Watering, nutrition, pests, and disease are all treatable problems that can cause a change in the color of a strawberry plant’s leaves
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Q. I am growing strawberry plants at home in my backyard and I have noticed lots of their leaves turning brown or yellow. What could be causing this and what can I do to help my strawberry plants?
A: Any changes in the color of plant foliage is a tell-tale sign that something is wrong with the plant. There are several reasons why leaves on strawberry plants could turn brown or yellow, namely it is likely down to watering issues, lacking nutrition, disease, or pests.
When growing strawberries, everyone wants healthy plants and bumper crops of delicious fruit. However, there are many reasons why plants may not thrive and we look at the main factors that could cause your strawberry plant’s foliage to discolor.
Growing juicy, sweet strawberries in your own backyard can be very rewarding. However, it can be concerning when you notice the leaves on your strawberry plants turning brown
Browning leaves on strawberry plants is usually a sign that something is wrong. The good news is that in most cases, the causes of browning strawberry leaves can be identified and corrected.
In this article, we’ll explore the most common reasons for browning leaves on strawberry plants and how to fix them, so you can get your plants back to health and producing plenty of delicious berries.
Common Causes of Browning Strawberry Leaves
There are several possible causes of browning leaves on strawberry plants, including:
Improper Watering
Issues with watering are one of the most common reasons for browning strawberry leaves. Both overwatering and underwatering can cause problems.
If strawberry plants are overwatered, their roots may rot, leading to browning leaves. Underwatering causes the roots to dry out, also turning the leaves brown.
The soil should be kept evenly moist but not soggy wet or bone dry. Check soil moisture before watering and water only when the top few inches become dry.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Lack of key nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium can cause browning strawberry leaves. Fertilize plants with a balanced organic fertilizer or compost every 4-6 weeks.
You can also do a soil test to determine specific nutrient needs. Address any soil pH issues as improper pH affects nutrient availability.
Too Much or Too Little Sun
Strawberries need 6-8 hours of direct sun daily for best growth and fruit production. Too little sun leads to poor growth and browning leaves.
Excess sun can scorch and dry out the leaves. Provide some afternoon shade in very hot climates.
Transplant Shock
Recently transplanted or repotted strawberry plants are prone to transplant shock, where the disturbed roots have trouble taking up water and nutrients. This stress causes browning leaves.
Avoid transplanting unless necessary and water transplants regularly until established.
Pests
Common strawberry pests like spider mites, aphids, slugs and snails can all feed on the leaves, causing browning. Check the undersides of leaves for pests. Use organic sprays, predators or barriers to control.
Diseases
Fungal diseases like leaf spot, leaf blight and botrytis cause leaf spots and browning. Improve air circulation and avoid wetting foliage. Remove and destroy infected leaves. Organic fungicides can help.
Poor Drainage
Excess moisture due to poor drainage leads to root rot and browning leaves. Improve drainage by amending soil with compost or creating raised beds. Allow excess water to drain out of containers.
Fixing Browning Strawberry Leaves
Once you’ve identified the cause of the browning strawberry leaves, you can take steps to get your plants healthy again:
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For watering issues, adjust your watering frequency and volume. Water plants based on soil moisture.
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To correct nutrient deficiencies, fertilize with a balanced organic fertilizer or compost. Do a soil test to identify specific needs.
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Improve sunlight by moving plants or providing shade as needed. Morning sun is ideal.
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Allow transplanted strawberries time to recover, watering regularly. Avoid transplanting when possible.
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Control pests with natural predators, barriers and organic sprays like neem oil or insecticidal soap.
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Prevent diseases by improving air circulation and avoiding wet foliage. Remove infected leaves and use organic fungicides.
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For poor drainage, amend soil with compost or create raised beds. Allow containers to fully drain.
With proper care, your strawberry plants should quickly recover from browning leaves. Pay close attention to watering, sunlight, drainage, nutrients and pest/disease control for optimal plant health.
Here are some more tips to prevent and fix browning strawberry leaves:
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Add 2-4 inches of organic mulch like straw around plants to retain moisture and reduce weeds. Replenish as needed.
