[nctomatoman]

I've found the crud to be quite variety specific and generally unavoidable - Anna Russian, Orange Strawberry, White Oxheart, German Red Strawberry all get it for me - but some beefsteak types do as well, such as Mortgage Lifter, Dr. Wyche's Yellow and, the worst offender for me, Kellogg's breakfast. The key, for me, is to limit the time they are under artificial light (so I get them into the sun as soon as possible) and transplant as soon as I can. As you say, once they get going they are fine. I wonder if some varieties just have a genetic predisposition for the crud!