The first spray should be made in the spring just before the first blossoms open. An additional fungicide application should be made on June-bearing cultivars a week or two after renovation. The spray intervals can be lengthened to two or three weeks for the remainder of the season. Thoroughly cover all above-ground plant parts with each spray. Since the leaf spot and leaf scorch pathogens infect only through the underleaf surface, the undersides must be well sprayed with fungicide.
Sprays give more effective and longer-lasting protection than dusts.
It helps to apply fungicides when the air is calm and the plants are damp from rain or dew. Always consult a current fungicide label for directions and restrictions on use before application, and follow the instructions given carefully. For more details concerning suggested cultural management practices, including fertilization, those who grow strawberries at home should consult Illinois Extension Circular 935, Growing Small Fruits in the Home Garden . Commercial growers should check the most recent Proceedings of the Illinois Small Fruit and Strawberry Schools . Copies of the proceedings can be obtained by writing to Jeff Kindhart, Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, Simpson, Illinois 62985.