Strawberries dry berries: what does it mean and what to do about it?

Strawberry lovers every season waiting for the harvest of these fragrant and delicious berries.But some gardeners may encounter a problem when strawberries have dried fruit. To get rid of this scourge, you need to know the reasons for its occurrence.

Strawberry is one of the most popular and favorite plants among summer residents. Its berries have a good effect on the digestive tract and digestion, as well as on the workings of a person’s myocardium. Experts noted that strawberry rejuvenates the body, is an aphrodisiac and can fight viruses and infections.

But the plant requires special care for itself, due to the lack of which gardeners may encounter some problems, such as drying up of berries or seedlings.

• Often, strawberry berries dry out, do not pour juice, spoil without blushing, fall apart or simply do not develop due to insufficient watering. This plant loves water, especially during the fruiting period. If there is no rain in summer and the weather is hot, then in order to increase the size of the berries and their number, it is necessary to water the plants more often. You can identify the lack of moisture on the dried bushes, as well as dry soil under them. In this case, the leaves also turn yellow and dry, and the fruits become hard, hard, and the bushes wither immediately after flowering, preventing the berries from developing well and ripen.
• Berry can begin to dry due to thermal burn, so you need to water the strawberries at a time when there is no sun in the sky. This can be done in the evening or in the morning. It is also worth observing that water gets to the root, and not to leaves or berries.
• If watering is normal, then the reason for the drying of the fruit can be in pests or fungi. These are quite common problems that gardeners often come across.
• One of the reasons is the lack of vitamins. We must remember that this plant must be periodically fed, introducing potassium and phosphorus into the soil. If nothing prevents the plant from developing, but at the same time buds and berries dry, then you should pay attention to its feeding. The safest fertilizer is organic composition of natural origin.

Strawberries are often affected by various fungal diseases. It is important to identify them in time, fix the problem, and also treat other bushes to prevent their illness.

She is able to appear on different plants in the garden. Initially, it appears as spots on sprouts, which gradually increase in size. After that, the leaves wither and lose their green color. Then the berries are affected, and the whole strawberry bush dies at the root. If the affected berry is not removed in time from the bushes, it will pull out all the sap from the plant, which will cause the bush to completely dry.

The danger of this disease is that at the initial stage it is hard to notice. If the pronounced symptoms of this disease are detected, then the bush can no longer be treated. It must be removed from the site and burned, otherwise the infection will spread to other plants.

It is also an insidious disease, which initially affects the leaves, and then gradually goes to the fruits and stems. It usually appears at the time of flowering bushes, as a result of which the fruits become tasteless. To notice the pathology in time is difficult. When it develops, it appears bloom on the leaves, which resembles dew. Most often, this disease affects strawberries in a greenhouse. To get rid of this, it is recommended to air the room more often and reduce the amount of watering.

After the pathology is discovered, the bushes should be treated with whey, which is diluted in water 1: 3. With this solution, the bushes should be watered for 7 days. If necessary, you can sprinkle the bush with ashes diluted in water.To do this, it is necessary to dilute 1 kg of the mixture in a bucket of water and pour over the bushes with the composition, adding a little soap to it to keep the solution on the leaves better.

This disease is considered very dangerous, since the disease spores can live in the ground for up to 10 years. This not only infects the soil, but also the inventory with which it is cultivated. You can notice the pathology of the dried flowers and leaves on the bush, which have a brown tint. If time does not take action to eliminate the pathology, it can hit the entire bush, and the berries will dry out.

Often it is not possible to save the plant, as it is necessary to use strong chemicals, and the pathology appears during the fruiting period, so the chemistry can harm the berries, which will then become unsuitable for consumption. Therefore, experienced gardeners recommend that when the first signs of pathology appear, the bush should be completely pulled out, taken out of the site and burned. After that, the earth should be treated with “Fitosporin”, but it is not recommended to use chemical agents during the emergence of fruits. It is also worth collecting the top layer of soil where the bush has grown and take it out for the site.

• Spotting When this pathology appears on the leaves, red dots begin to appear, which will gradually increase in size and then hit the entire leaf. The diseased bush cannot be cured, it must be completely dug out and removed from the site. Nearby standing bushes are recommended to pour Bordeaux liquid, and add ash in the ground.
• Late blight. It affects the leaves and gradually spreads to the entire bush. If necessary measures are not taken, berries can dry out. They will appear stains, hard to the touch. The berries themselves will become tough, prickly and bitter. For treatment use "Fitosporin".

