Hi everyone.

I purchased some strawberry plants that come in those plastic bags and are
dormant. It is not yet time to plant outdoors, so I planted each root in a
pot in potting mix, watered and set them under light.

Every one of the plants that has green has spots and the leaves curl up and
drop.

I sprayed the plants twice with plant disease spray at the recommended
times.

Still no improvement. Thinking I need to pitch the whole bunch.

Here's my question: Has anyone ever made a weak solution of any disease
treatment and then just soaked the roots in it? I think I am gonna try it.
Doesn't seem to be much else to try. Unless someone knows a good method?

Thanks

Judy

What type of disease do you think you are trying to treat, and what kind of
spray are you using? If you don't know specifically what you are trying to
treat, the spray could be totally inappropriate, and add to your problems
rather than fixing them. Another consideration is that many chemicals that
are meant for use on mature plants are overkill for young plants emerging
from dormancy.

Odds are that the problems your plants are exhibiting are the result of
being poorly packaged, shipped, or stored, or over/underwatered, being kept
too warm, or some other physical cause.

Where do you live, and are you sure it's not time to set them outside yet?
The young plants are very hardy, and can be planted out long before you
would plant tomatoes or annual flowers. If it really is still too cold, it
would have been better to remove the plastic, add a bit of moisture if they
are in danger of drying out, and keep them somewhat dormant in a cool garage
for a week or so before planting out.

Cheers,
Sue

Zone 6, Southcentral PA


"Judy and Dave G" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone.

I purchased some strawberry plants that come in those plastic bags and are
dormant. It is not yet time to plant outdoors, so I planted each root in
a
pot in potting mix, watered and set them under light.

Every one of the plants that has green has spots and the leaves curl up
and
drop.

I sprayed the plants twice with plant disease spray at the recommended
times.

Still no improvement. Thinking I need to pitch the whole bunch.

Here's my question: Has anyone ever made a weak solution of any disease
treatment and then just soaked the roots in it? I think I am gonna try
it.
Doesn't seem to be much else to try. Unless someone knows a good method?

Thanks

Judy

Judy and Dave G wrote:

Hi everyone.

I purchased some strawberry plants that come in those plastic bags and are
dormant. It is not yet time to plant outdoors, so I planted each root in a
pot in potting mix, watered and set them under light.

Every one of the plants that has green has spots and the leaves curl up and
drop.

I sprayed the plants twice with plant disease spray at the recommended
times.

Still no improvement. Thinking I need to pitch the whole bunch.

Here's my question: Has anyone ever made a weak solution of any disease
treatment and then just soaked the roots in it? I think I am gonna try it.
Doesn't seem to be much else to try. Unless someone knows a good method?

There is no such thing as an all-purpose "plant disease spray" - different plant
diseases need to be treated on an individual basis, depending on their source.
Soaking roots will not stop the problem, although it would certainly help if you
dunked them in a good, aerated compost tea.

Where are you located? Now is the time to start planting things outside,
specially perennials like strawberries, which can easily withstand spring
frosts. Your plants will be far happier in the ground than they are inside under
lights. Last frost dates are only guidelines for planting out cold-vulnerable
plants like annuals - they have no bearing on hardy perennials, like the
strawberries, or trees and shrubs. Bare root plants are available at times when
they should be planted out - now, in early spring.

pam - gardengal

Judy and Dave G wrote:

I sprayed the plants twice with plant disease spray at the recommended
times.


To paraphrase Homer Simpson as Dr. Hibbard was about to give Lisa a
polio shot, "ANTI-disease spray."

But seriously, why did you buy dormant plants that were already
diseased? Or if they weren't diseased when you bought them, why did you
put them in potting soil carrying the disease?

If you've bought healthy plants, planted them in good soil, and they
have not been in contact with other diseased plants, they're not likely
to become diseased... especially not so soon!

Either buy better plants, and be more careful about the soil, or don't
douse healthy baby plants in chemicals they don't need. Would you, for
example, give a healthy baby benedryl, even if the dosage was the size
and frequency in the instructions?


--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.