In the present study strawberry plants were artificially contaminated with E. coli via water and the pathogen survived within the soil, on leaves, and on strawberries until harvest or for 15 weeks. Additionally, we observed cross contamination through the process of growth through the watering of the plant. At harvest, E. coli was present within the soil, leaf, and fruit regardless of the contamination period are indicative of cross contamination during the growing cycle. For example at planting and first runner removal stages there were no leaves or fruit on the plant, therefore at harvest no E. coli was expected to be present within these samples; however, there were viable E. coli recovered from these leaves and fruit