Strawberry leaves turn yellow: reasons why and what to do for treatment

Gardeners who grow berries in the garden are often faced with the fact that strawberries turn yellow leaves. It is recommended that you immediately determine the causes of such a problem and deal with the methods of its elimination.

Possible causes of leaves turning yellow

There are several reasons why yellowness may appear on the surface of the sheet plates.

Wrong landing site

The main reason for the appearance of yellow spots on strawberry leaves is considered to be an incorrectly chosen place for planting berries. Gardeners do not advise growing them in open areas, as the sun's rays can burn the surface of the foliage. It is recommended to plant them in shady areas that receive little sunlight.

Berries should be grown away from raspberry bushes and tulips. These plants can infect strawberry seedlings with infectious diseases. In addition, when choosing a place for planting berries, pay attention to the level of soil acidity. Acidic soils contribute to the yellowing of the stems and leaf blades.

Insufficient soil moisture

In summer, yellowness on the foliage appears due to lack of moisture and improper watering of seedlings.

If strawberries are watered too infrequently, they will begin to absorb nutrients worse, which will change the color of the leaf plate.

However, this does not mean that the plant should be often filled with water. Too frequent watering leads to the fact that the moisture in the soil begins to stagnate. Because of this, plants develop gray rot and other fungal pathologies appear.

Experts recommend watering in the morning and evening when there is no sun.

Deficiency of plant nutrients

Among the common causes of yellowing of strawberry bushes is a lack of nutrients.

Magnesium deficiency

Magnesium is one of the most important components that are needed for the normal growth of strawberries. It is responsible for the main enzymatic processes of plants. Due to the deficiency of this trace element, the absorption of phosphorus elements worsens and protein synthesis is suspended.

The main signs of magnesium deficiency in the soil include:

• Appearance of light spots between leaf veins. Gradually, light spotting spreads to the entire surface of the foliage, after which it dries.
• Falling leaves. All yellowed and dried leaves curl and fall.
• Deformation of shoots. The lower part of the shoots becomes thinner and begins to curve.

Nitrogen deficiency

In order for the plant to grow normally, it is recommended to regularly add nitrogen-containing top dressings to the soil. If the strawberry does not have enough nitrogen, the bushes will stop growing. The surface of the leaves and stems begins to turn yellow and become stained. Also, nitrogen deficiency negatively affects the yield of berries. The fruits turn pale and cease to ripen, some of them crumble. Without timely treatment and nitrogen fertilization, the bushes will die.

Lack of boron

Experts recommend feeding strawberries with boron so that they do not suffer from bacterial and viral diseases. Also, seedlings need this element for the development of stems and the ripening of berries.

Most often, boron deficiency is observed when growing berries in acidic or carbonate soils.

The lack of a component is evidenced by the twisting of young leaves and spotting on the leaf plate. Signs of boron starvation appear on the stems located in the upper part of the bushes. They turn yellow and gradually fade. In addition, all formed fruits stop ripening and begin to fall off.

Iron deficiency

Iron is considered the most important element, since it is it that is responsible for photosynthesis. If iron-containing top dressings are not added to the soil, the development of strawberries will slow down. Light yellow spots will appear between the veins, which then completely cover the surface of the leaf plate. First, signs of iron deficiency appear on old foliage. Gradually, spotting passes to younger shoots.

Most often, gardeners encounter iron deficiency when growing strawberries in soil with high acidity.

Chlorosis and pests

Chlorosis is one of the most common diseases that cause foliage to turn yellow. Pathology develops due to the increased amount of lime in the soil. Signs of chlorosis appear on the lower shoots of strawberries. First, the foliage turns yellow and deforms. Without treatment, the leaves will fall off and the infected bushes will die.

In spring, plants are attacked by dangerous pests that feed on the juice from the bushes. The most dangerous and common insects include:

• ticks;
• midges;
• phish;
• penny;
• Maybugs.

If there are insects on the surface of the leaves, the bushes are immediately sprayed with fungicide mixtures and other pesticides.

What to do if strawberry leaves turn yellow

Some gardeners don't know what to do when strawberry leaves turn yellow. There are several effective ways to eliminate yellowness on foliage:

• Mulching. If yellowness appeared due to the development of a fungal disease, it is necessary to start mulching the soil. The soil is mulched with non-woven black materials. Straw can also be used as mulch.
• Bordeaux blend. This solution is used at least three times per season. Spraying is done in the evening.
• Wood ash. Experienced gardeners advise using wood ash when there is a shortage of nitrogen supplements. Under each bush fall asleep 80-100 grams of ash.
• Copper vitriol. It is necessary to mix 250 grams of vitriol with 7-10 liters of water and 150 grams of lime. During spraying, 500-800 milliliters of the mixture is consumed for each seedling.

How to prevent strawberry leaves from turning yellow

There are several preventive measures that will help prevent the appearance of yellow spots on the foliage:

• Proper watering. Moisturize the soil at least twice a week. At the same time, 5-6 liters of water are spent on each of the bushes.
• Feeding. It is no secret that yellowness can appear due to nutritional deficiencies. To ensure that the bushes always have enough top dressing, they are periodically fertilized with organic and mineral compounds.
• Fungicide treatment. To prevent the attack of pests and the appearance of diseases, all strawberry bushes should be treated with fungicides 1-2 times a month.

Conclusion

Gardeners often complain about deteriorating yields due to yellowing and wilting of strawberries. To avoid the appearance of yellowness, it is necessary to understand the causes of spotting and the main methods of treatment and prevention.

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