Grey mould on soft fruits

Symptoms

A thick layer of grey mould develops on soft fruits.

Find it on: raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, loganberries, other fruit

Time to act: summer

Problem categories

Overview

Just as your fruits are beginning to ripen, grey mould (a fungus called botrytis) can ruin them. Small brown spots form on the skin, then spread over the whole fruit, turning it soft and brown. As the fruit deteriorates, a fuzzy grey layer of mould develops. The spores produced by the fungus can spread to other plants, infecting them through damaged skin. However, it's most infectious at flowering time, when spores, blown by the wind, enter open flowers and lie dormant until the fruits begin to swell.

Solution

A thick layer of grey mould develops on soft fruits.

Organic

The fungus survives on plant debris, so to reduce the risk of infection keep the soil clear around your soft fruit canes, and remove any damaged fruits.

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Talkback: Grey mould on soft fruits

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sedwards 24/11/2011 at 15:28

Hi
I have had a problem with tomato blight for the last three years, having just read an article ref Botrytis on Rasberries, could this be causing me my problem withe my toms.
Cheers

ypacamgw1940 24/11/2011 at 15:29

can i transplant raspberry bushes and if so when would be the best time

welshman60 24/11/2011 at 15:29

i have treated my gooseberry bushes for fungus as recommended by the instructions on the bottle
my question now is "are the fruit now edible when they finally mature " or do i need to destroy the affected fruit?