Wild Strawberries HELP!

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the correct spot, because it's not a question about large-scale berry cultivation. I have something called an "eggling" -- a tiny egg-shaped porcelain vessel filled with dirt and seeds (in my case, wild strawberry) that you crack open and water. The plant is supposed to grow in the little egg for a few months and then you put the whole thing in a regular pot with more soil. Anyway, I followed the directions in the package carefully; my seeds sprouted, and the plant was growing beautifully. I pruned out some of the shoots and had about 5 remaining, all with new growth coming fast. I had been adding water to the small tray underneath on a daily basis, as the sides of the egg container are clay and porous.

Unfortunately, though, I started a new job and got a little off-schedule, so I missed a few days of watering -- a few HOT and SUNNY days. The plant was in a window with direct afternoon sun, so when I noticed it on like the third day of no water it was wilted and the leaves were curling up. I was so sad! I immediately watered it, of course, and it perked up somewhat (the stems straightened significantly), but unfortunately the leaves remained curled and darkened (still green but darker). I noticed, though, on the second day of watering, that one of the new leaves that had been sprouting from the base of the strongest plant was still green and growing. It continued to grow for a couple of days and has gotten significantly taller since the plant dried out. Now, though, the new sprout seems to be turning brown on the edges. I can't tell if it's going to make it. It would be sad for me if it died, because the eggling was a gift from a person who is very important to me.

Can anyone help me? I'm wondering: (1) if a wild strawberry plant is likely to survive something like this; (2) if the roots of all the sprouts are still alive, even though the tops of the plants look basically dead; (3) why the edges of the new leaves are now turning brown; (4) if it is possible that by keeping the soil constantly moist I'm now watering it too much; (5) whether I should cut off the curled up leaves or leave them be; and (6) generally, what I should do to have the best chance of saving the plant.

I know these may seem like silly questions, since it's only one tiny plant, and since most of you are probably interested in larger-scale fruit or berry cultivation, but I would be very grateful for any advice you can offer. Thanks!

(p.s. I'll try to post a photo later if I can.)

This message was edited Aug 16, 2008 12:00 PM

I would offer the following suggestions:

1) Smaller containers are subject to greater swings of environmental conditions which can often damage or kill seedlings, as you have found out. You should consider placing the container is a sealed plastic bag to stabilize moisture swings. Of course, you need to be careful that the conditions are not too wet nor too dry. Too dry will cause the plant to struggle or die, too wet could promote fungus (of various kinds) which could also kill the plant. Bag it when you think the moisture level is correct, then check 12-24 hours later and mist it if it appears dry since the soil will have lost moisture to the air in the bag. Once you have the correct level, keep the bag closed but remember that you will likely slowly lose a little moisture over time.

2) Consider moving to a window that has bright indirect light that does not get direct sun, if sun is going to provide overheating. This is more important if you place the plants in a plastic bag.

3) If additional seeds sprout, consider transplanting to other containers. The more you have the more likely the plants will survive as you can have safety in numbers plus additional environments.

4) If the roots survived, they will likely sprout additional leaves over time. Maintain a healthy environment to maximize the chance this will happen.

5) If the leaves were wilted and drying up, but not completely dried, there is a chance that the plants are still alive but will be substantially weakened. Suggestion 1 is most important. Give minimally daily attention until plants have recovered.

Thank you so much for your help! I greatly appreciate it. Your advice has generated a few new questions in my mind, though. I'm not a very experienced cultivator from seed, so forgive me if I don't understand the basics.

If I put a sealed plastic bag around the plant, how often should I water it? Will it still get enough carbon dioxide to survive for several days, or do I need to open the bag periodically to replenish the air? I could put the plant in a north window that is somewhat shaded (light filters through large trees outside), or in an east window that is less shaded, but which gets direct sun only in the morning. Which do you think would be best? And, by the way, do you think I should repot it now, or give it a chance to stabilize first?

I'm attaching a photo of the plant in its current state. What do you think; does it have a chance? Any ideas about the brown on the tips of the new sprout?

Many, many thanks for your helpful suggestions.

You definitely have a live shoot there.

1) I have kept plants in plastic bags for months without opening them. Plastic bags will generally transpire a bit. There will also be some leakage through the twisty tie that I use. If it makes you fell more comfortable, then open them once a week. However, be sure to monitor moisture after opening the bag. You want to keep the bag closed so that the moisture level remains at a constant acceptable level. You will likely see condensation on the bag. The bag retains more moisture in the air, so you will need less moisture in the soil.

2) I would not repot until the plant resumes its previous size. You could, however, place the entire egg in a larger pot and surround the egg by soil. I would still bag it. Do not pile more soil on the plants in the egg, as strawberries are sensitive to how deep they are on soil. doing so would weaken or kill the plant.

3) I would use the window that gets the brightest light with the least hot sun.

