convert string to date ruby
date = Date.strptime(start_date, ‘%d/%m/%y’)
rails string to date
"1-1-2012".to_date # => Sun, 01 Jan 2012 "01/01/2012".to_date # => Sun, 01 Jan 2012 "2012-12-13".to_date # => Thu, 13 Dec 2012 "12/13/2012".to_date # => ArgumentError: invalid date
Source: apidock.com