Strawberry problems?? Help needed!!

**flubba-jubba** · 17-05-2009, 04:23 PM

Ive got 12 strawberry plants in the growbag/compost bag…….i think they look a little crowded and im sure ive read that they are supposed to be about 12 iches apart.

Would it be ok to re-pot them into these small pots ive got?? Im not sure if it will disturb the plants too much….they appear to be growing ok in the grow bag but I don’t want them to be too crowded??

**Paulottie** · 17-05-2009, 04:57 PM

Those are aphids, aka greenfly.... Whitefly are little moths that fly up when you disturb a plant. Squish them or Wash aphids off(some folk use just a drop of washing up liquid in the water). No immediate danger to the plant but they do spread virus around and breed fast. There are glasshouse aphid parisites you can introduce persimillus being one, but there are other common native enemies like ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings. that you should encourage.

For whitefly prevention you Grow French marigolds around the place. They dislike the smell and it attracts above insects that eat aphids too. A wasp called encarsia formosa parisitises the nymphs. but not really worthwhile on a small scale.

I think 12 was a bit optomistic but then a 3" pot is good for raising but not fruiting. However, don't move them now they are in flower. Just feed with high potash(tomato) food and keep compost but not leaves wet.

**Two_Sheds** · 17-05-2009, 06:24 PM

I guess you're strawbs are in a greenhouse?
They really ought to be outside. You'll get (slightly) fewer pests that way.

Squish the bugs with your fingers every day until the population is under control. Everyone gets whitefly and greenfly, just don't let them get out of hand.

**andrewo** · 17-05-2009, 07:35 PM

You could also use a soap water spray. I have to do this for my apple and plum trees as they get infested but cleaning them off by hand is always the best tip. I am sure this is where the idea of being green fingered came from - you will see what I mean after you've crushed a few of the blighters.

**flubba-jubba** · 17-05-2009, 10:15 PM

the strawbs are in one of those plastic mini greenhouses.....i pull the top right back on dry days and generally keep them covered when it pours down. my chilli pepper plant is also in the mini greenhouse but that hasnt got any greenfly on it at all

can i spray off the greenfly with some of my organic liquid seaweed mixed as a foliage spray?? .... ive just read on the back of the bottle that its good for setting fruit so i thought why not spray the greenfly off with that??

**Two_Sheds** · 18-05-2009, 07:34 AM

you could try it.
Squishing is the only thing I've ever found to work though.

**flubba-jubba** · 21-05-2009, 10:49 PM

looks like the foliage spray worked ok ..... along with squishing lol

spotted this the other day....woo hoo!!

**purplekat** · 22-05-2009, 09:28 PM

My boss told me the other day that those little white things on your first picture are actually the shed skins/cases of the greenfly rather than whitefly

I'm having the same problem, I've just got one in the greenhouse, it has really soft fruit which get pitted when it rains so it needs the protection. I keep watching out for some ladybird larva to transfer but not seen any yet

**Paulottie** · 23-05-2009, 11:24 PM

Your boss was right.

**goldwolf** · 24-05-2009, 05:46 PM

Stand a pot or two of marigolds near them that will keep the white fly at bay,
I allways plant a few marigolds in the greenhouse and touch wood never had white /green fly for the past 10 year

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