Why do strawberries in the garden dry berries and what to do?

Summer residents cultivating Victoria often face various diseases of this crop. For example, if strawberries are drying in the garden, there may be several reasons. In case of illness, not only fruits are affected, but also flowers, leaves, peduncles, vegetative shoots. Pest attacks also lead to adverse consequences. It is necessary to consider all the symptoms in a complex, This will help to accurately diagnose. Based on what problem is identified, choose a method of treatment. Sometimes the reason is the wrong agricultural technology.

Drying of fruits due to improper agricultural practices

It happens that at the initial stage of fruiting, the ovary develops normally, but later dries up, instead of turning red. Errors in agricultural technology can lead to such an undesirable phenomenon.

• Lack of moisture

Sometimes beginners in gardening neglect the mulching process, thereby allowing moisture to quickly evaporate from the soil. This error is especially detrimental in dry and hot weather. In this case, the strawberry bushes begin to dry up, and the berries dry with them.

A lack of moisture can also be caused by an incorrect watering regime. Strawberries are watered too rarely or with insufficient water. Irrigation rates for this crop provide for the introduction of 10 liters of water per square meter. meter of the garden. In wet weather, the amount of introduced moisture is reduced.

• Imbalance of trace elements

If the ovary begins to dry during ripening, it may be due to a lack of nutrients in the initially poor soil. Plants simply do not have enough strength for the full development of berries. The same effect is caused by the application of excessive fertilization, resulting in an imbalance of minerals in the soil.

Wanting to saturate the strawberries with as much potassium and phosphorus as possible, summer residents make such dressings up to five times per season, but this is wrong. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, according to the rules, are used no more than three times. In this case, one should not forget about the introduction of nitrogen. Strawberries are best at absorbing essential organic food. For feeding the bushes, it is recommended to use wood ash, mullein, bird droppings.

• Incorrect fit

Violation of the planting scheme leads to deviations in the development of strawberries. The minimum distance between the bushes should be 20-30 cm. It is better to place the plants in the garden in a checkerboard pattern, then they will feel freer. When planted overly densely, strawberry bushes shade each other.

As a result, plants begin to lack sunlight, and the soil is depleted too quickly. You also need to pay attention to timely weeding. Weeds draw off a significant portion of moisture and nutrients, thereby depleting strawberry bushes. In this case, shedding of the ovary may occur.

• Untimely transplant

If in the spring it was decided to transplant strawberries to another place, this must be done before flowering and the formation of ovaries. If this rule is violated, garden strawberries will suffer stress and shed the fruit that has set.

Before transplanting, it is necessary to disinfect the soil. Previously, the soil is spilled with a vinegar solution (1 tbsp. L.10 liters of water) with the addition of one glass of ash and 100 g of vitriol. Plant roots are dipped in a clay mash with the addition of mullein.

Agrotechnical measures to prevent crop loss

Prevention of problems with growing strawberries begins even before purchasing seedlings. Planting material must be selected in reliable nurseries, giving preference to varieties with complex resistance to diseases and pests.

The list of popular varietal varieties with good immunity includes:

• Vima Zanta;
• Kimberly;
• "Lambada"
• "Camarosa";
• "A shelf";
• Alba;
• "Maxim";
• "Kent".

You need to find a suitable place for the strawberry garden. In no case should you plant berries after tomatoes and potatoes. You can re-place strawberries in the same place no earlier than after 4-5 years. The place must be sunny and elevated, without stagnant water.

Before planting, the soil is spilled with boiling water or a fungicide solution. The garden should be kept clean by regularly removing weeds and plant debris. If possible, it is best to install a drip irrigation system for strawberries or use sprinklers. In this case, the soil will be optimally moistened. Excess water should be avoided as well as drought.

Top dressing should be applied 3-4 times - at the beginning of the growing season, before flowering and fruiting, and after harvesting. All diseased plants are promptly removed from the garden. The remaining bushes are sprayed with fungicidal preparations.

