A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Fruit Forum Strawberries wilting (but maybe not a virus)

If anyone can figure this out, I'd appreciate it. I bought three strawberry plants (June bearing) from a nursery in NC (looked like a reputable place). Brought them home, inside, then took them out & put them under some "cozy clotches" for a few days. All of them looked good, nothing extraordinary happened. Then about two days before I was ready to put them in the ground, it looked like one was wilting. No big deal, except it didn't perk up. But I put all three in the ground anyway, water well, blah blah. And still one of them just ain't right. Other than the fact that it's like a wet dishrag, it's perfect. No discoloration, no rolling of the leaves, no infestations, no leaf spots... . What the heck could it be? And should I get rid of this one? Thanks!

The one on the right is the problem.



Closer looks

Looks like it's a runner. Just leave it alone and let it do its natural thing. If it does happen to be a runner, it'll sprout some roots soon and prop itself into the ground and then become a new plant. This is how strawberries spread and multiply so quickly. I had two last year, and as of now I have maybe 20. About half of them are fully established while the other half are growing and getting bigger. I have about four flowers in bloom right now with one of them in the process of forming the strawberry. There's a bunch more buds getting ready to open.

I was working in my strawberry patch (in NC by the way) today and I agree - a runner. Leave it where it is and see what happens.

Good news! There's new growth that seems to be healthy!

How is the plant now? Is the plant off of the runner looking bigger?

I think perhaps the photo did not do justice to the situation. See the first pic, above. It's of two individual plants (one is not an offshoot of the other). The plant on the right is obviously healthy & perky. The one on the left is droopy. Yes, it does have a runner, and there is now new growth from the base of that plant. But the question is WHY did one of three otherwise identical, individual, plants just flopped over with no other signs of problems?

do you have strawberries yet?

I do! The plants themselves still do not look all that great, but there've been a few berries.

Unfortunately, I haven't had time to focus my attention on them. I am waaaay behind. About 2 1/2 weeks ago-- or was it 3??-- hubby accepted a job in Mississippi. He starts mid-August. A dream come true!! BUT... there's the house to get ready and put on the market, which means finding a realtor who can find a buyer who thinks it's cool to have a veggie garden in the front yard, and and and and... . (Oh! and daughter's wedding.)

So the strawberries all of a sudden have taken a back seat. (I will correct this in my Mississippi garden!)

Sorry for rattling on, Bestofour, but it felt good!! Thanks! Back to work!