strawberry leaves have gone

[janeyo]

Never trust OH to go slugging, that's my new motto. He offered to go look for me last night. All the big leaves from my strawbs have vanished overnight. Eaten by something, slugs?

The plants look intact at the bases, it's just the main leaves gone, can they be salvaged?

janeyo

[Flummery]

Never had that happen before. If the centre is still ok then they'll come again.

[Alison]

Never had that happen either, slugs only seem to go for the fruits on mine. As Flum says, if the heart bit is OK then you'll be fine, the new leaves will have plently of vigour.

[Nicos]

Adult Vine weevil????- (although they tend to take out notches from the leaves)

Diseases and pests | RuralNI

Just a thought!

Or mice????

[Alison]

Bit early in the year for the adult weevil isn't it?

[Nicos]

Bit early in the year for the adult weevil isn't it?

Mmm- that was my first thought- but not according to this!!

Vine Weevil- description and control

[anni]

Hi,
I filled a planter with 8 small strawberry plants on Wednesday and the following morning, one of them had had both it's leaves removed... exactly the same as you describe.. I can see new leaves about to emerge at the base so assume all is well. I put it down to the wind and still think that's most likely, but I am very very new to this, so could well be wrong.

[Cutecumber]

Pigeons will try anything green in my garden - they've taken strawberry leaves in the past.

A vine weevil, or even two, can't consume several whole strawberry leaves in one sitting.

[janeyo]

The leaves look like they have been just snapped off, but the trough is on our decking shltered from the wind and birds don't venture this far so I just assumed it must be slugs. The leaves have totally vanished, not nibbled a bit. But the hearts are intact so I have vaselined and salted the pot and will keep a close eye.
We do get slugs on the decking as it stays wetter when it rains. No signs of any weevils.

janeyo

[Nicos]

rabbits????

[Alison]

If it was slugs then the leaves wouldn't be in one piece, they don't nip things off, they eat and eat and eat..................

Sounds more like birds when you've not been looking to me.

[Snadger]

rabbits????

I agree Nicos! Rabbits love strawberry foliage thats why I had to move my strawberry bed!