To protect the bushes from freezing in the fall, the soil is mulched. As mulch, you can use straw, hay, sawdust, pine needles, peat. Covering measures are carried out after the arrival of the first frost.

Crop loss due to disease

Fruits can mummify and fall off due to various diseases. The disease leads to the fact that strawberry bushes begin to fight for survival and shed berries, not having the strength for their further development. And the fruits themselves can be affected by pathogenic microorganisms. Most strawberry diseases are fungal in nature.

White spot (ramulariasis)

The causative agent of the disease is the pathogenic fungus Ramularia tulasnei. Its spores overwinter in the topsoil and plant debris. With the arrival of heat, the mycelium falls on the leaves. For a while, the disease develops latently. The first symptoms appear closer to mid-May. In the future, spores can spread until the end of summer, affecting leaves, whiskers and berries.

White spot develops especially actively at temperatures of 20-22 ° C and high humidity. Spores are transferred from plant to plant by gusts of wind, raindrops, and insects. Initially, small brown spots appear on the leaves. Over time, the affected area brightens, a black-brown border appears around it. At an advanced stage, through holes are formed in the affected areas.

If, due to rains, the disease develops actively during the fruiting period, the berries do not turn red, but fall off. The taste of fruit that looks healthy is deteriorating sharply. Under favorable conditions, the disease can quickly affect up to half of the plantings. Once symptoms have been noticed, the affected leaves should be trimmed and burned immediately. They cannot be used for composting. It is advisable to mulch the land, if this has not been done earlier. Such a measure will make it difficult for the fungus to get from the soil to the strawberry leaves. Spores can persist in the ground for 8 years.

From folk remedies for the treatment of the disease, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate (5 g per 10 liters of water) or a composition made from 10 liters of water, 1 tbsp. tablespoons of soda and 30 drops of iodine.

Of industrial drugs used:

• Bordeaux mixture;
• Ridomil Gold;
• Horus;
• "Topaz".

A solution of fungicides is prepared according to the instructions and strawberry leaves are sprayed on both sides. To fade the disease, 3-4 treatments are required. Funds can be alternated among themselves.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is another fungal disease of strawberries. The first symptoms appear as a white coating on the underside of the leaves. Over time, the spots merge, the leaves turn out to be incapable of photosynthesis, curl, wrinkle.

If an outbreak of the disease occurred in June, the development of ovaries stops, small berries turn brown and fall off.

Already ripe berries can be covered with a bloom of white, then they begin to rot. In advanced cases, the strawberry dies. Like all fungal diseases, powdery mildew develops rapidly at high air temperatures and high humidity. You need to take care of protecting strawberries from disease even before planting seedlings. The seedlings are soaked in a 1% solution of copper sulfate for 15-20 minutes. Before flowering, the bushes are treated with Topaz for prevention.

If the disease manifests itself on fruit-bearing bushes, spraying with a solution of whey (1 liter per 10 liters of water) is carried out. In the event that the situation worsens, you can carry out the treatment with a solution of iodine (30 drops per 10 liters of water). With folk remedies, the bushes are sprayed every 3 days. It is impossible to completely remove powdery mildew from the berry, the treatment being carried out only muffles the disease. After the time comes to replace the strawberries in the garden with another crop, the ground will need to be thoroughly disinfected, and the berries themselves should be planted away from this place.

Fusarium wilting

Fusarium affects many cultivated plants, including strawberries. The disease is considered one of the most dangerous. The spread of fusarium begins closer to the root, so at first the disease is latent. The fungus is able to stay in the soil for a long time (more than 2 decades). If the disease is not recognized in time, you can lose half of the crop.

Fusarium initially manifests itself as wilting of the lower layer of leaves. At this time, yellowish spots appear on the upper leaves. In the rainy season, plants can also become covered with a white bloom. The fungus manifests itself most actively when the berries are poured. You can accurately diagnose the disease by cutting the leaf petiole in half. On the cut, damage to the conducting vessels will be noticeable in the form of a change in their color and structure.

