Problems With Ripening Strawberries

Care and Maintenance

• Strawberries require well-drained, nutrient-rich soil for healthy plants. They also require no less than six hours of sunlight a day for flowering and fruiting. The plants need water, as much as 1 inch per week to grow and develop. If any of these growing conditions aren't met, the fruit might fail to form or ripen.

Disease

• Strawberries are susceptible to verticillium wilt, a fungus. Signs of disease include drooping foliage, leaf discoloration and limited growth. Depending on when the plant is infected, flowering and fruiting is reduced so that fruits never fully ripen. Avoid planting strawberries where such as peppers, potatoes and tomatoes grew, as they spread the disease. Select virus-free strawberry plants obtained by a reputable nursery for planting. Don't risk planting old strawberry plants, as they're often diseased.

Bronzing

• Bronzing or seeding is a condition affecting strawberries generally in the mid- and late season. It causes fruit to develop a hard, seeded texture and prevents the fruit from reddening. Fruit might appear pale green or light orange-red. It's caused by pests, specifically Eastern flower thrips that feeds on strawberry blossoms. Spray the plants immediately with a low-PHI insecticide if you suspect a thrip infestation. Although you might not salvage the whole crop, you might save some fruit from damage.

Overfertilizing

• Although strawberry plants need fertilization immediately after transplanting and again midway through production, avoid over-fertilizing them. Plants receiving too much fertilizer often grow excess foliage, but fruit formation is limited. Too much nitrogen impedes fruit development and reduce the chance of fruit fully ripening. Choose a fertilizer made with ammonium nitrate containing no more than 33 percent nitrogen and less if plant growth is vigorous, but fruit formation is slow.