strawberry plants in winter?

[wsmoak]

I planted bare root strawberries this year, and they have grown and put out runners all over the place. They are still dark green and healthy looking.

But, we are about to get our first frost.

What do I do with them?

Do I pile straw on them now before the frost, or let them die back and then cover them?

Or just ignore them entirely and they'll come back in the spring?

Thanks,
--
Wendy

 

[lesa]

Does your ground really freeze? My understanding is that mulching them keeps them from heaving out of the soil, during freezing and thawing. Not sure how much of an issue that will be for you. Here in zone 4, I cover with straw and when I remove it, in the early spring-the plants look alive and well.

 

[journey11]

Two things I do to put mine to bed for winter... After a killing frost or hard freeze I will cut off all the leaves and remove them (you can use the mower and just rake it up, but mine are in a raised bed.) This helps minimize any spread of disease and places for bugs that have already laid eggs or settled in to overwinter. Then after your first freeze, mulch heavily with straw (or whatever you have handy). Pile it on, like 6 inches deep. It's not the freeze that harms them, it's the constant freeze/thaw cycles that go on during winter that heave them up out of the ground. Mulching after the freeze will help keep the ground frozen. (Yea, I'm wondering too if your ground freezes down there?? Maybe you should mulch yours before, if it does not.) Either way, you want to keep it constant and prevent it from freezing/thawing repeatedly, which exposes too much of of the crown and roots and that's what will kill them.

Sometimes, especially if you have a variety that is well-suited to your area, you can get away with ignoring them and they'll be back in the spring, but really a little prevention is worth your effort.

 

[bid]

I think I would wait just a little longer before you put down any thick layer of mulch. A few light frosts won't really hurt them, and I don't think the really cold weather is here just yet. If you mulch too early I think you run the risk of promoting crown rot. The weather where you are generally follows a fall/winter pattern of a few days of gradually warmer temps, rain and then an abrupt fall in temps. Repeat until springs arrives.

ETA: What is called "really cold weather" in the deep south is not what some people consider really cold weather.

 

[dickiebird]

I do nothing to mine until late winter/early spring. At that time I cover them with straw and let the new greenery grow up through that, which will leave a nice clean place for the fruit to rest and ripen.
By the same token I see nothing wrong with the idea of mulching before winter sets in.

THANX RICH

 

[vfem]

I pile straw on mine come December... but not before.

Then I remove in mid march.

Works nice for me... just in case of ice and snow.

 

[MuranoFarms]

So glad I read this! This is my second winter with strawberries and it never even crossed my mind to cover them with straw last year.

Thanks!