Plants planted on clay and acidic soils in violation of the planting scheme are at increased risk of fusarium. Lack of moisture, which weakens the bushes, can also cause disease. Since the disease is focal in nature, you must immediately pull out and burn the diseased specimens. Healthy plants are sprayed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate with the addition of boric acid. Additionally, it is proposed to liming the soil. In an alkaline environment, the fungus does not survive.

In case of mass destruction, strawberries are sprayed with fungicides. For processing applies:

• Benorad;
• Fundazol;
• Fitosporin;
• "Benefit".

If the use of fungicidal preparations did not lead to the desired result, all plants are completely destroyed. The land plot is being processed by Nitrafen. Subsequently, strawberries cannot be planted on such land for 5 years. There are varieties that are resistant to fusarium wilt, such as Talisman, Sonata, Boheme, Arosa, Red Gauntlet.

Anthracnose

Strawberries affected by anthracnose look like they are on fire. At the beginning of the disease, black dots appear on the leaves, then the ovaries and fruits are affected. In the middle of the dark spots, light areas appear later. The causative agent of anthracnose is resistant to fungicides, so the treatment process is difficult. With an advanced stage of the disease, the leaves are brown, as if after a burn. The leaf plates begin to crack and crumble, but remain on the bush.

Strawberry whiskers affected by anthracnose die off, the flower stalks fall off. During ripening, sunken spots appear on the berries, after which the fruits gradually wither.Biological preparations "Gamair", "Fitosporin-M" help to restrain the growth of the disease. It is recommended to use them during the fruiting period. You can also use folk remedies: infusion of garlic (200 g per 10 liters of water) or iodine (30 drops per 10 liters of water).

In advanced cases, chemical fungicides are used for treatment:

• "Antrakol";
• "Metaxylene";
• "Quadris";
• "Kuproksat";
• Fundazol;
• Oxyhom;
• Previkur Energy

Spraying is carried out 3 times with an interval of 10 days. It should be noted that chemical treatment carried out after flowering makes the berries unsafe for consumption.

Pest damage to strawberries

Strawberry bushes are attractive to a large number of pests. Damage can be caused to both leaves and fruits of garden strawberries. You can save the harvest by identifying in a timely manner who exactly harms the plants.

Strawberry weevil

A small black beetle whose body is covered with bristles. There is a long proboscis on the head. Weevil larvae are white with a brown head. Pests lead a hidden lifestyle, hiding under dried leaves. Insects hibernate in the upper soil layer. In addition to strawberries, the weevil also affects raspberries and blackberries.

One female can damage up to 100 buds per season, laying one egg in each, from which larvae develop and begin to eat away the inside. You can notice the appearance of weevils on strawberries by drying out the peduncles, the appearance of small holes on the leaves and petals. The center of the flower often turns black, after which it withers. As a result, the harvest is lost.

From a weevil, strawberries are sprayed with infusions of garlic, tobacco dust, bitter pepper, celandine, wormwood, tansy. For the same purpose, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate, ammonia or boric acid. Of the chemicals for protecting garden strawberries, "Taran", "Decis", "Inta-vir" are suitable. Iskra Bio is a safer action.

Aphid

Sucking insects damage leaves and flowers, interfere with the formation of buds. As a result, the yield drops. Pest colonies settle on the underside of leaves. Very often ants carry aphids onto the site. The sucking parasite not only deprives the leaves of juices, insects can infect strawberries with viral diseases.

Aphid accumulation can be seen visually. Symptoms of infection include:

• discoloration of sheet plates;
• curling leaves;
• curvature of shoots;
• the appearance of drops of sticky liquid (honeydew).

With a strong infection, the bushes begin to dry out. If insects are not dealt with, strawberries die. Together with aphids, it is imperative to remove ants. In case of large accumulations of aphids, such preparations as "Aktara", "Iskra", "Inta-vir", "Fitoverm" are used. Spraying with them should be carried out no later than 20 days before harvest. Processing should be carried out 2-3 times, it is recommended to alternate the preparations with each other.

