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Storing Bare-Root Strawberry Plants – Strawberry Plants

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How Do You Store Bare-Root Strawberry Plants?

People love their gardens. Great care and devotion are given to raising fruits and vegetables by thousands of people every single day. But, what happens if unforeseen circumstances arise? What if a move is required, for whatever reason? Well, when it comes to the garden, it gets left behind. Strawberry growers, however, can take their strawberries with them since they are perennial. Special storage is required when transporting your strawberry plants from one patch to another. Here is what you need to know about storing bare-root strawberry plants…

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How to Store Bare-Root Strawberry Plants

Storing bare-root strawberry plants is best avoided. If possible, strawberry plants do much better in the ground and protected from cold winter temperatures. But, situations arise where the strawberry plants just can’t be in the ground. If strawberry plants were ordered in the fall and were, for whatever reason, not able to be planted, the options are to let them die or store the bare-root plants. And, if plants are dug after dormancy has occurred, storing bare-root strawberries in an “intermediate” state may be the best option to keep them alive.

Here are the steps and information you need to know to store strawberry plants:

How to Store Bare-Root Strawberries

1. Cover up the plants’ bare roots! Strawberry plants can’t survive if their roots are exposed for an extended period of time. They will dry out and the plants will subsequently die. So, the first order of business when seeking to preserve the life of your exposed plants is to bury those roots! Any moisture holding medium is sufficient, but it is ideal to use one that is easy to separate from the roots when planting time rolls around. I recommend sand. Also acceptable are clean wood chips/sawdust or a clean soil/peat mixture.

2. Ensure a moist environment for the roots. In the true bare-root state, the roots will dry out very rapidly. Dry roots = dead strawberry plants. However, too much moisture will rot the roots. Rotten roots = dead strawberry plants. So, by covering the roots and then regularly applying enough water to keep the roots moist (but not waterlogged), your bare-root strawberries will likely be vibrant when warmer temperatures come in the spring.

3. Store in a hospitable climate. Temperature dictates a strawberry plant’s seasonal cycle. The worst thing for the longevity of a strawberry plant is to revive it from its dormant state prematurely. In order to keep it dormant, it must be in a cool home, yet protected from extreme temperature. One of the best places to store bare-root strawberry plants is in a root cellar. If a root cellar is unavailable, an unheated garage or basement will usually do the trick. But, if the temperature rises and brings forth the strawberries from dormancy and a cold snap follows, they will likely suffer cold injury and may die.

Storing Strawberry Plants (Not Bare-Root)

If you need to dig up your strawberry plants due to a permanent change of location or some other reason, the best way to do it is to transfer entire plants. To do this, protect the strawberry plants as discussed on the Growing Strawberries page. Then wait until a few frosts have occurred to ensure that the strawberry plants are fully dormant. Following the frosts, use a sturdy trowel to dig up both the dormant strawberry plants and most of their central root system. Put them in cheap plastic pots and store as mentioned above. This will help speed the re-establishment process when you plant them out again in late winter/early spring. The downsides of doing it this way are extra equipment costs (plastic pots and maybe some potting soil) and more space.

Storing Bare-Root Strawberry Plants: Conclusion

To emphasize the fragility of true bare-root strawberry plants, consider the care that the major nurseries must give to such plants in order to ship them safely to consumers. In order to keep bare-root strawberries alive just long enough to make it to their new homes, the nurseries will wrap the roots in moistened paper, put them in moisture-tight plastic bags, put them in their shipping boxes, and then store them in freezers below freezing. The plants are then shipped so that the recipient will get them on a Friday or before so that they don’t die on a truck somewhere over the weekend.

So, remember: if you buy strawberry plants in the spring or the fall from an online retailer, get them in the ground as soon as possible (the same day you receive them). Once the roots are covered, they aren’t bare-root plants any longer and can survive.

Learn everything about growing strawberries from the Strawberry Master Manual, also don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and Facebook to stay updated with everything I post. We also have a Strawberry gardening group on Facebook! Feel free to join.

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Plant Mail-order Strawberry Runners - BBC Gardeners World Magazine

When buying strawberry plants, you can choose between pot-grown plants (available during summer at garden centres and nurseries) or mail-order runners.

Find out all you need to know about growing strawberries in our Strawberry Grow Guide.

Pot-grown plants have the advantage of being grown on and should fruit well in their first year. They are, however, more expensive, and fewer varieties are available.

Mail-order runners are the cheaper, more traditional way to buy strawberry plants and a good option if you are starting a new strawberry patch. They are available in spring and autumn and are sold in bundles of 10-15 plants, with long roots and a tiny tuft of leaves on top.

Find out how to propagate strawberries from home-propagated runners.

