Problems with strawberries
Identify what's wrong by where it appears and what you can see.
Where is the problem?
Start by selecting the part of the plant where you see the problem.
Start with the symptom
Or pick from the symptoms most often seen on strawberries.
Common problems with strawberries
The problems recorded on strawberries, the most common first.
17 problems
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Grey mould (botrytis)
Fuzzy grey mould on fruit, flowers and damaged leaves, rotting them in cool, damp weather. -
Poor pollination
Flowers but no fruit, or small, misshapen fruit that shrivels at the tip. -
Slugs and snails
Ragged holes in leaves and seedlings gone overnight, with silvery slime trails. -
Birds
Torn, stripped brassica leaves, pecked fruit, and seeds or seedlings pulled from the soil. -
Fruit flies
Small holes in ripening fruit, then soft, collapsing flesh with tiny maggots inside. -
Fungal leaf spots
Round brown or grey spots with darker rims on leaves, spreading in wet weather. -
Iron deficiency (lime-induced chlorosis)
The youngest leaves turn yellow with sharp green veins. Usually a sign the soil is too alkaline. -
Verticillium wilt
Lower leaves yellow and wilt, stems stained brown inside; strawberries and tomatoes collapse. -
Vine weevil
Notched leaf edges from adults, and plants collapsing as grubs eat the roots. -
Aphids
Small, soft insects clustered on new growth and under leaves, leaving sticky honeydew. -
Powdery mildew
A white, powdery coating on leaves that spreads in dry weather, weakening the plant. -
Anthracnose
Sunken, dark spots on fruit and leaves, often with pink spore masses in wet weather.
