Pests & diseases › Crown Rot
Crown Rot
Soft brown rot at the base of rhubarb, asparagus and strawberry crowns. Usually kills the plant.
Symptoms
- Brown soft rotten patches at the crown
- Foliage wilting and dying back
- Pulling crown reveals slimy decay
- Crown smell sour
Lifecycle
Bacterial/fungal — enters through wounds, worst in wet badly-drained soils.
What to do
- Lift and burn the affected crown
- Don't replant the same crop in that spot
If it's bad
- None
Stop it coming back
- Plant in well-drained soil — raise beds if needed
- Don't bury crowns — keep crown at or just above soil level
- Avoid mechanical damage from forks
Crops it goes for
Plan the plot, track every sowing, cook the harvest
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.