How do healthy strawberry roots look?

[Vanisle_BC]

I'm digging up matted (apparently healthy) strawberries to thin the bed and root out weeds: Most plants I've lifted have dark coloured roots. Online, some illustrations show white roots, others closer to black. Some sites talk of black root rot - do I have this? I'm unsure whether healthy plants may have these near-black roots, or not.

If I have black rot, will it transmit via runners to new daughters - or can I "safely" plant those in a new bed; And will the root-rot "bug" transmit to seed of the fruit?

I'd appreciate information from any who have expertise/experience with this (obviously I don't ).

Thanks, Aexander.

Edit; Having problems posting photos. Will keep trying.....here they are (?)

[JONA]

Hi Vanisle,
Black root covors a whole list of ailments with the resulting blackening and dying of the root system.
Strawberry roots vary in colour according to their age and to the soil they are growing in. Young roots will be much whiter older roots much darker.
If your bed looks good then I doubt there is too much to worry about.
Take one of the larger black looking roots and scrape the outer layer off. If the centre is yellowish then all is well.
If black..then there may be a problem to investigate.

[Vanisle_BC]

Thanks for the advice, Jona.

Indeed my strawberry roots are near white underneath the dark outer layer, so I believe the plants are fine.

It's a funny year here, hot/cold/hot, dry/wet/dry. Some things coming on early, others stunted. Dud rhubarb & squashes, great tomatoes & cabbage.

[ButterflyLady29]

They look like mine did when I dug them up last week. Well, your root systems are much larger than mine were. But they were the same color. As long as the leaves are green and growing the plants should be okay.