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[ddpie]

Alright, bunnies might not be my problem. I need help! Quick!

I went out last nite to investigate the bunny situation and I notice that the plants are loaded with tiny strawberries, but some are ripening while small, not only that, but they all have red/purple leaves around the bottoms. Is this leaf scorch? I looked it up on the net and everywhere seems to indicate that, but I'm not sure.





Sniff sniff, this is (was) the biggest one.



So the only thing I could find on the net was to get a fungicide because if it is leaf scorch it's from a fungus that's in the soil? I also went out there and cut each and every strawberry off as well as each red leaf. So they now look like the size I started. Is there something specific I should use? Oh man, I don't want to loose all my strawberry plants! Help!

[ImStuffed]

wish I could help you, but the only thing I know about strawberries is what to do with them after I buy them
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[CulinaryAlchemist]

It might be nematodes.... But it also may be

Red Stele. Diseased plants occur in patches and produce fewer runners and smaller berries. The tips of young roots rot first, after which the stele of infected roots becomes red. Lateral roots also die and decay, producing a “rattail” symptom. Red color may extend up to the plant crown. Plants may appear stunted or wilted, and leaf color may change to red, orange, or yellow. Avoid soil compaction and improve drainage. Plant resistant cultivars from inspected planting stock.
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[ImStuffed]

sounds like nematodes would be easier to deal with
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[ddpie]

Well that could be the problem. (I've been looking up red stele also) When I planted them, I kind of mounded up the soil a bit because we had so much rain I was affraid of not planting them deep enough. So today, I went out there and spread all of the mounds out, cleaned out all dead leaves and like I said, trimmed off all the red leaves and all of the fruit. Even if I don't get anything until next round I don't care, I'd rather start out with healthy plants.

I'm still looking and I can't find a clear cut description and/or solution. Maybe it's a combo of both things? I dunno.

The plants still look good and healthy (aside from all the red leaves I cut off, most were around the bottoms, like they were the first leaves???) I wonder if I caught the problem in time?

[Gigi421]

DD, I thought you had to wait a year for them to produce.
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[BiscottiQueen]

Ok, first of all did you bury the crown of the plant?! The 'crown' above the root system should only be buried 1/2 way up. If buried it can cause serious plant stress... and it could be as simple as that! Also strawberries need LOTS of watering while fruit is developing. Lack of water can also stress them... and strawberries show stress in their leaves because they still but all possible strength into fruit production.

It is not leave scorch or wilt as they would be brown during wilt, and have purple dots for scorch. (I had scorch this year and had to replace half my crop.)

I honestly don't think its more then stress... I asked someone else just in case what they think. I'll be back when they give me an answer!
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[ddpie]

Karen, this variety produces the first year, in fact, they're supposed to produce 2 crops, one in spring and one in late summer (if I don't kill them that is) I think I mentioned the name in my first strawberry thread (I'll have to look that up, the name escapes me right now) Oh, everbearring? I think that's it...does that sound right? shoot, I'll go look.

BQ- oh OK, I may have buried the crown too much when I mounded the soil up (what I thought was slightly oops) As for the watering, we've had torrential rains here, even on the days that it didn't rain, I was watering them. In fact, I backed off because I thought maybe they were getting too much water??? is that possible? (and key thunder, yup, more rain as I type LOL) I'm pretty sure there is adequate drainage, being it's on a slope AND Jim tilled the hard ground up before we even installed the bed, then about a good foot of garden soil went into that (loamy, w/ mulch added in) So the more I think about it....it might be the crowns being burried too deep.

I think I'm trying too hard LOL DD is stressed, not the strawberries hahahahaha

Well, any more help is appreciated.

[BiscottiQueen]

Ok, I consulted an expert... and this is her response:

"Plants commonly get a reddish cast to the leaves with too much sun (not your problem here), or too mcuh or too little water. (whcih sometimes can happen in very clayey soil even if soil moisture *seems* ok). I believe there is at least one nutrient deficiency/excess that can cause reddening of leaves too, but can't recall which one offhand so it is probably not the most common, but you could try looking it up.

Personally I'd leave the reddened leaves on the strawberry plants unless they are virtually dead (in which case, it is possible they are reddening *because* the particular leaves are dying, rather than being a symptom of anything at all)."

Ignore the clay soil issue... she assumed these were my berries because I have clay soil, but mine are fine other then the EVIL GOPHER FROM *you know where*!!!!

Anyways... so you have Day neutral or Everbearing strawberries?! I have Everybearing and they will produce up to 3 times year after the first year. They are small compared to June Bearing, but they are super sweet and remind me of the wild strawberries.

Here's a site I used with mine, I found the info SUPER helpful.

http://gardening.about.com/od/fruitsberriesnuts/a/Strawberries.htm

Here's also a good simple site on strawberry diseases I've used too... I really think you're berries are FINE and its just 'too much' or something or 'not enough' of something.... or stress! No disease evident and I would NOT remove the leaves:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/Garden/02931.html
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Try some of my custom biscotti here:

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[ddpie]

Oh man, oh dang....already removed them (I totally freaked out LOL)

Well it's raining AGAIN today. Soil is draining good tho, I checked because of last nites RAIN storm. Maybe between all of the rain AND I had the crowns covered too much it IS stress? Plus, now that I think about it, we had like TONS of rain, for DAYS in a row, then, it turned really super hot and humid, for DAYS in a row. THEN, now, more rain. Hell, I'd be stressed out too! (in fact, I am) Poor little guys.

I have the everbearing ones too. Hind site, I should have followed other advice and pinched the blooms off when I planted them in the first place.

Well, the only thing to do now is wait and see. I won't be able to tell anything until it stops raining grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Thanks for all of your help and thanks for the sites. I'll go check them out today!