering how long they take to ripen. Bummer. Thanks again!

Not enough information in your first post to tell. Two days from what condition? Full-sized but all green? It would not be over-ripe if you let it go another entire week, then you can experiment by eating one to see the interior. Odor can be another indicator of strawberry ripeness.

Laura I don't know but I would think it takes longer than a meyer lemon and they seem to take 6-8 nonths. Cory The only thing my Squirrels leave alone are my figs. I am surrounded by forest on all sides so I probably can't grow fruit except varieties that ripen in June to early July. That is when our neighborhood mulberries come in.