Strawberry fruit drop

What causes unripe strawberry fruits to drop off the outdoor plants?

Thanks

Doug

31.5.11

I’ve spoken to my colleagues regarding this problem and we have not heard of this on strawberries before.  June Drop on fruit trees is quite common, where the tree sheds some fruit lets to ensure a decent sized crop develops from the remaining young fruits so this may be happening with your strawberries but seems unlikely.

All I can suggest is that the plants are in the third year of their life so are becoming less productive and they are possibly under some sort of stress. Are the leaves discoloured in any way if so this may indicate the presence of a virus?  Is there any sign of  mould on the fruits before they drop?  If so there could be a problem with Botrytis (Grey mould) especially if it has been wet and cool in your area.

Please come back to me if you need any further advice.

Kind Regards

Lynn Burton - Horticultural Adviser