My strawberries are suddenly dying! Woe to thee strawberreeeee!

HELP! No idea what I'm doing. I planted some strawberry plants (plugs?) a few weeks ago. The did really well. Grew bigger, fresh green leaves, looked good. But suddenly in the last week they have started dying. Leaves are going brown on the edges and most of the plants seem completely dead now. I'm not sure what to do.
If this is useful:
1. They are planted in troughs and containers (no more than 3 plants to a trough)
2. Because I live in Scotland and we have frequent frost issues, and because they are young plants, I have been keeping them indoors. Could they be getting too hot?
3. I've been trying to keep them out the direct sun behind the glass, but have recently been putting the containers outside during the day and bringing them in at night.

Please can you help, it is literally 9 of my 12 strawberry plants that are basically dead :(

 

Could be vine weevils munching on their roots. This happened to me last year. Pulled the plants up and sure enough little white grubs right in the core of the plant.
Managed to save most by squeezing the little buggers till they popped

 

Sorry @Greg C but I can only see boxes with a red X in the centre. Not sure what could be the problem and I know it is a silly question but did you water them while they were in the greenhouse?

 

@Greg C Was this the flickr image you were trying to post?

Stawberry death

For some treason it wont display as a linked image.

Have you planted them too deep, burying the 'crowns'?

 

Thanks for the idea WeeTam, I will maybe check my roots and see if they look suspect.

Hi Kandy, not sure what on earth is happening with the photo. I have been watering them to keep the soil moist, and the drain holes are clear as water does dribble out so don't think it is that.

Scrungee, yes it was a flickr image. Is there a trick to this I don' think they are too deep. The crowns are above soil level. It has been quite a rapid death. Literally in the last week. They were planted about a month ago and grew really well in the first 3 weeks. Puzzling...and concerning

 

Plugs would not enjoy over watering at all. Does "indoors" mean a cold greenhouse? A combination of recent cold and being wet would be fatal to soft plugs and would explain their demise.
I would lift the remaining plugs and pot up

 

Thanks Verdun. I am thinking there may be a fungal issue. Out of 12 plugs, 8 have pretty much died by Sunday. By this morning the other 4 had died despite looking quite healthy on Sunday :( Looks like it is back to square one with planting strawberries for me. Maybe I didn't ensure proper drainage.

 

Sounds a little bit to me like the plugs were grown very soft, which is quite usual.
The plants then struggle to settle.
Personally, unless you have a heated greenhouse, I think you will struggle, this early, to establish what is basically a hardy outdoor plant, they need to be weaned off of ideal conditions very slowly.

Temps maybe too high at night, indoors, and too cold during the day outside.

I'm guessing the initial growth of leaves was before any new root movement, consequently the plants have exhausted themselves and are now dying back.

 

Thanks Pete, helpful to know. Maybe it is temperature related. I will wait until it is warmer and get some new plugs.
live and learn I suppose It's my first time growing strawberries (or anything for that matter) so I'm not surprised I killed them so soon

 

Just dont give up.

 

Agree with Pete.
Plugs simply dont have the root systems to deal with over watering.
Some strawberry suppliers send when the timing is right too

 

Thanks Verdun. What is the best way to prepare the soil? I just planted mine in compost and put some stone at the bottom for drainage? I've now bought some perlite as seems I may need to improve drainage.

 

Hiya Greg C
My own mix is john innes number 3, grit or perlite (grit if the container is lightweight) to make up (by eye) about 20%, a handful of dried manure and chicken manure and fish blood and bone. You could use sieved garden soil to make up some of the volume....I have done it both ways, viz., neat john innes and "diluted" JI.
I plant 4 strawberry runners or plugs in oval containers about 60 cm x 35 x 30 cm deep. The holes are "crocked" using broken clay pots or chunks of spent polystyrene packing boxes and topped lightly with gravel. I will add straw in spring once the plants are in vigorous growth.
Works for me and I am sure everybody will do it differently. The size of pots is prob not too important but I think multi purpose compost is inadequate unless fortified with organic manure and fertiliser
For me, strawberries need good soil, good drainage and a sunny aspect.
Important ps. Net your fruit. Those pesky birds will love 'em too!!

 

Thanks Verdun, that is really helpful. I used neat compost and tomorite?? as a plant food. But they are all officially dead now :( Will have another stab at it when the weather warms. I have built myself a greenhouse too in the meantime. Should I grow them in there?