To protect them from winter temps, mulch over the strawberries in the fall to early winter with straw or pine needles. Once the mulch material is applied, add another layer of twigs and branches to keep it in place and then lightly hose down the area with water. Note the difference of plant growth of the same variety (Figure 2). It sounds crazy, but it works. I prefer to use wheat straw because it is less likely to pack down, but pine needles or even shredded newspaper will work as well. The water must be constantly applied to the plants, though. Strawberries are one of the first crops to make their appearance in spring. And strawberries are particularly susceptible to frost damage since they are often in bloom before the last frost free date. Fertilize with all-purpose granules for strong growth. Avoid using tree leaves, bark mulch or saw dust because they mat when wet. Cover strawberry plants once temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The burlap and straw provide protection, while still allowing the plants to breathe. Then scatter your mulch material on top. Commercial farmers do a couple of things to protect the berries from frost and so can you. On the other hand, the ever bearing plants won’t grow daughters so you won’t need that much space for these. Apply loose straw to the row of strawberry plants 3 to 6 inches deep. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. As you know, I’m more than a bit partial to some sun-warmed, superbly juicy and sweet home grown strawberries ….but just because the season is well and truly over that’s not to say that we can forget those small, inconspicuous strawberry plants. Remove straw mulch from over the plants in early to mid-April and cover rows with the floating row covers. Water can also be applied directly over the row cover to protect the flowers inside with a layer of ice. If possible, use a soaker hose or a drip irrigation system to water strawberries. Use 3 to 4 inches of loose mulch, such as straw or leaves. To winterize strawberry plants in a pyramid, apply mulch 6 to 8 inches deep. A row cover is a plastic fabric draped over a frame. Eaten fresh off the plant or turned into baked goods and jams, the strawberry fruit has many uses. The process I follow is to first cover the plants with a loose arrangement of small branches. You can use black plastic mulch or organic mulch such … Choosing Strawberry Plants There are four different types of strawberry plants, June bearing, everbearing, day neutral and alpine. Mulch covers keeps soil temperatures uniform, prevents the winter winds from drying out plants and helps trap snow. The planting will require regular weeding, especially in the first year, but maintenance should be minimal after the plants are established. So when making your strategy for strawberry plant care, make sure you leave plenty of room between plants, for the daughters to roam around freely. Frost can decimate an entire berry crop, especially if the berries have been exposed to warming temperatures. Straw is one of the best mulches for strawberry plants. This will prevent the mulch from smothering the plants. Our strawberry patch is on the south side of a garage with a significant overhanging eave, which serves to protect the berries. Uncover plants when temperatures warm, so plants are not growing under straw. Weeds that can steal nutrients and impact production levels next year. If mulch is applied sooner than this first frost, the plants will not become cold hearty. If so, what should I use for mulch? The alpines and day-neutral are particularly lovely to look at - bearing small, bright red, tasty berries all season long. Covering strawberry plants with straw in the winter helps to protect your crowns from the elements. Alpine, day neutral and ever-bearing provide a longer harvest season. Strawberry plants need to experience a little cold before being covered with straw. Once fruit begins to develop, temperatures below 26 F. (-3 C.) may be tolerated for very short periods, but the longer the freeze, the higher risk of injury. We have planted 1200 strawberry plants under plastic mulch row cover. That way you will prevent the strawberry foliage from getting wet and thus make the plants less susceptible to foliar disease. You can put it on thicker where there are no plants, but you want to make sure you are getting it on thick enough but loose so the weight isn't a problem, it is the trapping of air that creates the insulating shield. Since strawberries aren’t injured until the temperature falls below 28 F. (-2 C.), the berries are saved from frost injury. Heaving is more likely to occur in a heavy soil than in a sandy one, but no matter what type of soil you have, there are additional benefits of mulching such as conserving moisture and reducing weeds the following spring. Overhead irrigation is another popular method for protecting strawberries plants from frost. The temperature under a cover may equal that of the air, but this takes a while and may just buy the berries enough time. Because they are such early birds, frost damage on strawberries is a very real threat. To grow strawberry plants need a lot of water when the runners and are... Not growing under straw mulch from over the strawberries in the winter winds from drying plants... The difference of plant growth of the best mulches for strawberry plants a... The top opening with straw or leaves decimate an entire berry crop, especially if berries. Will work fine if you prefer, just staple the mesh to frame! 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