If there are few pests, it is permissible to remove them mechanically by pouring a strong jet from a hose onto the bushes. You can dust strawberry leaves with tobacco dust, wood ash. Decoctions based on chamomile, marigolds, yarrow, garlic, onion husks, and tomato tops also help from aphids.

Strawberry leaf beetle

The strawberry leaf beetle is another reason the berries go missing. The bugs are 4 mm in size. Their back is yellowish-brown, and their abdomen is black. Mass reproduction of the pest entails the defeat of all plantings of garden strawberries. Many small holes appear on the leaves, the foliage turns yellow and withers, the berries do not develop. Both larvae and adult insects cause damage.

Spraying decoctions based on garlic, dandelion, wormwood helps to get rid of the pest. It is imperative to add 30-40 g of soap shavings to the composition (per 10 liters). To prevent further spread of the leaf beetle, the aisles are sprinkled with tobacco dust or ash.You can install special glue traps on the garden bed. From insecticides used "Actellik", "Karbofos", "Bankol", "Decis", diluting the drugs according to the instructions.

Mites

Spider mites and strawberry mites parasitize strawberries. Both types of arthropods are microscopic in size. The presence of a spider mite is indicated by a thin cobweb that has appeared on the leaves. The symptoms of infection are similar in both cases. The leaves begin to become covered with small light and yellowish spots that form at the puncture sites.

With severe damage, the leaves begin to curl, turn yellow, while the berries do not develop. The ovary dries up and falls off. Especially often ticks attack thickened plantings. An excess of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil contributes to the infection.

With a small number of parasites, you can fight the tick with folk remedies by treating the leaves with a garlic solution, infusion of onion peels, and hot water. If the pests were noticed late, and the strawberries are badly damaged, it is better to use chemicals with acaricidal properties, such as "Karbofos", "Actellik", "Fufanon", "Kemifos". Of the low-toxic drugs, Neoron and Morolex are suitable, but their use requires multiple treatments.

Nematode

A nematode is a microscopic worm. The defeat of the pest leads to growth retardation and gradual drying of the bushes. It is difficult to get rid of nematodes; it is much more effective to pay attention to prevention. Pest eggs can survive in the ground for up to 10 years. The nematode attaches with the mouth apparatus to the roots or stem of the strawberry and begins to suck out the juice.

Worms are activated during the appearance of inflorescences and ovaries. As a result, the berries are small in size, their taste deteriorates. The presence of worms can be determined by the appearance of bulges on leaf veins and stems. In strawberries, the petioles are shortened. Leaves wrinkle first and then die off. The nematode can be brought to the site along with the infected seedlings.

When infected, the bushes are dug up and soaked in hot water at 50–55 ° C for 10–15 minutes. You can also water the soil with a vegetable infusion based on onions - batun, hogweed, marigold, calendula.

From chemicals used "Heterofos", "Mercaptofos", "Ruskamin". In solutions of these agents, the affected bushes are soaked, you can simply spill the soil with chemicals.

Medvedka

This large pest can reach a size of 5 cm. The color of the bear is brown. The forelimbs are provided with teeth. Most often, the pest is found in moist, manured soil; its presence can be recognized by the wilted species of strawberries. The bush begins to dry due to the fact that the bear gnaws at its roots. You can determine the exact cause by pulling the bush out of the ground and examining the roots.

You can try to get rid of the pest using folk methods. For example, bury pieces of fresh fish next to the strawberry bushes. You can get rid of the bear by flooding the moves they made with soapy water. The pests will die underground or be forced to crawl out. A powerful tool in the fight against this monster is a kerosene solution (100 ml per 10 liters of water). The composition is also poured into holes.

There are many reasons leading to drying of strawberries and loss of harvest. All of them have one thing in common: under the influence of unfavorable factors, the plants weaken and can no longer bear fruit normally. In order for strawberries to remain healthy and fertile, you need to carefully follow agricultural techniques and take measures to protect the crop in case of illness or pest attack.