Do strawberry plants need winter protection? Where are the sweet fruits best kept? Can hanging strawberries be left outside all year round? And is it possible to keep wild strawberries in the cellar in winter? Many helpful tips for wintering strawberries can be found in this guide.
Relevance of the variety
Depending on the variety, the red field crops not only taste more or less intensely sweet, but also have vegetative differences. Monthly strawberries, for example, are very easy to care for, as they hardly form offshoots that the gardener has to separate before winter. However, it is still necessary to remove the dead leaves from this species. The wild strawberries, which are also popular, are a relatively new breed that is considered to be particularly robust. Winter protection is nonetheless required.
It doesn't matter whether the gardener grows strawberries once or always in weight-bearing conditions. Almost every variety is perennial, which is why the name sounds a bit misleading. In this case, single-bearing does not mean that the plants have to be disposed of after harvest, but that they only bear fruit once per season. What is important, however, is the time at which the respective variety produces fruit. Late
The gardener is not allowed to cut varieties after harvest, as they would not recover before the temperature drops.Note: Basically, all strawberry varieties are perennial. However, always bearing species produce less fruit after three years at the latest. This is completely natural and has nothing to do with inappropriate wintering.
Relevance of the location
Fragaria is a shallow root. Since the roots run close to the surface of the earth, the fruit plants are particularly susceptible to frost. As soon as the earth freezes completely, the plant dies. How extensive winter protection is required depends on the type of cultivation.
Wintering outdoors
Outdoor strawberries are exposed to freezing temperatures without protection. Especially on loamy soils, there is a high risk that the substrate will freeze, as the water quickly accumulates under these conditions in winter. The gardener prevents the cold death of his crops in the following ways:
- After harvesting, cut back all withered parts of the plant
- also remove unnecessary offshoots
- in no case damage the heart leaf
- loosen the soil with sand
- apply a layer of straw or mulch to the root disc
- alternatively, use a breathable winter fleece
- In addition, enrich the substrate with compost
Note: It is also possible to cover monthly strawberries with a tarpaulin. As soon as the temperatures rose permanently above freezing point, self-catering must definitely remove them again. Otherwise, there is an acute risk of mold as the air builds up under the material.
Winter in a raised bed
The raised bed is a popular location for monthly strawberries. Although it offers good pest protection, the earth threatens to freeze completely in winter. To prevent this, the gardener covers the bed with styrofoam sheets. They can be fixed with wire or additional wooden pallets. After the cold phase, they are removed again.
Winter in a pot
In the case of bucket culture, there is a higher risk that the substrate will freeze completely However, if this type of husbandry is usually carried out on the balcony, the strawberries benefit from the protection of a Housewall. Self-suppliers should take into account that hanging strawberries are not exposed to cold drafts. He hibernates his bucket strawberries near the facade as follows:
- prune back after harvest
- Apply a protective layer of mulch, straw, perlite, wood wool or sawdust
- Place standing pots on a wooden plate or styrofoam
- Cover the bucket with jute or bubble wrap
Why remove the leaves?
By cutting the foliage back to the ground, gardeners prevent it from stealing unnecessary energy from the plants. Without growing above ground, they can fully concentrate on their own defense against the cold. Optimally, the pruning is done promptly, around July. In October, if necessary, the gardener removes runners that have formed in the past two months. He should use sharp, sterile secateurs to avoid leaving any cuts.
Note: A lawnmower is also suitable for separating the above-ground growth of outdoor strawberries. Since the interfaces on the stems have to dry out before the first frost, gardeners should tackle this radical method a few weeks earlier.
Nutrient intake
Although strawberries are among the poor eaters, fertilizing them before winter promises a richer harvest in the coming year. Regardless of the form of cultivation, it is sufficient to incorporate organic material (for example, self-made fertilizer).
Winter in the cellar
Wintering in the basement is not advisable if it can be avoided. With potted plants, moving is still quite easy. Outdoor strawberries would have to be dug up and potted.
An exception are young plants that can no longer be planted in the ground in time. They must inevitably be stored in a completely frost-free place.
Note: A self-sufficient person must plant new strawberry plants in the raised bed by the end of August at the latest, so that they have enough time to get used to the new location.
Caring for strawberries in winter
In spite of the cold temperatures, gardeners have to maintain the water supply. On frost-free days you should still water the plants. It is very important that there is no waterlogging. This increases the risk that the plants will die if it freezes at night.
Regular pest control is also part of winter care.
Note: Gardeners should always use new material to protect the roots. The withered foliage of the plants is unsuitable as fungal spores could have taken root. Discarded leaves should always be removed immediately.
How long to hibernate?
With the spring awakening, wintering is not over yet. Late frosts are possible up to the ice saints in mid-May. Often gardeners forget about the usual drop in temperature after the winter months. If the flowers freeze, the harvest will fail in summer.