Q.Calcium deficiency in strawberries
I am growing strawberries in a greenhouse in Melbourne, Australia. The plants are in a watercapillary pot in an azalea potting mix.
I’ve notice that rhe yound leaves are puckering, curling and going brown and dry.
From the internet I have identified it is caused by a calcium deficiency. From what I have read it may not be a lack of the nutrient in the soil but may be due to low humidity and high temperatures we have experienced recently.
We are now going into Autumn/winter. Should I add a littke dolomite lime to the soil, use a caclium foliar spray (homemade eggshell one) or leave rhem alone and see if they recove?
I am new to greenhouse growing and would appreciate your advice
Dolomitic lime would be best, but I would make sure that it isn't a fungal infection first. They are very susceptible to this, if they are kept too moist for too long. I would also add some iron sulfate, as this can help cure anything in the soil, and keep it slightly acidic as they would like in nature. Are there any other symptoms? A calcium deficiency will show itself long before the leaves go brown. They will, usually, start to spot on lower leaves first, before the leaves give out... But as mentioned before, they are very likely to catch infections very easily, so it is best to prepare for this as well.
