Introduction
It might dishearten you to find that your strawberry leaves have red. But, my friend doing nothing will only lead to your precious plant’s death. Therefore, you’ve got to gear up and deal with the problem quickly.
So, why are the strawberry leaves turning red suddenly?
Well, buddy, strawberry leaves can turn red because of two main reasons. Firstly, nutrient deficiencies can be blamed for the red leaves of your strawberry plant. Mostly the nutrient- phosphorus causes strawberries to have red leaves. Lastly, fungal diseases such as leaf scorch can turn the leaves of strawberry red as well.
Now, this is just the preview. To get out of this situation and to prevent it in the future stay with us till the end.
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Why Are My Strawberry Leaves Turning Red & How to Fix?
Similar to the leaves of other plants, strawberry leaves can be red as well. Furthermore, some of the reasons can be the same as those other plants.
To help you out, we’ve not only explained the causes but also the remedies. Thus, let’s get to know the details-
Cause-1: Phosphorus Deficiency
The first factor can be nutrient deficiencies. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are all important for strawberry plants. Any deficiency of those elements can cause unusual colour of plant leaves. However, in most cases, the redness appears due to the lack of phosphorus.
Now, phosphorus is a very important component of the soil for the strawberry plant. It makes sure that the plant grows healthily.
To be sure whether it’s phosphorus deficiency or not, you can test the soil. To test the soil, you’ll obviously need a soil-test kit.
Here, we’ve mentioned some of the best kits for you-
You can even get your soil tested through a soil lab. Both the soil-test kit and lab will tell you how much phosphorus is missing. So, just test your soil and then move on to the remedies.
Solution
Now, how to add phosphorus to the strawberry plants?
Well, before adding phosphorus, you’ve to remove the already red leaves. You need to cut them from where the stems have started. If you do that, you’ll not damage the plant tissues.
Then you’ve to add a phosphorus-rich fertilizer to the soil of the plant. You can use any of these fertilizers down below-
- Bone meal
- Phosphate
Now if you choose bone meal, just loosen the soil around the pot and then apply bone meal to it. Make sure to add the fertilizer at the edges as well.
And dear outdoor gardeners, avoid applying bone meal at the base of the plant. Just add it to both sides of the gardening bed.
Your strawberry plant will surely absorb them through its roots after you water it. Thus, don’t worry at all!
| Our Recommended Bone Meal |
| Jobe’s Organics Bone Meal Fertilizer |
Then, if you want to go for a fast-releasing fertilizer, you can pick phosphate. Luckily, phosphate comes in a water-soluble powder. But you should maintain the ideal mixing ratio.
And, the ratio is-
- 1 teaspoon phosphate powder
- 1-liter water
Mix the two properly and pour them into a 100-150 ml cup or bottle. Then add them to the soil after every 15-20 days. Make sure you don’t over fertilize the plant. Because if you do so, the plant will slowly die instead of getting better.
So, just follow these procedures and you’ll see the red leaves are gone!
Cause-2: Leaf Scorch
Leaf scorch is one of the strawberry plant diseases that you can blame for the red leaves. Well to be specific, leaf scorch is a fungal disease. This disease is caused by a fungus called Diplocarpon earlianum.
You can be sure about this disease if you see purple leaves along with red leaves. This disease also makes the stems of the plant red. And gradually, the leaves will change their color from red to brown. Before dying, the leaves will dry and curl up at the edges.
Therefore, if you see these symptoms, you can be pretty confident that your plant has got this disease.
Now, how can you turn the situation back to normal?
Solution
Well, there aren’t any remedies for leaf scorch. So yeah buddy, sorry. However, you’ve to stop the disease from affecting other plants. And that is by getting rid of the strawberry plant along with the diseased and red leaves.
Now, leaf scorch wouldn’t have found its way to your plant if you’ve taken proper care of it. And if you didn’t know, irregular watering is a big factor to promote this disease.
So, from now on, promise yourself that you won’t water your strawberry plants too much. Just plant it in well-drained and balanced soil. Then provide 1-2 inches of water per day. And you’ll be able to grow a healthy strawberry plant! Even overwatering can make your root rot.
However, to have a goodnight’s sleep, you can either get a self-watering pot or a built-in drainage pot.
FAQs
Question: Why is my strawberry leaves turning red in winter?
Answer: Well, the fungal disease called leaf scorch can be a reason why the strawberry leaves are turning red in fall. There aren’t any cures for it. So, you’ll just have to remove the leaves and eventually the plant. This will stop the disease from spreading.
Question: Why are some of my strawberry leaves turning red?
Answer: You need to identify the cause first and then act according to it. One of the reasons for strawberry leaves turning red can be phosphorus deficiency. You can add phosphorus-rich fertilizer to fix the problem.
Question: Should I cut off the leaves of my strawberry plant?
Answer: Yes, you may if the red leaves appeared because of fungal disease or phosphorus deficiency. You can avoid the other leaves from turning red by doing so.
Endnote
So, that’s all about strawberry leaves turning red. Now we want to know your thoughts on this.
What do you think was the reason for the red leaves?
Leave a comment down to let us know. Have a great day and good luck, dear plant lover!
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