strawberries seedy and small

[rockman]

Planted sure crop June berries for years. Rotate every 3-4 yrs with new runners. In Indiana, zone 5 our growing season started way early. We had blooms last of April and were picking mid May. We had record rain of 10"in May. Our berries are small, very seedy and if you don't hold the plant when you pick it will come up with the berry. I've seen other patches small and seedy but not sick looking plants raising out of the dirt. The plants look as if the went through a hard winter with many freezes and thaws with no straw cover. We had a record mild winter. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
thanks, rockman

[Nematode]

http://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-fru-34

Hard to say exactly whats wrong but the link should help you along.

Cut a crown and compare to the graphic on the bottom of the page.

Can you do a soil test? How's your soil's pH?

I would suspect they need more phosphorus and/or potassium if the roots come up so easily (or else too much nitrogen; or else too much water and/or a fungal infection). Are the leaves small, too? Phosphorus helps leaf size, roots, plant maturity, and cold tolerance; it also has a role in growth and flowering (probably in fruit size, too). Potassium helps plant and root strength, as well as fruit size, heat tolerance, water absorption, etc. Potassium strengthens plants against disease and pests, too. Nitrogen is more available when more water is present, I believe. Phosphorus is less available when it's cold. Copper is said to increase the water content of fruits, and to help protect against disease (at least some fungal disease).

This link says some other insightful stuff about phosphorus.

Do you have a picture? Do the leaves look normal?

How do the berries taste?

[Nematode]

Decided to take a look at some of my struggling berries.
Looks like freeze damage....guess I will cover them next winter....
I knew bettet but sometimes things happen and sometimes they don't.

[rockman]

Thanks Nematode and shule1 for the info. From the site info, I could have the Red Stele disease. That disease sounds wicked staying in the ground for 15yrs. after the plants are gone. The site lists resistant varieties. I've grown sure crop for 30 yrs. which is on the list. Said if a non-resistant variety was introduced to a resistant variety could change things. Guess I could have mixed something in, but the only other variety I know I have grown in the past were ever berries which are supposed to be resistant. shule1, I'm hoping my ph and minerals are out of whack instead! The berries taste good, leaves wilty and small, very few runners (which by now should be numerous). I plan to check the ph, roots and take pictures tomorrow (Sat). Thanks, rockman

[rockman]

Took 3 pics today. 1st is small patch up on our high ground. Nice plants, quarter size berries. The 2nd is our patch in our lowland. Soil is 6-6.5 ph and in a flood plain next to a 30' wide creek. When we started the garden near the creek, the dirt was 50-50 sand, dirt. I've added clay, compost ect. Can't go all out as one big flood takes the dirt away. I'm working on a deflector for the current at the front of the garden, should work. Last pic, I snapped the sick plants root. I think the weather and my minerals being a little off may caused this. I believe I will clear the patch, till deep and rob some nice runners from the good patch. The local nursery just had ever berries. I've had good luck making new plants for yrs. And yes in the 42yrs. we lived here I've had to pick beets under water with hip waders more than once. Thanks rockman