"V_coerulea" wrote in message
...
Since what you describe is a possible symptom of many different
nutritional
disorders (from nitrogen to magnesium, etc deficiencies), without seeing
the
plants and knowing your soil type, where in the US you are beside z7, I'd
recommend a balanced fertilizer with micronutrients. And cut off those
runners in the first year!
Gary
wrote in message
...
On 21 Jul 2003 20:37:10 GMT, (Lauradog) wrote:

We put in new strawberry plants this year and they looked really
healthy
all
summer, putting out runners all over the place. But during the past
week
their
leaves have begun to pale, not yellow, just a paler green. Any idea
what
could
be causing this? We had the same problem a few years ago with
blackberries.
TIA
Lauradog

Is the leaf pale all over, or has darker green veins?

If so, may be chlorosis; needs iron (chelated).

--

Persephone



We're about 15 miles south of Oklahoma City. Our county extension agent
looked at our strawberry leaves today and feels it is from the use of
Roundup in the vicinity. He thinks some of the spray my husband used along
a fence line about 20 feet from the raised strawberry beds must have drifted
on the wind and hit the leaves. He doesn't think it's a soil problem.
Although he suggested we sprout some cucumber seeds then plant half in soil
from the strawberry bed and half in potting soil. He said that would let us
determine whether or not the problem is the soil.

Gosh, we've been growing strawberries pretty successfully for over 10 years
now and have never cut off the first year runners. We've always pinched off
the first year blooms, though. What is the reason for snipping the runners,
does it make for a healthier plant?
Thanks,
Sue