Strawberry stems gone red

sirpsycho · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:03 pm Post subject: Strawberry stems gone red

I planted some new strawberry plants in a raised bed and have been keeping them well watered and weeded. I noticed that they haven't really taken off and the stems on most of the plants have turned a red colour. Anyone shed any light? Plants in shock? Over watered? A couple of the plants have actually lost some of their leaves. Strange.

michael brenock · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:22 pm Post subject:

Has the soil been sourced from good top soil or is it very poor. Try a weak solution of liquid tomato feed and see if the plants respond. The red in the stem could indicate very low plant nutrients level.
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)

sirpsycho · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:25 pm Post subject:

The soil isn't great (it is the original soil as opposed to sourced from elsewhere) but I improved it with plenty of well rotted down manure.

I'll try the liquid feed in the next couple of days.

ps. I did plant strawberries in the same soil last year and they are growing like crazy.

michael brenock · Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:00 pm Post subject:

If the manure was added only recently then it will take a while to react and to become available as a plant food to the roots. It is hard to understand if you planted the strawberries last year in same type of soil that they are now doing so well,did they crop well last year or was it all leaf growth?
michael brenock horticultural advisor (retired)l

sirpsycho · Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 11:12 am Post subject:

The strawberries I planted last year cropped reasonably well I thought, given it was their first year. After they had stopped fruiting I cut back their foilage and they put on a good bit of new leafy growth.

I got up to check out my new plants yesterday and even though the stems are all still red, they are showing signs of sending up new green stalks on some of the plants. Fingers crossed!