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Consider using drip irrigation for watering. This provides consistent moisture directly to the roots.
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Pick off and destroy any diseased or pest-infested leaves to prevent spreading.
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Improve air circulation with proper spacing between plants. Thin overcrowded areas.
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Test soil pH annually and amend as needed to maintain ideal slightly acidic pH for strawberries.
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Rotate strawberry patches to new areas every 2-3 years to prevent disease and nutrient buildup.
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Choose disease-resistant varieties like Seascape, Jewel or Evie 2.
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Remove old leaves and fruit debris after harvest each season to minimize disease.
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Add organic matter like compost annually to improve moisture retention and nutrition.
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Shelter plants from wind, which can dry out the leaves. Use trellises, walls or hedges as windbreaks.
It can be alarming seeing browned leaves on prized strawberry plants. But in most cases, the causes can be pinpointed and corrected.
Pay close attention to watering frequency, drainage, sunlight exposure, fertilization, pest control and disease prevention. Address transplant shock properly. With the right growing conditions, your strawberries will reward you with abundant sweet berries.
Lack of nutrients
Any deficiencies in the essential nutrients of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium could result in yellowing leaves on a strawberry plant.
Dominique Kline claims that nitrogen deficiency is ‘one of the most common reasons for yellowing, as it aids in the photosynthesis process’. A potassium deficiency can cause leaves to turn yellow or brown along the edges, while a lack of phosphorus more often causes a reddish-purple tint on the leaves.
The presence of any of these signs of foliage discoloration can be combated by using targeted fertilizers. It is recommended to test the pH of the soil and also test for any nutrient deficiencies prior to planting crops. You can purchase soil test kits to use at home, for example the Luster Leaf Professional Soil Kit available at Amazon, that can help you discover both the pH and nutrient make-up of your ground.
Any plant fertilizer will have the NPK shown as fertilizer numbers on the packaging and any feed must be applied at the recommended rate. When planting strawberries, apply a balanced fertilizer to the site and then follow-up by fertilizing strawberries annually in spring with a balanced feed. A mulch of homemade compost annually can also give plants a well-rounded feed of all the important nutrients.
Plants in pots can quickly show signs of nutrient deficiencies, such as yellowing leaves( credit: Alamy/Linda Jones)
There can be many common strawberry pests that can be to blame for leaves turning brown or yellow on a strawberry plant. Pests are a common problem for strawberries and the usual suspects include the likes of aphids, spider mites, thrips, lacewings and ladybugs. All of these can suck sap out of the foliage and cause leaves to turn yellow.
There are many ways to organically manage such pests. This includes encouraging predatory insects, such as lacewings or ladybugs, or using insecticidal soap to control pests, for example Captain Jacks Insecticidal Super Soap available at Walmart. Planting strawberries with the likes of marigolds, borage, or lupins can help repel pests, while vegetables such as onions and garlic are good strawberry companion plants along with herbs like thyme, chives, and mint.
Aphids are a common pest and congregate on stems and leaves( credit: Getty/Tomasz Klejdysz)
Finally, disease can also discolor the leaves of strawberry plants, turning the leaves brown or yellow. Verticillium wilt can present as yellow or brown leaves, while other fungal diseases like botrytis blight and anthracnose can cause brown spots, which can eventually spread to turn the entire leaf brown. Another common strawberry disease is gray mold, from which an infected plant sees brown spots appear on leaves before the foliage gets covered in a fluffy gray mold.
Julia Omelchenko, resident botany expert for the NatureID app, recommends that you react quickly to potential disease and remove leaves in a timely manner. She adds: ‘To prevent fungal diseases, you should treat strawberry beds with broad-spectrum fungicides every fall and early spring.
‘If any symptoms appear, youll need to remove all affected pieces of plants or whole bushes and treat the bed with fungicides.’
One example of a broad-spectrum fungicide you can use against common strawberry pests and diseases is the Garden Safe Fungicide available from Walmart.
