boughts some strawberry plants last week and left them on my window sill, until greenhouse is built lol. They started to wilt two days ago so planted them today in hanging baskets out side. Question is this what you think might have caused the wilt? pot bound maybe? and what about frost can this kill the plants or does it only effect the fruit?

many thanks.

Hello Dazza...welcome to the vine..pop your location in the profile it helps us answer.

Whilst strawberries are pretty hardy like all plants it depends on how they have been grown(what hey are used to)... you wouldn't like to be dunked in an ice bath. So if the growth is all lush and soft it could get frostbitten....may not kill the plant but will certainly divert its energy from producing fruit in June. Frost while in flower will cause centre of flower to blacken and thus no fruit will form.

Wilting is probably caused by one of three things...have completely dried out at some stage, they have rotted from sitting in water too long, the roots have been eaten by vine weevil grubs (maggots in soil)

Thanks paul sorry sunny tayside, Scotland.

I'd guess under or over watering. I don't think being pot bound would make them wilt.

I had a similar problem but not with strawberry plants.

Some geraniums I'd overwintered (2nd yr) which had been left in their usual place to decorate the back steps have wilted. 2 pots which were brought in a few days ago as next-door's young puppy was bringing them down are fine.

The only thing I can think of is that we have had persistant winds over the last few days and I suspect that the dessication has happened this way?

I feel confident that when the weather improves they'll recover.

Hope your strawbs do the same.

Check for vine weevil as strawberries are a favourite plant of these little beasties.

Ian

Strawberries are pretty hardy, and will usually shrug off frosts, snow etc. I agree that it is most likely under or over watering, unless the strawbs are new seedlings in which case Pythia damping off is possible.

Originally Posted by greeny dazza

Thanks paul sorry sunny tayside, Scotland.

Can you put that into your profile, then it will show on all your posts.

Originally Posted by greeny dazza

boughts some strawberry plants last week and left them on my window sill, until greenhouse is built lol. They started to wilt

If they've been grown cool or outside (where did you buy them?), and then you put them into a centrally heated house, they would wilt. It's too drastic a change in temperature.

If you've then kept them indoors for a week, and put them outside (in a hanging basket?) I think they may not recover.

Always keep new plants at the same temp as they've been used to. You need to gradually get a plant used to new temperatures: it's called hardening off, and you do it for about a week.

Also, strawbs don't need to be in a greenhouse, they're find outside. Frost is a danger to early flowers, so cover any flowers with fleece if a frost is likely.