Do I Need To Cover My Everbearing Strawberries With Straw,…
Ben Asked
Do I need to cover my everbearing strawberries with straw, and when ?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Ben: It is that time of year again when we start thinking about putting our gardens to bed for the winter. There is still time to mulch your strawberries. You will notice the foliage on your plants turn from a green to a grayish color when the weather turns colder. They are fine until the temperatures dip into the 20s, which normally does not happen until December, but just to be safe keep an eye on the overnight lows until you can get the mulch down. Wheat straw mulch is ideal for strawberries but oat, rye, and pine will also work. Applying a straw mulch 3-4 inches thick over your everbearing strawberries will help prevent damage from winter weather and early spring frosts. When spring arrives, pull back the mulch from the base of the plants but still leave it in between the rows so it can easily be used to recover in case of freezing temperatures. Keep an eye on the temperatures until our frost-free date of early May has passed. Protecting your berries during this time will ensure a healthy and productive crop for you and your family to enjoy. The following link is to a publication on growing strawberries in Kentucky. It is aimed at professional growers but is still good, reliable information for the home gardener as well: www.ca.uky.edu/agc/PUBS/ho/ho16/ho16.pdf