4) Once the plant recovers, you will need to be careful in removing the plant from the bag as the change in air humidity would be significant. When doing so, open the bag daily for an hour or so per day for a week, then leave the pot in the bag with the bag open a bit for a week, then open the bag entirely for a week, then you should be able to remove from the bag.

UPDATE: I just examined the eggling tray closely and found TINY almost transparent insects crawling around on it. There were maybe 5-10 of them; I brushed them all off but there might be more. Could they be the cause of the browning leaves? The insects weren't on the top of the plant, but underneath it. Does that mean they are crawling up inside the soil? What should I do? I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but I'm concerned about the browning tips, since the new sprout didn't seem to have them when it first came up.

This message was edited Aug 16, 2008 10:44 PM

By the way, thanks for the continued advice, Krowten. Your last post was added while I was typing this one!

This message was edited Aug 16, 2008 10:46 PM

I watered the plant last night and there are no new insects this morning, but I'm wondering if that's because they're all up inside the soil (??). Do those bugs only exit the plant when the soil is drying out? Do you think they could be the cause of the browning leaves on the sprout? If so, what can I do to get rid of them? I haven't put the plant in a plastic bag yet because I want to be sure the insects are not a problem before I seal it up. I'm (obviously) very concerned about the browning leaves. I think I see a new shoot peeking out close to the base of the existing one but it looks to be brown on the tip, too. Oh, and by the way, when I do seal the plant, would it be okay to use a ziplock bag, or should I use an open bag with a tie?

I use both kinds of bags, no difference that I can see, but would not use the thicker, zip bags designed for freezing. I do tend to use the twist tie bags as they are a lot less expensive.

So I shouldn't worry about the bugs and the browning leaves?

If those bugs are inside the soil - and you try to get rid of the soil and repot - you may kill the plant - it is already stressed. Maybe putting the plant in the plastic will create an environment that is not good for the insects.

Your brown leaves on the new shoots could be from too much watering.

So the suggestion is good that you wait until the soil has dried out some before you bag it.

I have had good luck with plants that have had an insult like yours (burning up in the window/drying out) with just trimming off the dead stuff (but bet even that is not needed) and watering it at the same rate I did before the neglect. Overwatering won't compensate for the underwatering and will stress an already stressed plant.

I hope your plant makes it. But if the worst happens and you lose it, consider planting something else in the little pot. The roots and what is left of your plant will nourish the new seedlings and become a part of the new little plant. When it comes time to transplant --or whatever may happen to the newest plant--- you can still always recycle that original soil into a larger pot and allow it to become part of the lifecyle of another. Good luck!

It would really depend on the kind of insect. Some do no harm and can actually help. You will need to do some research to determine the type of insect. For starters, we would need size (tiny does not help - need an estimate of size 1/4", 1mm, etc), number of legs, etc. Keep in mind that "insects in the soil" does not necessarily mean a problem. Brown leaves could be caused by insects sucking plant juices, but you would see them on the leaves or stems, probably not moving while they are feeding. Insects in the soil would likely be feeding on bacteria or organic matter in the soil. From you initial post, it is most likely that the plant suffered die back from lack of water.

Soil is a living thing but definitely a good idea to try to id the bugs. Most container plants have some kind of small mites, etc, resident.

From the picture you previously posted, I thought the dirt in the egg looked a bit too damp, but did not want to comment for fear of causing you to dry it too much. Try for a pic of the bugs, even if it is on the limit of what your camera can do. Another trick would be to put a piece of cello. tape, sticky side up, to see if you can capture some for the pic. - Don't put the tape on the plant.

Izumi, I think you should feed the plant with a little miracle grow. That should give the struggling new growth a needed boost. I would give it some every 2 weeks or so
RED

I agree with Imred, but would suggest using 1/4 strength and start off slowly. At this point, you do not want further stress the plant. My concern is that you may not have a lot of experience with fertilizers and don't want to make a mistake that could cause a problem. Because the plant environment is small, there is a greater risk of mismanagement of feeding.

By the way Izumi, I think part of the idea with the egg/plant is for the recipient to have to exercise significant diligence to keep the plant alive and growing as an expression of the value of the gift to the recipient. The challenge associated with this is that the small size of the egg and plant does require extra attention and diligence.

MUCH belated thanks to everyone who tried to help me save my poor little eggling strawberries back in 2008! My Dave's Garden subscription expired shortly after the last post, and I just now renewed it. Sadly, the strawberries did not survive, but losing the eggling did inspire me to get some more wild strawberry seeds and try growing them in larger containers. I had some success in spring of 2009, and ended up with so many seedlings that I gave the extras away to friends, the local community garden, etc. I'm preparing to plant a new crop of seeds indoors this fall, so I can have some fruit next spring!! Thanks again for all of your help. I appreciated it very much. So sorry for the delayed response! Izumi