Strawberries rotting

[Andy J]

Last year I made a 5'X8' raised strawberry bed,filled it with good soil and compost and planted 10 June bearing plants.Don't know what variety they were.I pulled off all the blooms so the plants would grow large,as instructed.

They spread and covered the bed and this spring they were covered with blooms.I could hardly wait until the fruit was ripe.

Now comes the problem.The large,beautiful fruits get almost ripe and then they rot.I probably lost 2/3 of the crop.I was so disappointed.It appears to me that the berries are rotting from too much moisture.It has been a dry spring here,so I watered them only once,along with a couple of light rains.

Maybe the plants are too close together and can't get enough air circulation.Also,many of them were nibbled on by unidentified insects.

Any ideas or suggestions for next year?

 

[Ladyhawke1]

I did not plant as many as you did, however the same thing is happening to mine. Healthiest looking plants you could ever ask for.

I read that they should be mulched with straw. I don't know but that is something that we can do and then see what happens. I also am going to try to use some DE for the roly poly bugs.

 

[lesa]

Yes, they are such a delicate fruit- best that they don't touch the dirt, especially in rainy weather. I would mulch now and see if you have better results. Good luck!

 

[Andy J]

I didn't mulch them,therefore,many of the fruits were on the ground.I searched on Google for strawberry problems and found several fruit problems caused by fungus.The berries get brown spots on them and then turn gray and moldy from the fungus.I'll try this again next year because it's over for now.

Thanks everyone,Andy