Late blight on strawberries: what to do if the berries become bitter
If you feel that the strawberries have become hard and bitter in taste, and brown spots appear on the fruits or the berries dry out completely, this is a clear sign that the plants have been affected by late blight.
According to the expert of the online publication Belnovosti, scientist-agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh , the listed phenomena are observed when the disease has reached an advanced stage.
At the very beginning of its development, late blight can be recognized by the wilting of leaves, damaged core of the peduncle, blackening of pistils and a decrease in the number of whiskers formed.
Since the fungus subsequently causes the root system to die, without timely response you may lose your strawberry plantation.
To protect strawberries from late blight, first of all, it is worth using varieties resistant to fungal diseases for planting.
Adherence to the 30x25 cm planting pattern will also help to contain the spread of strawberry diseases.
In addition, you should not grow strawberries in one place for more than 3 years in a row, overwater the bushes and forget about adding moderate amounts of fertilizer.
Try to promptly get rid of leaves, tendrils or entire bushes on which signs of disease have been detected.
It is also worth taking the time to treat the berry bush before covering it for the winter. Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate, copper oxychloride or specialized preparations, such as Oxyhom or Abiga-Peak, may be useful for this.
