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Strawberry Plants

Q.Why Is My Strawberry Plant Turning Light Green?

Zone Sewell, NJ 08080 | Anonymous added on June 18, 2024 | Answered

Hello! I have had this strawberry plant since last spring (purchased at Lowe’s). At the time that I bought it, it was beginning to die, but by mid summer I was able to get it into great shape and producing fruit with the help of Espoma Berry-tone fertilizer. This year in early spring (I believe April?), I once again fertilized, and about a month later (May) I replanted it into a larger pot with “Back to the Roots” all purpose potting soil. The first two or so weeks they looked healthy, with bright green leaves and producing flowers, which I planned to continue to prune until the end of this month (June). However, all of the leaves began to turn a lighter shade of green and the plant halted its flower production. I thought maybe this was a fertilizing issue, as my google inquiries pointed towards a nitrogen deficiency. The fertilizer says to reapply every two months, and by this time it had been that long so I added a bit more fertilizer. It has been now about two weeks since that application and the plant has continued to stall. It is not dying, but also is still not producing flowers. I am wondering if there is an issue with under or overfertilization, or a completely different issue all together. Thank you so much!! I have included a picture of how the plant looked last year in the hanging container vs. this year in the larger container for reference.

A.Answers to this queston: Add Answer
GKH_Susan
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Answered on June 19, 2024

Plants over a year old only need one fertilization, such as with a 10-10-10 product, so there could be overfertilization involved. Signs include yellowing, stunted growth and burned leaf margins. To remedy, flush the plants with water several times, making sure they drain well. The spots developing could be from excess fertilization, but they also resemble leaf scorch. These articles should help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/strawberry/fertilizing-strawberry-plants.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/strawberry/strawberry-water-needs.htm

https://blogs.cornell.edu/berrytool/strawberries/strawberries-leaves-have-spots/

https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-fru-35

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