Make sure you have great strawberry harvest next year

Strawberries are awesome but require a little bit of extra care in the fall so they can survive the winter and come back in full force in the spring. If you provide proper care in autumn, you will have strong and healthy strawberries and the winter will not harm them. Strong bushes are resilient to diseases. A little effort in the autumn is worth it.

Remove weeds

The first thing is obvious and applies to other crops too. Get rid of weeds. If you find other plants than weed, you should remove them too. If it is plant or crop that you want to keep, move it to another location. A great idea is to loosen the soil around strawberries. This will help you to get rid of weeds and you will aerate the soil.

Photo: Pixabay

Remove old leaves

Many gardeners disagree when is the right time to remove leaves. Some remove old leaves after fruiting. The remaining leaves will wilt and die creating a natural layer of mulch during the winter. Some people remove leaves in the fall. If you leave leaves growing during summer, strawberries will be able to deal with hot sun better, but this method will not create natural mulch for the winter.

When should you prune

Not all gardeners prune before winter but those who do claim that fallen leaves and other material may start mould and rot and that properly trimmed plants have easier time to regenerate. Well, the other camp claims that the plant needs as many leaves as possible to maintain photosynthesis. So ,if you decide to prune, prune about five centimetres above the ground. Remove large, wilting leaves and clean up the area around the plant. Pay attention to the centre. If you did some pruning in the summer, only remove bad leaves and shoots.

Radical cut

Some gardeners do radical cut. Using a sharp sickle they cut all leaves. Ok, but do this only in the first half of October. This will give the plant enough time to grow new leaves. One exception. Don not prune newly planted strawberries.

Fertilization and watering

The last time you can fertilize strawberries is in October and you should use an autumn type of fertilizer to help them deal with harsh winter. If you prune in autumn, do not forget to add a layer of mulch around them. Straw or hay works great. It will prevent weed growth and it will keep moisture in the soil and protect plants from cold temperatures. Water when the temperature is above freezing and reduce watering significantly if temperatures drop below zero. If you experience a dry winter you my water a little.

Source:

https://www.ireceptar.cz/zahrada/jahody-pece-podzim-30000926.html

https://www.gardenguides.com/118871-care-strawberry-plants-fall.html

Preview photo: Pixabay