What is wrong with this strawberry plant?

Discussion in 'Fruit and Veg Gardening' started by Margarida, Jan 26, 2019.

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  1. Margarida

    Margarida New Seed

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    Hi everyone!

    I am from Portugal and I have this strawberry plant that looks like is dying.

    It had more leaves but they all dried out.. these are new leaves and they are already starting to look like this. The leaves start to dry from the edges.
    20190126_180421 III.jpg

    What can it be? What can I do to save this plant?

    Thank you!
     
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  3. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    Looks too dry while emerging or frosted.
     
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  4. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Is it an outside plant ? What is the temperature there ? I tend to agree with Carolyn,, looks like frostbite ! If its an outside plant and you have had some freezing weather,, I would throw some hay or dry leaves over the whole thing and wait till spring to uncover ! Make sure it is in moist soil ! They die down in winter and will come back in the spring and summer !
    What is it growing in ? Some sort of potting mix ? Looks similar to what orchids are grown in !
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2019
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  5. Margarida

    Margarida New Seed

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    Hi mart!

    This plant came from my uncle, who lives in north of Portugal, where temperatures are lower in winter than they are where I live, in the south. Here in Algarve, winter temperatures range from 0ºC to 14ºC on colder days, but the "normal" for winter here is 4ºC to 17ºC maybe.
    My grandpa has the same strawberry plants, and he removes them from outside at night, so I put my plant inside the house the whole day a few weeks ago (it was so fragile that I was afraid it would die outside). These leaves were all green and beautiful but as they grow, they start to look like that.
    The plant is in the kitchen, near the window, so it gets some daylight and the kitchen is never too hot.
    It is growing in normal soil that I bought, but is not for orchids. I'm sorry I wanted to give you more details about the soil but I don't have the package near me and english is not my native language, so I have a hard time trying to express myself. :chuckle:

    I forgot something: this plant was originally put in a mix of soil and manure, but then it started to have little bugs on it (I don' know how is it called in english), like tiny white/ligh green almost transparent bugs. We were able to eliminate them and then my dad changed the soil to a mixture of bought soil and normal soil from our garden, but it was hard like a rock and the water did not get trough it.
    Then I changed it again, to the soil I bought, the same soil I used on another species of strawberry plant (that look amazing!).

    I want to save this little one, it is special (from my uncle!).

    Sorry for the long post :D thank you!
     
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  6. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    that sounds like springtails. not a harmful bug to your plant. they eat organic matter. but, going back to your original issue. you said you brought it inside? I sounds like to me another issue could be a humidity issue. try covering the plant with a clear "dome" such as a disposable cup with some hole punched in it for ventilation. but get it back outside as soon as possible.
     
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  7. Margarida

    Margarida New Seed

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    Should I get it outside even with these temperatures? (7ºC at night).

    My uncle also said it could be the soil composition, maybe too much fertilizer. Here is a photo of the soil composition. It is in portuguese but the names are similar (nitrogen, etc.). It says it is an herbaceous peat (if it is wrong, is Google translator fault) with vegetable fiber, fertilizer an pH corrector... I don't know if this helps.
    My uncle suggested that I move it to a simpler soil.

    Should I put it on direct sunlight?
    Thank you! :)
     

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  8. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Hi there and your english is fine ! But the explanation tells a lot ! If you transplanted it three times in a short period its possible that the roots have never had time to adjust to whatever soil it was or is in ! Kind of like transplant shock ! Some peat is pretty acidic but if this mix is recommended for strawberries and your other plant is doing well in it I doubt that would be the problem.! If it were me,, I would just mix some garden soil around the outside as close as you can get to the plant without removing it ! Those roots need to stay where they are and not be disturbed again ! I would not feed it until you see some new growth then a little manure mixed around the top of the soil is OK and when you water it,, that will take it to the roots Do not put it outside in the cold night temps but wait til it warms up in the daytime ! Strawberries are summer time plants and need the warmth and sun ! Main thing is to just give it time and a lightly moist soil ! I have planted some that I thought were dead as a door nail and they came back fine,,They looked similar to your plant ! May take a little while to see new growth, a month or so ! Try to put it close to your other plant since it is doing well ! Good luck but I can only say what I would do if it were mine !
    Forgot to ask if your other plant is inside or outside
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2019
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  9. Margarida

    Margarida New Seed

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    Sorry, I did not understand what to do. You saying to put more soil near the plant?

    The other strawberry plant is outside :)
    I will not change the soil again, I have to be patient and hope it comes to live again!

    Thank you!
     
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  10. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    7°c is 44°f. that is plenty warm enough for strawberries. if you are getting a freeze at night time cover the plant with a paper cloche.
     
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  11. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Yes,, you can just dig around the plant itself and mix a little garden soil around the plant ! Doesn`t have to be a lot of it,, but it will add some extra nutrients to the potting mix ! Its not a necessary thing but it may help to get some plain old dirt with the potting soil ! Soil has some micro nutrients that are not present in a potting mix ! You can put it outside on warm days and as soon as you see some new growth,, you will know the roots have settled in ! Then your plant will begin its growth pattern and should be fine !
     
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  12. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Yes,, I had to look at the conversion chart ! I am just talking about until new growth has started ! With cooler temps mine just sit there until it gets warm,, then they start growing ! Hoping to speed it up by keeping it a bit warmer !
     
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  13. Margarida

    Margarida New Seed

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    Thank you all!

    I will let you know how is it going, if you want to. :) I was afraid the plant was sick or something :/
     
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  14. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Yes ! Please keep us informed ! Remember we look at pics and do our best to figure out what the problem is ! But we never know for sure since we are not there ! Informing us of additional problems or successes tells us if we are on the right path !
     
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  15. Margarida

    Margarida New Seed

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    Thank you mart!
    Today the plant was even weaker, looking like it was dry. It is outside already on the balcony, near the other strawberry plant.
     
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  16. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Mine hhave died down completely and regenerated from the roots ! When you buy the crowns thats usually all you get is the roots ! Hopefully yours will do the same as mine did ! Just wait and see ! If the roots looked Healthy it should be fine ! The top leaves usually die out before the new leaves appear!
     
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