Avoid strawberry diseases

Q. My strawberries have a disease. I’ve been told I can’t replant in the area for three years if I want to avoid the disease. Can I remove the soil, refill and plant strawberries?

Jean from New Middletown

A. Strawberries grow close to the ground, and thus have a difficult time avoiding infection from fungal pathogens if not tended to on a regular basis. Thus, leaf diseases usually lead to other issues with strawberry production in the home garden.

Strawberries should be planted in well-drained soil. In our area, this is best achieved by using raised beds of some type in addition to amending the soil. Most homeowners choose to grow strawberries in matted rows, increasing the need for improved drainage and air circulation around the plants.

Before planting, choose the right plant. Yes, you can get any old strawberry from a neighbor or from any local store. But you are not getting the resistance to diseases that is necessary for quality berries and a good yield from your garden.

A list of resistant strawberry plant cultivars are listed on this factsheet: go.osu.edu/strawberryreisistance.

Most challenges in the strawberry patch begin with some type of leaf disease. The three main culprits are strawberry leaf spot, leaf scorch and leaf blight. All three diseases can affect the look of the leaves, but really reduces plant vigor and significantly reduces fruit you’ll get from the affected plant.

For photos of these diseases, visit go.osu.edu/strawberrydiseases.

Jean’s issue is most likely black root rot. The leaf diseases usually lead to this disease. This is not really one disease, but a complex of several issues from winter injury to fungal infection and the effects of wet roots throughout the year. And yes, by the time the plant gets to this stage, you should avoid planting strawberries in the area for two to three years. If the area is a raised bed, you can move the soil and start over. But you are better off using that area for other plants and choosing a new area for strawberries.

More about the disease and examples of infected roots can be seen at go.osu.edu/blackrootrot.

The best way to have your best strawberries is to prevent the leaf diseases from starting. You can do this by:

Choosing resistant cultivars before planting; planting in raised beds with well-drained soil; spacing plants 12-24 inches apart, with 3 feet between rows; removing runners to keep air circulating around the plants, keeping rows at 18 inches wide in fall; cleaning up old leaves and picking off infected leaves throughout the year; and keeping weeds out of the planting.

Eric Barrett is OSU Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources in Mahoning County. Call the office hotline at 330-533-5538 to submit your questions. Regular clinic hours are 9am to noon Mondays and Thursdays.