How to cover strawberries for the winter and when is it better to do it

Tell me how to cover strawberries for the winter? In the spring, we planted several beds, deciding to focus on growing berries for sale. We live in the central zone, the winters are quite cold, and last year the snow did not have time to cover the ground before frost. We bought varietal seedlings, and we also plan to multiply them. I would not want to risk it, so we decided to insulate the bushes. When is it better to do it and how is it right? Can spruce branches (near the forest) and fallen leaves be used?

One of the important points when growing strawberries is the organization of their wintering. Knowing how to cover strawberries for the winter, you can avoid losses and help plants survive frost successfully even in winters with little snow. The soil covered with a snow carpet is protected from deep freezing, which means that the root system will suffer less. But if frosts hit the bare ground, you can lose not only the future harvest, but the bushes themselves completely. However, this can be avoided if you first take care of your plantings and create a "warm blanket" for them.

Why cover strawberries and is it always necessary

Previously, strawberries were cultivated mainly by exchanging seedlings with each other. But in recent years, many gardeners prefer to use varietal material. Modern hybrids produce larger berries, and the harvest itself is often richer. At the same time, most of the varieties are greenhouse, and were created for closed ground. On open ridges, they need insulation and hibernate badly without it.

It will be correct to choose zoned varieties, focusing on the climate of the growing region. Please note that the lowest winter hardiness is in Italian hybrids. French and English varieties overwinter a little better. The Dutch varietal strawberry will have the highest winter hardiness.

Also, the method and timing of planting is of no small importance. If you planted the bushes only in the fall, they should spend their first winter covered. The seedlings have too little time to acquire a developed rhizome and leaf apparatus. And one more thing: the denser the planting, the "warmer" it will be. Sparse beds freeze faster, as do those that are raised - gently or on slopes. But warm ridges can winter without additional shelter.

Consider also the composition of the soil. Chernozem keeps warm longer and is more resistant to low temperatures. Sandstones and clay soil will freeze faster. It is imperative to cover them.

Also, do not forget about the "nature" of winter in your region. Little snow falls, the wind often blows, sweeping away the white cover, and there are also thaws with further recurrent frosts ... All this indicates the need to additionally protect the berry.

When to start hiding

Do not rush to lay the covering material in the first autumn days. Premature warming of plantings will have the opposite effect: the bushes will mate and can rot. It is worth starting work only in late autumn, when the frosts will come "close". This means that a stable minus 5 ° will be kept during the week. Yes, the ground will freeze, but not deep yet, a maximum of a couple of centimeters, which is not dangerous for plants.

In the south, strawberries can be sheltered at the end of November, in the middle lane - at the end of October. In the northern regions, try to have time to do this in mid-October.

How to cover strawberries for the winter

Strawberry beds must first be prepared for shelter. To do this, cut off the mustache in late summer or early autumn, if you do not plan multiply their culture. Also remove old leaves, leaving only the point of growth, especially if they have somehow changed color. This could be a sign of illness. Do not forget to feed the plants in September by adding ash, special fertilizer of the Kemir brand, or organic matter.
You can cover strawberries using several options:

1. Natural materials. These are spruce branches, foliage of fruit trees or oak, humus, straw. However, make sure they are not infected with fungus or pests or their larvae. It is also important to remove such a shelter in time in the spring, so that the bushes do not come under it.
2. Artificial materials. One of the best is agrofibre, it protects well from frost and at the same time breathes. Lutrasil, Spantex, Spunbond are also suitable.

Preparing strawberries for wintering and sheltering the beds - video