strawberry spots

my strawberry plants ( 3 in total, bought them from a local farmer) are starting to develop wierd brownish/blackish spots on some leaves and in general don't look as healthy as they could be. They're in a sterile peat mix, strawberrys like acid so I might assume I'm not mulching them with enough acidic matter? I don't really know anything about strawberries. I've fertilized them a couple times with Earthworm castings since I've bought them so I'm not sure if they need to be fertilized.

here are some good pics that might help with identification. these are diseases of course. I'm thinking testing your soil and comparing its properties to what strawberries like would be a good idea to  make sure they are not susceptable because they are getting too much or not enough of something.  if they are not actively growing too much fertilizer might stress them some  

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/fruit/htms/strpics2.htm#anchor338510

I have seen quite a bit of what seems to me to be leaf blight on strawberries around here over the course of time. doesnt' neccesarily cause a big problem. I suppose it just depends on how extensive it gets.

Strawberries can be tricky since there are so many things that can attack them (or at least that is the case here in Florida.)

One of the main things is you don't want the crowns of the plants getting too wet.  Crown (the part of the plant where the roots enter the soil and the leaves come out above the soil.)  You don't want the crown of the plant getting too wet all the time as it will rot or leave the plant open too diseases.  Peat can hold a lot of moisture so be sure you are not rotting your plants.

As a kid, our neighbors had strawberry plots in their yard.  Those seemed to do quite well in very sandy soil.  Then again, that was in Michigan where wild strawberries did well too.

I see. Very good info.

The picture of leaf blight looks almost identical. I think maybe when I transplanted them I didnt make sure they were raised up enough above the soil, the crown you speak of may very well be submerged in peat  are blights pretty much a permanent thing?

I don't really know the specifics about strawberry diseases but here in Florida, most commercial growers buy new stock each year, even the ones growing in Hydroponic towers.