Strawberries need plenty of water in May if you want a fruitful harvest later in summer, but gardeners need to be careful not to leave the foliage soaked as it can cause grey mould. This fungal disease thrives in warm wet weather conditions and can wipe out a strawberry patch if it not caught early enough.
Grey mould begins as small brown spots on the leaves or stems of a strawberry plant and within says it will become covered in a grey fuzzy growth. The rot spreads quickly to greatly weaken strawberry plants and will make any infected berries completely inedible.
It is incredibly important to watch out for grey mould in May as the weather is the ideal conditions for the fungus and strawberry plants are also just beginning to flower, which makes them particularly vulnerable to infection.
Once grey mould gets into a strawberry patch, the spores can persist within the soil to reinfect them every year but can also easily spread to other nearby crops in a garden.
However, there is no need to worry as preventing grey mould is incredibly easy as long as you make sure to water your strawberries properly.
The gardening experts at Drygair have shared that you should water only the soil, not the tops of strawberry plants, as wet foliage creates ideal conditions for fungal spores to spread.
They said: “Irrigating properly, straight to the soil while avoiding the leaves, will drastically decrease the presence of water and inhibit germination. You should also water during morning hours, to allow crops to dry in the sunlight.”
Make sure there is plenty of air circulation around strawberry plants by pruning when needed, as overcrowding can trap moisture and encourage infection.
Also, keep the area around strawberries clean, as rotting fallen foliage can spread disease, so be sure to pick up any leaves or decaying plant debris.
However, one of the most effective ways to prevent gray mould on strawberries is neem oil, as it has antibacterial properties that prevent mould spores from growing.
The expert said: “Neem oil acts as a natural fungicide, and can help reduce the concentration of fungal spores.
“Applying neem oil regularly, as a preemptive measure, can drastically reduce the chances of a botrytis breakout. It also provides the added benefit of acting as a natural pesticide, decreasing harmful insect populations in the process.”
All you need to do is mix neem oil with one litre of water and a few drops of washing up liquid, which helps the solution stick to the plant.
Spray the homemade solution on your strawberries, and it will help keep them healthy, free from pests, and protected against gray moulf throughout May.