Do this with strawberries in November: the bushes will easily survive winter frosts

Before the onset of steady frosts, strawberry beds require special attention from gardeners. A few successive steps in the garden will help protect the delicate roots from freezing.

Late autumn berry bushes become too sensitive to sharp temperature fluctuations and excess moisture. If the bed is left unattended, in the spring the plants will be weakened, threatening future berry yields, experts explain in the German publication Mein schöner Garten. A few simple chores before the arrival of cold weather will help the plants overwinter comfortably.

How to trim the bushes correctly before the cold?

Begin preparation with a sanitary cleanup of the beds. Plant debris often becomes a shelter for fungal diseases, including the dangerous gray mold:

remove all yellowed, dried, and spotted leaves;

cut off excess runners if you do not plan to propagate the variety;

leave green and healthy leaves, as they protect the bush from frosts.

When pruning, act very carefully near the center of the rosette. In the middle of the bush lies the heart or growing point, which must not be damaged, or else the strawberry will simply not recover in the spring.

Proper care will yield a good harvest / Photo by Pexels

What and when to mulch the soil?

Mulching reliably protects roots from freezing and preserves the necessary moisture in the soil. A protective layer well suited to this purpose is compost that has aged, dry healthy leaves, or clean straw.

Compost is laid in a thin layer around the plants, without burying the central rosette. Do not rush with straw: cover the strawberries only when the bushes have entered a state of rest and the soil temperature has stabilized to about +4 degrees Celsius. The optimal layer of loose straw for wintering is between 5 and 8 centimeters.

How to protect the bushes from severe frosts without snow?

The most dangerous period for the berry patch is a sudden drop in temperature with no snow cover. If forecasters predict sustained snowless frosts, place spruce branches over the mulch. They help hold the first snow and create a reliable protective barrier.

You can also cover the bed with white breathable agrotextile. Be sure to secure the material at the edges so it won’t be blown away by the wind.

In spring, do not keep the thick cover on for too long. As soon as the soil starts to warm and young leaves appear, gradually remove the straw and agrotextile, giving the strawberries space to grow quickly.

What else is worth doing in the strawberry beds?

Before the onset of steady cold weather, it is important to care for the fertility of the soil. If you notice that the roots near the base have become exposed, it is useful to add fresh soil and apply a safe autumn fertilizer that will help the bushes gain strength before their rest.