Strawberry Problems Solved: Common Pests and Diseases—and How I Handle Them

Growing strawberries is one of the most rewarding parts of my garden, but it doesn’t come without challenges. Over the years, I’ve battled gray mold, slugs, crown borers, and more—and learned some hard lessons along the way. If you’re looking to protect your strawberry patch and keep your plants productive, here’s a detailed guide to the most common strawberry pests and diseases, plus the methods I’ve used to manage them successfully.

Table of Contents

🍓 Common Strawberry Diseases and How to Manage Them

Strawberries can be vulnerable to several fungal diseases, especially in wet or humid conditions. Here’s what to watch for—and what I’ve done to keep them in check.

Gray Mold (Botrytis Blight)

What it looks like: A fuzzy gray coating on blossoms and ripening berries.
My approach: I harvest daily during damp spells and remove any soft or spotted fruit right away. I’ve had great results spraying compost tea as a natural antifungal—especially during bloom.

Red Stele (Root Rot)

Symptoms: Plants wilt and fail to thrive; roots appear red or hollow when split open.
My tip: After a wet spring led to major losses one year, I switched to red stele-resistant varieties like Allstar and Tristar. Always plant in well-drained soil to avoid this issue.

Verticillium Wilt

What to watch for: Older leaves turn reddish-brown, and young leaves yellow and wilt.
What I’ve learned: This disease has no cure. I remove affected plants immediately and rotate crops to non-susceptible species. Again, resistant varieties like Delite and Surecrop have saved my harvests.

Leaf Spot

Signs: Brown or gray speckles on leaves; foliage deteriorates and drops.
Pro tip: Clean up leaf litter frequently. I also avoid overhead watering to keep leaves dry and reduce spread. Cultivars like Earlibelle and Blakemore have shown good resistance in my garden.

Young Strawberry Plants growing on a bed of straw mulch to protect fruits from soil-borne disease

🐛 Pests That Love Strawberries—and How to Beat Them

Strawberries don’t just attract humans—they’re a favorite snack for critters too. Here’s how I’ve protected my patch.

Birds & Mice

Problem: They’ll pick your patch clean if you let them!
Solution: I use lightweight floating row covers early in the season and switch to bird netting when fruit begins to ripen.

Crown Moth Larvae (Crown Borers)

Damage: Larvae hollow out the crown, weakening or killing plants.
What works: I inspect for signs in spring and fall. Affected plants must be removed. Setting pheromone traps has helped reduce moth populations.

Slugs

Destruction: They chew through leaves and ripe fruit.
My method: I handpick at dusk, sprinkle diatomaceous earth around beds, and set out shallow dishes of beer—they’re drawn in and drown.

Tarnished Plant Bug

Symptoms: Misshapen fruit due to bug feeding during development.
Fix: I cover developing plants with floating row covers until the fruit begins to set. This barrier method has worked like a charm.

💡 Experience-Based Advice for Disease Prevention

Over time, I’ve found the most effective way to keep strawberries healthy is through prevention:

Always plant in well-draining soil
Use mulch like straw to reduce fruit rot and suppress weeds
Keep beds clean and weed-free
Plant disease-resistant cultivars
Rotate beds every 2–3 years to avoid disease build-up

With a bit of observation and timely intervention, you can manage pests and diseases while still enjoying a lush, productive strawberry patch. I’ve learned that healthy plants come from consistency, clean habits, and choosing the right varieties from the start.

🍓 Strawberry Pest & Disease Quick Reference Chart

Issue	Symptoms	Cause	Solution / Prevention
Gray Mold (Botrytis)	Fuzzy gray coating on flowers and berries	Fungal disease	Remove infected fruit, harvest frequently, apply compost tea
Red Stele	Wilted plants, red roots, few side roots	Root rot (fungus)	Remove plants, plant resistant varieties (Allstar, Tristar)
Verticillium Wilt	Red/brown older leaves, yellowing young leaves	Soil fungus	Remove infected plants, rotate crops, use resistant varieties
Leaf Spot	Brown/gray spots on leaves, premature leaf drop	Fungal disease	Clean up fallen leaves, avoid overhead watering
Birds	Missing or pecked fruit	Wildlife	Cover plants with bird netting or row covers
Crown Moth Larvae	Hollowed-out crown, plant collapse	Insect larvae	Remove infected plants, use traps for adult moths
Slugs	Holes in leaves and fruit, slime trails	Garden pest	Handpick, use beer traps, diatomaceous earth around beds
Tarnished Plant Bug	Misshapen or “cat-faced” fruit	Insect feeding on buds	Use row covers during early fruiting