strawberry pest problems

[Dazzler]

One of my strawberry plants was looking almost dead so i pulled it up to find what looked like maggots and rust coloured soil. Any idea what this would be and how to prevent it happening to my other plants.


BTW this was in a pot if that hepls.

[veg4681]

Sorry I have no answer to that as I'm inexperienced myself where growing strawberry is concerned but I'm guessing yours are grown in the ground, not pots. Hopefully someone will come along with answers.

[vicky]

Vine Weevil?

The larvae are maggot-like (the adults beetles), they eat the roots of the plant and therefore kill it. If the plant is in a pot it is more likely to die as the larvae are all chomping on that one plant.

Solution...I'd examine all the roots of plants in pots (not just strawbs) and pick off any larvae. You can buy a killer - can't remember it's name at the mo, (they sell it at the organic gardening catalogue)

Hope that helps!

[SarzWix]

Mmmmm, sounds like Vine Weevil to me too, nasty little blighters. They make a beeline for pots, and as Vicky says the larvae look like fat maggots and eat plant roots.
This is a link to the RHS page about them, with some pics so you can check Royal Horticultural Society - Gardening Advice: Vine Weevil
And a link to Marshalls info about biological control (although you can buy it in lots of other places so do check around for prices) Marshalls Seeds Product Detail- 1090-3820: Nemasys Vine Weevil Control

[veg4681]

Thanks for the info, this vine weevil got me really worried too but few of the strawberry plants and runners I've had, no pest so far or any of my other potted plants (Rhododendron, evergreen Euonymus, Hydrangea, Epimedium, Bergenia, Primula) that the adult beetles are supposed to target. Fingers crossed my garden's not infested.

[Dazzler]

Thanks for the advice. i have removed all the soil from the roots that are left and placed the roots in some water in a last ditch attempt to save the plant.

[Engineer354]

Hey guys,
Bought these White Strawberries that are meant to taste like pineapple.
Got them home and potted them into pots and kept them on the kitchen window sill to give them a boost this year.
My issue is some of them have completely died off, the base of the stems are turning brown and just dropping off, I dont think I am overwattering them. I did notice when checking the roots there was a white lice like critter in the soil.

What is my best plan of attack?
Really dont want to loose these.

Thanks in Advance.

Michael