Strawberry IPM Module
Practical IPM plan for strawberries covering protected crops, tunnels, tabletop systems, substrate production and outdoor soft fruit.
This page focuses on prevention, monitoring, environmental management and biological control continuity.
Quick summary
Main pest risks
Thrips, spider mite, aphids, whitefly, sciarid fly, vine weevil and SWD.
Main disease pressure
Botrytis risk increases with dense canopy, humidity, flower debris and poor dry-down.
Main IPM principle
Start preventative, monitor flowers and lower leaves, and control hotspots before they connect.
Strawberry IPM works best when the crop is treated as a living system rather than a list of separate pest problems.
The strongest programmes combine:
- early biological control
- weekly monitoring
- flower inspections
- lower leaf checks
- climate awareness
- good hygiene
- quick hotspot response
Main pest risks
| Pest | Risk level | Key trigger | Inspect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thrips | High | Flowers + warm weather | Flowers and young fruit |
| Spider mites | High | Hot dry canopy | Lower and older leaves |
| Aphids | Moderate–High | Soft growth and nitrogen | Growing points |
| Whitefly | Moderate | Crop carryover | Lower leaves |
| Sciarid fly | Moderate | Wet substrate | Substrate surface |
| Vine weevil | Moderate | Long-term crop/root zone | Roots and crowns |
| Spotted Wing Drosophila | Seasonal High | Ripening fruit | Fruit and waste fruit |
| Botrytis | High | Humidity + flower debris | Flowers and fruit |
Crop stage plan
| Crop stage | Main risk | Practical focus |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment | Sciarid fly, aphids, vine weevil | Hygiene, substrate checks, early predators |
| Pre-flowering | Aphids, early mite | Check young growth and lower leaves |
| Flowering | Thrips, Botrytis | Flower tapping, airflow, avoid wet flowers |
| Fruit set | Thrips damage, Botrytis | Maintain predator continuity and remove debris |
| Summer production | Spider mite, thrips | Hotspot scouting and stress reduction |
| Ripening outdoor fruit | SWD, Botrytis | Waste fruit removal and regular picking |
| End of crop | Carryover pests | Clean-down and removal of old plant material |
Monitoring plan
| Area | What to look for | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Thrips adults and larvae | Weekly; more often when warm |
| Lower leaves | Spider mite eggs, mites and speckling | Weekly |
| Growing points | Aphids and distortion | Weekly |
| Sticky traps | Winged aphids, whitefly, sciarid fly | Weekly |
| Substrate | Sciarid larvae, algae, wet areas | Weekly |
| Fruit | Botrytis, SWD risk, damaged fruit | During fruiting |
| Hotspots | Pest build-up and predator activity | Every visit |
Environmental risk
| Condition | Likely issue | Management response |
|---|---|---|
| Hot and dry | Spider mite | Reduce stress, check lower leaves, treat hotspots early |
| Warm with flowers | Thrips | Flower tapping, maintain predators, avoid disruption |
| Dense humid canopy | Botrytis | Improve airflow, remove old leaves and debris |
| Wet substrate | Sciarid fly | Avoid overwatering, improve dry-down |
| Soft vegetative growth | Aphids | Review nitrogen and crop balance |
| Overlapping old/new crops | Whitefly and mite carryover | Clean-down and prevent pest bridges |
| Ripening fruit outdoors | SWD | Pick regularly and remove waste fruit |
Biological control programme
Preventative phase
Start before pest pressure is obvious.
Focus on:
- predatory mites for thrips and spider mite prevention
- substrate predators for sciarid fly risk
- aphid parasitoids where aphids are a regular issue
- clean crop establishment
- avoiding unnecessary early disruption
Flowering phase
Flowering is the key risk point for thrips.
Actions:
- tap flowers over white paper or a tray
- monitor known warm areas separately
- keep predator coverage continuous
- avoid unnecessary broad-spectrum treatments
- remove old flowers and debris where practical
Hotspot phase
When pest pressure appears:
- map the hotspot
- inspect surrounding plants
- use targeted biological reinforcement
- correct the environmental driver
- re-check within a few days
Pest-specific notes
Thrips
Thrips are closely linked to flowering. Even low numbers can mark fruit.
Key actions:
- monitor flowers regularly
- protect early flowers
- maintain predatory mite coverage
- consider Orius where conditions and crop stage suit
- reduce hidden flower debris
Spider mites
Spider mites increase rapidly in hot, dry conditions.
Key actions:
- check lower leaves
- find hotspots before webbing
- reduce crop stress
- use Phytoseiulus-type correction where mites are active
- avoid allowing hotspots to spread along rows
Aphids
Aphids often follow soft growth and mild protected conditions.
Key actions:
- check crowns and growing points
- avoid excessive soft growth
- preserve parasitoids and predators
- respond early to winged aphids
Whitefly
Whitefly is usually worse where crops overlap or carryover occurs.
Key actions:
- check lower leaves
- avoid pest bridges between crops
- maintain biological continuity
- clean down properly at crop end
Sciarid fly
Sciarid fly is linked to wet growing media and algae.
Key actions:
- monitor sticky traps
- inspect substrate surface
- avoid overwatering
- reduce algae
- consider substrate predators in propagation and young crops
Vine weevil
Vine weevil is mainly a root-zone risk.
Key actions:
- inspect weak plants
- check roots and crowns
- focus on container and long-term crops
- plan preventative root-zone control where history exists
SWD
Spotted Wing Drosophila is mainly a risk around ripening fruit.
Key actions:
- remove waste fruit
- pick regularly
- avoid overripe fruit build-up
- manage nearby unmanaged fruit sources where possible
Canopy and hygiene
Good canopy management improves:
- airflow
- predator movement
- monitoring visibility
- spray coverage where sprays are used
- dry-down after humidity or irrigation events
Useful actions:
- remove old leaves
- remove collapsed tissue
- keep walkways clean
- avoid fruit waste accumulation
- reduce dense humid pockets
- prevent crop carryover bridges
Seasonal calendar
| Period | Main IPM focus |
|---|---|
| Establishment | Hygiene, early biological foundation, substrate pest prevention |
| Early spring | Aphids, early mite, crop balance |
| Flowering | Thrips, Botrytis and flower monitoring |
| Early fruiting | Predator continuity and fruit protection |
| Summer heat | Spider mite and thrips hotspots |
| Late fruiting | SWD, Botrytis and fruit hygiene |
| End of crop | Clean-down and carryover prevention |
Linked tools
Use this module alongside:
Key message
Strawberry IPM is strongest when prevention, monitoring and environment are linked together.
The aim is not just to kill pests after they appear. The aim is to keep the crop balanced enough that beneficial insects can work before pest pressure becomes damaging.