Do Strawberries Attract Lots of Pests?

Growing Conditions

• In general, gardeners in dry climates with cold winters experience fewer problems with pests than those in warm, moist climates. In Colorado, for example, pests rarely bother strawberries, while in a warm state, such as Kentucky, gardeners may have to resort to pesticides to control insects. The number of pests found in your vegetable garden is a fairly accurate predictor of how many pests you'll have when growing strawberries.

Types of Pests

• Underground pests known to disrupt strawberry growth include the strawberry crown borer, strawberry root weevil and grubs. Leaf rollers, mites and strawberry rootworms feed on the leaves of the strawberry plant, while slugs, eastern flower thrips, earwigs, strawberry clipper, strawberry sap beetles and tarnished plant beetles feed on flowers or ripening fruit.

Prevention

• Practice good gardening hygiene to prevent insect infestations. Clean up and remove garden debris and weeds that may harbor insects, and avoid planting strawberries where sod recently grew. Grubs living in the sod quickly infest strawberry plants. Strawberries are generally only vigorous for three to five years. When it's time to replace the strawberry patch, select a new location to prevent insects from building up in the soil.

Treatment

• One of the main benefits of growing strawberries yourself is that you can control or eliminate the pesticides on them. Approach pesticide use cautiously and resort to them only if crop damage threatens. Plant flowering herbs, such as borage, near strawberries to encourage beneficial insects. Hand-pick and destroy slugs and beetles or set out beer traps. Malathion is effective against aphids, leaf hoppers and other soft-bodied insects, while carbaryl treats beetles and earwigs. Consult a county extension office to positively identify pests in your area and recommend treatments. Follow package directions carefully.