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Strawberries require careful care. Failure to comply with the agrotechnical conditions of its cultivation threatens the occurrence of various diseases. Unfortunately, not all of them are treatable – you have to destroy the affected berry bushes, and sometimes entire beds. Pests also cause great damage to plants. Although it is difficult to completely secure plantations, processing strawberries in the fall from pests and diseases will significantly reduce crop losses for the next season. Gardeners do not always pay attention to the signs of damage to strawberry bushes by various infections, and its tender berries and leaves are to the taste of many pests. Often they are the cause of the loss of most of the crop. It is important to know about them, and proper care and timely preventive work will help protect strawberry bushes from diseases.
Strawberry diseases
Fusarium and late blight wilt
Strawberries show signs of fusarium and late blight wilt. The disease is fungal, manifested by the brown color of the leaves and petioles, the edges of the leaf blades bend upward. Fruiting decreases, and with the death of fibrous roots, the plant dies.
The disease is not curable, the affected strawberry bushes have to be destroyed, so it is better to try to prevent it using the following measures:
- take seedlings in proven nurseries;
- every four years, garden strawberry bushes should be transplanted to a new place, otherwise their roots no longer receive enough nutrients and are easily exposed to various infections;
- seedlings are less susceptible to disease if planted in late August or September;
- it is useful to treat strawberry roots with a growth stimulator before planting, and before planting, treat the soil from fungi with a solution of iodine.
The photo clearly shows the affected bushes.
Gray mold
The disease is easily detected by a fluffy coating on brownish spots that appear on strawberries. A fungal infection usually occurs during a period of frequent rains and very quickly passes to neighboring berries, and then affects the entire bush. Fruits with spots should be collected and destroyed. However, if leaves and petioles are affected, the entire strawberry bush is subject to destruction.
Prevention of gray rot will help:
- the use of agrofilm on the beds – weeds will not grow under it, and the fruits will not come into contact with the ground;
- even before flowering begins, strawberries should be sprayed with 2-3% Bordeaux mixture or iodine solution – 10 drops per bucket of water;
- seedlings should not be planted too densely;
- you can cut off some of the leaves on the strawberry bushes – then they will be well ventilated and ripen faster;
- growing under white agrofibre will reduce the likelihood of disease.
White or brown spotting
A fungal disease in strawberry beds that is spread by spores. Its occurrence is characterized by small brown spots on the leaves of strawberry seedlings, which gradually merge, covering the entire leaf. It turns yellow and then dies. The infection quickly affects neighboring bushes.
In order to deal with it, you need:
- spray the beds and bushes of strawberries with a 4% solution of Bordeaux mixture, including leaves;
- before processing strawberries, it is necessary to cut off all the dried leaves and burn them, as fungal spores hibernate in them, then pour the bush under the root with a solution of iodine;
- the choice of high-quality seedlings and care for it is of great importance.
Mučnistaâ rosa
Symptoms of the disease are expressed by twisting the leaves into a tube. At the same time, their color changes from green to purple. A white coating appears on top of the leaves. The disease disrupts the pollination process, resulting in the formation of deformed fruits, also covered with bloom. The taste of strawberries also changes. The disease can be seen in the photo.
For the prevention of strawberries from powdery mildew and its treatment, the beds are treated with a solution of copper sulfate. Spraying with a solution of iodine in water helps well. The effectiveness of its action increases with the addition of milk. Regular treatment of strawberries from diseases and pests with this remedy reduces the likelihood of their occurrence.
In the video you can see how to process strawberry bushes.
vermin
Nematode
One of the most common pests of strawberries is the nematode. Most often, it affects young strawberry bushes, laying eggs on its leaves and in the buds. After two weeks, the hatched larvae turn into adults – small white worms up to one millimeter long. Infected strawberry bushes can be identified by some signs:
- reddening of the petioles of the leaves;
- deformation of the peduncle;
- red spots on the leaf blade;
- too small berries or their complete absence.
Processing against nematodes
To exclude the appearance of this pest, it is necessary to select healthy seedlings, and before planting, it is necessary to disinfect it by keeping the strawberry bushes for a quarter of an hour in sufficiently hot water – 45 degrees, and then in cold water. This procedure will harden the plants, increase their resistance to adverse factors and activate rapid growth and development. It is also good to water the beds with iodine solution.
Autumn events will be a good preventive measure in caring for strawberries:
- cleaning strawberry beds from diseased plants and weeds and their destruction;
- digging beds with the introduction of slaked lime or processing them with iron sulfate.
Weevil
A small dark gray beetle hibernates in the ground under strawberry leaves, and in May it moves inside the buds, laying eggs in them. It is clearly visible in the photo.
The hatched larvae eat it from the inside and remain in it in the form of a chrysalis, which by the middle of summer gives rise to a new generation of pests. They destroy the pulp of strawberries, then hide back for the winter.
Weevil fight
They effectively help in the fight against the beetle by spraying strawberry bushes with a solution of dry mustard or an infusion of wood ash. A good result is given by processing with infusion of bitter pepper.
Spraying beds with strawberry bushes from pests should be carried out before it blooms, when the buds have just appeared. In the summer, re-treatment is carried out. You can remove the weevils from the bushes by simply shaking them onto a spread film. An effective preventive measure will be the autumn digging of strawberry beds.