• Mite is transparent. This small insect loves strawberry juice. It is difficult to notice with the naked eye. Determine its presence on the bush by drying the plant. Such strawberries will develop badly and grow, and a raid will appear on its leaves. The main methods of struggle consist in the treatment of bushes "Karbofos". But it is recommended to water the bush with this compound only before the appearance of the berries or after their harvesting. If the bush is severely affected by the disease, it is recommended to completely remove it from the site.
• Weevil. To combat this beetle is used "Karbofos." The insect infects the stems, as a result of which the berries do not receive the necessary components for development in the required quantity and begin to dry out gradually.
• Slime. This mollusk feeds on strawberries, covering them with a transparent composition when moving. As a result, the fruit dries out. Slugs are more active at night, and therefore, to combat them, it is recommended to lay slate or boards on the site, which will be a shelter for mollusks. In the morning they will just need to gather from under the shelter.
• Nematode. These are worms that feed on strawberries, causing the bushes to dry and turn yellow. To prevent the appearance of these parasites, it is recommended to pour lime between the bushes in autumn and spring. Also, the bushes can be sprayed after planting vitriol or use infusion of garlic.
• Medvedka. This pest lives in the ground at a sufficient depth, but sometimes affects not only the berries, but also the inflorescences on the bushes, as a result of which they dry out. Insects dig tunnels, and therefore they are quite difficult to catch. It is recommended to make bait in the form of bottles that are dug into the ground and poured vegetable oil into them.

• If the strawberry disappears during ripening, the reason for this may be improper care or poor on the mineral components of the soil. Not all beginning gardeners know that to prevent excessive evaporation of the necessary moisture, you need to mulch the land before and after watering. As a result of non-compliance with such requirements, the bush will dry out, as do the berries on it. You can mulch with straw or humus.It is also necessary to ensure that the berries do not touch the ground after their appearance.
• Watering the site also does not do everything correctly. Timely introduction of moisture in favorable weather will help prevent burns on the shoots and berries. In order to ensure optimal irrigation, it is necessary to use an average of 10 liters of water per square meter of planting. During the rainy season the amount of watering should be reduced.

• Beginners growers make mistakes when planting young shoots. Shoots must be located at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other. It is better to do it in a staggered manner, since densely planted strawberries will shade the neighboring bushes. It is recommended that weeds be removed from the site in time, in which case more yield can be obtained.
• Proper application of fertilizing also helps to avoid shrinking bushes. Novice gardeners make mistakes in this process. Usually they fertilize based on phosphorus or potassium 4 or even 5 times per season, this is wrong. Top-dressing with these preparations is carried out no more than 3 times. It is also important to ensure that the amount of nitrogen in the soil is normal. It is recommended to regularly water the area with a solution of mullein, sprinkle the area with ashes.
• It is important to remember that strawberry transplantation is carried out only before the flowering of the crop, when the ovaries have not yet appeared on the bushes. New seedlings before planting pre-dipped roots in a solution of manure and clay.

Experienced gardeners know what to do to save strawberries from drying out. To do this, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner, which will help prevent the occurrence of pathologies on the bushes and berries. Prevention - the main way to solve the problem, when the bushes begin to shrink the berries.

• Young bushes have a higher immunity to resist diseases and pests, because it is recommended to choose only healthy seedlings when planting. You must comply with the timing of the strawberry transplant. This procedure is performed after a certain period, which is different for different varieties of strawberries (average 4-5 years).
• It is necessary to refuse planting seedlings in those areas where tomatoes or potatoes used to grow.
• Before planting, you should always treat the soil from pests, pouring boiling water over it, which will help to destroy the spores and insect larvae.
• It is recommended to remove weeds in a timely manner. This will prevent the appearance of uninvited guests and will not allow bacteria to develop.

• In order to always have fresh and beautiful strawberries on the garden, it is recommended to properly care for the plant. The main task is to properly and timely watering. It is not necessary to re-moisten the soil, but do not need to let it dry. It is recommended to use sprinkler systems that will moisten the soil in an optimal way.
• To preserve the strawberries and prevent them from drying out after harvesting, it is recommended not to shift or pour them, as well as to place them in a shaded place.
• After harvesting, it is recommended to feed the soil again and prepare strawberries for winter. To do this, put the mulch and remove from the site all the affected and sick bushes.

About why strawberries dry, see the next video.