Strawberry Patch Woes

[General Lee]

I have a small strawberry patch in a raised bed that I started last year. Well this year its producing pretty decent. However, The strawberries are basically rotting before my eyes. I'll have a hand full of berries just about ready to pick, that need about a day to ripen up a bit more.......and when I pick them the next day there is rotten spots on them and basically they aren't good to eat. Kind lick bottom end rot on tomatoes.

I have not sprayed them with insecticide nor do I see any signs of insects. Anybody with experience with raising strawberries know what could be going on?

 

[JerryG]

To much water will do that every time.

 

[General Lee]

It must have been the recent rains because I haven't watered much.

 

[RobertBrown]

Strawberry's are tough,,,,they grow in warm climates...... try something else.

 

[CalG]

Strawberries want to be dry on the outside. Beds that get morning sun to dry out after a misty night always do better than those that don't.

 

[randy41]

are the strawberries mulched? try to keep the berries off of the soil. strawberries grow very well in the mid-atlantic.

 

[Billrog]

wet yrs. we put straw around the plants to keep the berry's off the ground.

 

[General Lee]

No mulch. Just a soil, peat moss bed. I could try the straw, I have some on hand.

 

[farmer2009]

It could be too rich of soil. That'll do it to tomatoes also. Too much nitrogen, but I'm not sure strawberries are that sensitive.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I have a small strawberry patch in a raised bed that I started last year. Well this year its producing pretty decent. However, The strawberries are basically rotting before my eyes. I'll have a hand full of berries just about ready to pick, that need about a day to ripen up a bit more.......and when I pick them the next day there is rotten spots on them and basically they aren't good to eat. Kind lick bottom end rot on tomatoes.

I have not sprayed them with insecticide nor do I see any signs of insects. Anybody with experience with raising strawberries know what could be going on?

According to Charlie Weaver, you shouldn't expect any the first year, at least on Mount Idy.

Peter Marshall

Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during your first year?


Charley Weaver

Of course not, Peter. I'm too busy growing strawberries!

Sorry. I couldn't resist. I tried two different times to grow strawberries; we got precious few before the plants all died. Same with Asparagus.