Strawberry whitefly
A small white butterfly with two pairs of miniature wings feeds on the juice of strawberry leaves and lays eggs on their undersides. The larvae stick to the leaves, forming a kind of cocoon. They then emerge as adults. In one season, the whitefly gives up to four generations, and hibernates in the soil, under strawberry bushes. An effective means of dealing with it is the use of a mulch film on the beds.
Bronzovka hairy
A dangerous pest that affects strawberry bushes in May, during the flowering and fruiting period, is hairy bronze – a small black beetle. It eats leaves and branches, multiplying rapidly. In the fight against it use:
- deep loosening and digging of the soil;
- burning raw straw;
- collection of beetles by hand.
Strawberry mite
When a pest appears, the strawberry bushes become smaller and the leaves shrivel. Its dimensions are very small. Feeding on cell sap, they multiply rapidly and give up to several generations during the summer. Soon, ticks populate the entire garden, and when transplanting strawberry bushes, they are transferred to a new one. Warm, humid weather is especially conducive to their reproduction.
Protecting strawberries from strawberry mites involves the following steps:
- in spring, in dry weather, it is necessary to clean the strawberry beds from plant residues and burn them;
- strawberry bushes need to be treated with hot, up to 80 degrees, water, and then fed;
- every 14 days, spray with a solution of colloidal sulfur;
- it is useful to treat all strawberry beds with Bordeaux liquid;
- effectively destroys the strawberry mite infusion of onion peel, this method should be used several times with an interval of about two weeks;
- at the end of summer, you need to mow strawberry bushes and burn the collected grass, and water the garden bed and feed it;
- before planting, it is necessary to arrange a hot bath for the seedlings for a quarter of an hour, and then cool it.
spider mite
A thin cobweb appears on strawberry bushes, enveloping its leaves. It indicates the appearance of a spider mite that feeds on the cell sap of strawberry stems and leaves. Its growth gradually slows down, fruiting decreases, the bushes die.
At the initial stage of the lesion, the treatment of strawberry bushes with an infusion prepared from a mixture of wormwood and tobacco will become an effective remedy. If this is not enough, you need to treat the beds with karbofos.
Aphids on strawberries
Small insects can be noticed immediately, as they cover all parts of the plant. Reproducing rapidly, aphids also colonize all neighboring strawberry bushes, causing enormous damage. When it appears:
- strawberry leaves curl and dry;
- flowering and fruiting of bushes slow down;
- berries are deformed.
The pest does not tolerate the smell of garlic, so garlic infusion helps well in the fight against it. It is prepared in cold water and aged for several days. They cultivate strawberry bushes and the soil around them. An excellent remedy for aphids is a solution of dry mustard, as usual, with laundry soap.
Medvedka
The pest lays its eggs in the ground and hibernates there. Both he and his larvae eat the roots, causing the strawberry bushes to slowly dry out. Medvedka breeds quickly and causes very high damage to the crop. To protect against it, you need to use all available methods:
- you should try to lure the birds to the strawberry beds with the help of feeders;
- for the device of traps in the beds, containers for bait are buried;
- you can lure insects out of the hole with soapy water.
Thrips tobacco
Small yellow-brown insects feed on the cell sap of strawberry leaves, causing the bushes to wither and die. Eggs are laid on the lower leaf blades, five generations hatch over the summer. In winter, thrips hide in the soil under strawberry bushes.
In the fight against the pest, spraying strawberries every week with infusions of dandelion, orange peels or chamomile decoction helps, starting before it blooms.
Slugs
They appear in large numbers at high humidity and eat berries and young leaves on strawberry bushes. The pest hides under the leaves during the day, and hibernates in the soil.
To help get rid of slugs:
- covering the beds with agrofibre;
- mulching with sawdust and wood ash treatment;
- spraying with saturated saline solution.
Ants
As a protection for strawberry bushes from these insects, plants with a pronounced smell, such as wormwood, mint, garlic or onions, are suitable. They can be planted between beds or around them. Solutions of ash, mustard, and wormwood are also used to treat the beds.
Other pests
strawberry pests respond well to infusions and decoctions prepared from home remedies. It is worth resorting to chemical remedies if the problem is too advanced. The video will tell you about the process of processing strawberry bushes.
The wireworm is a small worm, it can be removed by treating the leaves with a solution of lime, potassium permanganate or dry mustard.
The favorite delicacy of snails is cornmeal. At the same time, it is detrimental to them, which allows the use of flour as a protection for strawberry bushes.
To breed the larvae of silkworm butterflies, you can use the treatment of strawberry bushes with kerosene.
To combat the May beetle, it is necessary first of all to destroy its larvae, which hide in the depths of manure heaps. They are dug up in the fall so that all the larvae freeze during the winter.
Placed around the beds with strawberries, sweet baits will get rid of annoying wasps.
Bright strawberries and their fragrant smell also attract birds. A few plastic bottles on pegs will scare them away.
Conclusion
Strawberry diseases and pests are easier to deal with at the initial stage. Bushes and beds should be regularly inspected, preventive measures should be taken both in autumn and spring, and affected leaves or bushes should be removed in time. With proper care, strawberry beds will delight with a rich harvest of sweet berries.
