I live in Phoenix, AZ. My strawberries are on the east side and get
afternoon shade. What is causing new growth in the center to get to
about one and a half inches and then turn grey - dead. Sometimes
another shoot within a half inch remains strong. They looked the same
a day or so before??? I keep my bushes clean and they have a light
covering of pine straw. They are planted as field berries, with the
plant higher and watering from both sides. I water them every other
day. No water reaches the core of the plant, and no water stands. I
have treated for slugs. I see a few full grown leaves with some kind
of bug holes every now and again. But the new shoots are standing
tall, not cut off and falling over. I remove them to prevent rot.
Any ideas anyone? (I have water lillies and salvia planted here and
there in the same bed/ I have no problems with them.