Monday 1 November 2010

More problems with my strawberries

Strawberries are one of my favorite fruits and also one of my favorite plants to grow. So, when I started my little garden in japan I decided I they were a must. The only thing I didn’t take into account is that they would require so much work.

If you remember a couple posts ago, when I talked about buying strawberry plants in japan, I mentioned that I had some problems dealing with my new strawberries. Well, here is the story.

strawberry-problems-2

My strawberries, before all of this happened


They were all living nicely on their planter, started to grow and they even had a couple runners, which I promptly cut away. But suddenly, after a couple weeks, the one on the middle start to dry out and as always I had no clue what was going on. At first I thought it was beetles again, but I had not seem any lately and the problem was only on one, not all.

After around a week of looking pale, the plant finally died. I dug it out and examine it but there wasn't any obvious problems. The roots didn’t seem very affected, the crown looked a little black but it still had enough healthy feeder roots, it was only the leafs that had just gone dry. The next week, a second one started to have symptoms and after some days of going worst it died the same way.

The autopsy was inconclusive, some white feeder roots, but dried branches and leaves like if the water doesn't get to them. No idea what does this. I think the cold probably got to them, we had a little rollercoaster of temperatures back when the symptoms started.

One of the most suspicious symptoms was that the branches started to turn red before drying, but I think this is normal on dying branches. I also suspected red stele but I did not see much red on the stele of the root.

strawberry-problems

The lone strawberry survivor on quarantine


To try to protect my garden I took out the lone survivor and put it on a separate planter on quarantine. I threw away all the soil and I plan on giving a good scrub and some scalding water to the planter they where in. I hope this will allow new strawberries to grow there.

Of course I freaked out from the start of all this, I didn't wanted my garden to be strawberryless for next season. So, I went and got a bunch of back up plans. Now I have a whole set of new strawberries, and I already put them on a brand new planter with new soil and new pebbles. I even disinfected my little shovel. I will introduce them to you on a post later.

It was very sad, but not much more to do about it, the only regret is that I lost the one plant that had flowers, so no crazy blooming all year strawberry for next season.

strawberry bag

To lighten up the mood, a strawberry in a strawberry bag!


Any ideas what could have happened?

10 comments:

  1. It is really important that the plants are planted at the correct level see
    http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Grow-Your-Own/Fruit-A-to-Z/Strawberries

    If they are too deep they can rot - too shallow and they dry out could this be the problem

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  2. Hi Fer; I'm no expert on growing strawberries, so I won't offer any advice. Just wanted to express sympathy though -- gardening is sometimes a mystery isn't it? A constant battle against Nature, in the form of weather, diseases, bugs and pests. But it's also so rewarding when you win some of those battles!

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  3. I also don't have much luck growing strawberries grown from runners bought from market which stated that it is virus free certified. Always have trouble with them.One that fruit really well for us is Alpine strawberry that we grow from seeds. We plan to go to ichigogari this month.

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  4. I hope your new batch do better for you. I've previously grown strawberries in containers without any problem, so it can be done.

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  5. Good luck with this new batch. I don't know anything about strawberries and am living vicariously through you. :-D

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  6. I am so sorry to hear about the problems with your strawberry plants, but there you go again with such interesting photos of garden plants in Japan. I strawberry bag??!!! I love it!

    I am going to try growing strawberries next year, in one of those hanging planters. Hopefully your plants will do better the next time.

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  7. Do you think it might have been a type of blight or verticilum wilt? Hopefully the new plants will be more successful. :0)

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  8. There are native strawberries in California, but somehow that doesn't translate into much success for me. Keep trying. A fresh, perfect berry is worth the effort!

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  9. Thank you everybody!

    I hope this batch works. I think I had them on proper level, also no blight or verticilum I think, i guess gardening life is a mystery.

    I want to go to ichigogari too(all the strawberries you can), I might go this time.

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  10. Your garden is amazing. So small and so packed with plants,both, ornamental and editable. I have a hard time tending pots, some always get missed on my daily rounds, so I am really amazed at all you have and they look so healthy and happy.

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