Are My strawberry plants dead?

[gadgetman]

I have 2 strawberry/herb planters with 2 varieties in each (Temptation, Fresca, Florian, Sarian - all grown from seed).

They're now in full sun (due to the higher sun in the sky), yet still have a dead/dormant appearance. Since last summer there have been the odd green bit, but they dont appear to be starting to awaken fully.

Over the last 2 weeks I havent seen anything happening, and new growth has resulted in reddish brown leaves like the rest of the plant's been all winter.

At what point should I consider them lifeless? I've been told if they havent grown significantly within the next 2 weeks then consider them gone, others have said in the 2nd year they've had strawberry plants appear dead, yet come back in year 3.

I really want a fairly nice crop this year (only had 5 fruits last year) so dont want to leave things 2 late.

If anyone has any pics of dead and dormant that I can compare mine with, I'd be grateful.

Many Thanks.

[alibobsy]

Mine didn't look great until this last week. Mine you I had moved them from pots into a raised bed at easter so the shock may not have helped.
I cut off all the brown leaves and cleared them away, I then fed the plants and left them. This week even those that looked really dead have a few leaves and the best of the bunch has several flowers on.

ali x

[gadgetman]

Thanks Ali. I've given them some Tomato feed today in a kind of last ditch of hope. Last fed 2 weeks ago.

Is 2 more weeks a realistic waiting time? Everyone I know has theirs blooming nicely. Even the in-laws (from the same seedling crop and looked after similarly) are flowering

[Alison Adams]

Mine are just perking up. Like alibobsy, they were recently moved from a planter to a bed and I thought for a while I had lost the lot they were so miserable. After a few days of steady rain, they all started to look much happier and now have flowers - not as many as last year, but better than I was expecting.

Another thing - when I emptied my large planter of its MPC and about 18 strawbs (after 1 year of use) there were loads of vine weevils in the compost - they will do for your strawberry roots if you have those critters. Also, the compost towards the bottom was very compacted, probably not great for root systems either.
On my experience, if you have the space, getting them out of the planter and into a bed might be your best bet.

[teakdesk]

I have 2 strawberry/herb planters...

Are you absolutely sure that the compost in the planters is getting properly wet ?

They are notorious for going completely dry in the middle with only the outside getting wet. Water can run down the edge of the planter and out onto the ground making you think it is full of water but most of the compost is completely dry.

If you are getting to the point of binning them I would rig up a soaker from a a big bin or black bin liner, put the planter inside and fill with water (yes, submerge the plants as well) and keep the whole planter in water for 4 to 8 hours.... it might just wet the inner compost enough to save your plants!!

[gadgetman]

Many Thanks.

I'll look at submerging them.