Julia Omelchenko is a professional botany expert for the NatureID app that helps identify plants, plant diseases, and provides care recommendations. She has been having three years of consulting on botany-related topics for NatureID. Her specialization is phytopathology, plant physiology, and plant biochemistry.
Diseases such as black spot and anthracnose can cause brown spots on leaves( credit: Getty/Алексей Филатов)
Why could strawberry leaves turn brown?
Dominique Kline, Farm Manager at The Hope Farm in Fairhope, Alabama, warns that foliage coloration is a major indicator of the vitality of a strawberry plant and when the color varies away from the ‘consistently deep green leaves’ of a healthy plant, then it is a potentially worrying sign.
‘When a plant is failing to thrive, one of the first signs is a breakdown in chlorophyll, which lends leaves their green pigment,’ she explains. ‘This breakdown can be expressed through a range of colors, but browning is the last stage before defoliation. Without enough healthy leaves to produce energy, plants will ultimately die.’
Leaves changing color can both be down to man-made reasons caused by the gardener, or due to environmental factors. They can be caused even before planting strawberries by failing to assess the soil and any of the issues can impact when to pick strawberries.
The major culprits that cause strawberry leaves to turn brown or yellow include watering – both watering too much and too little – and failing to fertilize plants properly. A number of common pests and fungal diseases could also cause similar-looking issues to strawberry plants.
Dominique Kline is the Farm Manager at The Hope Farm in Fairhope, Alabama. The Hope Farm offers a farm-to-table experience to customers and Dominique manages all the growing of produce on the farm. The farm grows a wide range of fresh fruits, vegetables and mushrooms to be used in the restaurant.
A change in a leafs color is an indicator that something is wrong( credit: Getty/Trudie Davidson)
Inconsistent watering is the most common reason for strawberry leaves turning brown and both overwatering and underwatering can be the culprit. Overwatering causes leaves to potentially wilt and discolor and can eventually lead to rot and fungal diseases.
Ben Hilton, Founder and Editor of The Yard and Garden, explains that overwatering restricts the absorption of oxygen and ‘effectively drowns the plant’. He adds: ‘This prevents the production of chlorophyll and consequently turns the leaves yellow. The classic symptom of overwatering will be yellow leaves that are soft in texture and often turn dark brown on the edges. This can develop into root rot, which can be seen around the lower portions of the plant crown or runners directly around the crown.’
Underwatering can cause leaf tips to turn yellow or brown and the key is to not let the soil dry out, but also do not let the soil get soggy and waterlogged. It is thought that strawberry plants want an inch of water a week, though that can alter during periods of hot weather.
Whether out in the ground or you are watering plants in containers, always check the soil an inch or two under the surface to better assess moisture levels in the soil. An ideal method to check the moisture levels in the soil is to use a meter, such as the XLUX Soil Moisture Meter available on Amazon that can give you instant results on how wet the soil is below the surface.
Ben Hilton is a seasoned Master Gardener and author of the book Propagating Houseplants Made Easy. He has contributed to numerous publications, including Better Homes & Gardens, Garden Design Magazine, and The English Garden. He is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of two popular gardening websites – The Yard and Garden and The Gardening Fix – which provide valuable insights, tips and advice on everything from plant care to landscape design.
Browning on the edges of leaves can be a sign of over-watering( credit: Getty/annick vanderschelden photography)
Why Do Strawberry Leaves Turn Brown? Causes & Actions
FAQ
Why are my strawberry plant leaves turning brown?
Strawberry plant leaves turning brown can be caused by several factors, including inconsistent watering, fungal diseases, nutrient deficiencies, and environmental stressors.
How to fix leaf scorch on strawberries?
Solutions. Seek resistant varieties for planting where leaf scorch has been a problem or conditions are commonly wet. Grow strawberries as an annual so the fungus cannot persist in the same plant for multiple growing seasons and become more abundant over time.
Should I remove brown leaves from a strawberry plant?
Yes, you should cut off brown strawberry leaves.
What do overwatered strawberry leaves look like?
An overwatered strawberry plant may show signs of yellowing leaves, root rot, and poor growth. The soil may also be soggy or waterlogged.