Strawberries need a cold spell to initiate flowers and fruit – ideally a fortnight below 7°C. So if you can, order and plant your runners in autumn. If you miss your chance, buy artificially chilled ‘cold-stored’ runners, available from mid-spring, which will fruit about 60 days after planting.

Discover how to grow strawberries from mail-order runners, below.

Runners are the cheaper, more traditional way to buy
strawberry plants.

You Will Need

Step 1

Choose a site with sun for at least half the day. Fork in 3-4 shovels of well-rotted compost per square metre and rake the plot level.

Raking the soil level

Step 2

As soon as your runners arrive, unwrap and soak in tepid water for a few minutes before planting. If this is not possible, runners can be kept in the fridge for a few days; just keep the roots moist.

Unwrapping the strawberry runners

Step 3

Plant runners 30-38cm apart, with the crown at soil level – too deep and the plant will rot, too high and the crown will dry out. Use your fingers to firm the soil around the roots.

Planting the strawberry runners

Step 4

Keep the plants well watered during dry weather. Remove flowers from summer varieties in their first year to allow plants to establish. Flowers can be left on perpetuals to fruit later in the season.

Watering young strawberry plants

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How to Preserve Strawberry Whiskers Until Planting: Rules and Best Practices

Many gardeners are wondering how to keep strawberry vines until planting. Today, there are many methods that allow you to achieve excellent results. At the same time, they allow you to save planting material for a different period of time. Thanks to this, gardeners can choose the best option and properly plant the plant. It will quickly take root and will soon please with a good harvest.

Contents

  1. Advantages of strawberry propagation with mustache
  2. How to select and prepare landing material
  3. Criteria for the selection of mustache
  4. Rules for pruning
  5. Conditions and rules for saving antennae
  6. for 2-3 weeks
  7. to 2 months
  8. How to store seedlings in winter until spring?
  9. Preserving seedlings by snowing
  10. Nuances of caring for strawberry whiskers after planting
  11. Typical gardener mistakes

Benefits of propagating strawberries with whiskers

Growing strawberries with a mustache has many advantages. When implementing this method, additional premises for seedlings are not required. In this case, there is no need to use boxes and soil. Also, you do not need to spend time caring for sprouts, diving and moving into the soil.

When the plant is propagated by tendrils, all sprouts take root, as they are separated from mother crops with roots. In addition, it is possible to preserve all varietal characteristics of the culture.

This method also allows the propagation of new strawberry hybrids. In such a situation, it is possible to obtain vegetative offspring, in which the parental characteristics of the culture are completely transmitted. nine0003

How to select and prepare planting material

To succeed in growing strawberries, it is recommended to pay attention to the selection and preparation of plants.

Selection criteria for whiskers

In the first year after planting in the ground, all whiskers should be removed from strawberry bushes. This manipulation allows you to get strong cultures with developed roots. In addition, all flower stalks are removed from annual plants. Thanks to this, they will not waste energy on the formation of fruits. nine0003

It is possible to form mustaches of 1, 2, 3 orders on the mother strawberry bush. More powerful whiskers are located closer to the plant. These are the recommended ones to use.

Strawberry bushes 2 years old or older produce new shoots.

At the beginning of the season it is recommended to choose the strongest and largest plants. They should be marked with a sign or other method.

Trimming Rules

In mid-July, the mustache should be trimmed and planted side by side. By the end of summer, they will give roots and begin active development. Before the arrival of winter, all crops should be dived and moved to a cool room. By this time, the mustache has its own roots and can survive the winter. nine0003

Conditions and rules for keeping tendrils

In some situations, after trimming the tendrils, there is no possibility of planting in the soil. In such a situation, there is a need to store planting material. This can be done within 2 months. However, it is better to plant the mustache immediately. Thanks to this, they take root much better.

For 2-3 weeks

Cut seedlings should be immersed in a growth stimulant solution. If it is impossible to plant a plant immediately, it is recommended to leave it in water for 2-3 weeks. During this time, beautiful roots are formed. Then the culture should be moved to open soil. nine0003

Up to 2 months

There is a way to store strawberry whiskers for up to 2 months. For this, seedlings are recommended to be sprinkled with soil and stored at home. It is important to constantly monitor soil moisture. Thus, experienced gardeners store plants for sale. It is recommended to cover the bottom of the container with foam rubber or wet moss.

How to store seedlings in winter until spring?

When storing strawberry seedlings, some conditions should be observed. The temperature regime should be + 2-6 degrees. Humidity parameters should not fall below 90%. The optimal conditions include the excess of carbon dioxide content by 2 times compared to oxygen.

Hang up wet towels if the humidity in the room is too low. If the room, on the contrary, is too humid, it needs to be ventilated. At this point, seedlings are recommended to be warmed.

It is allowed to store strawberries in the following places:

If the seedlings are stored indoors, the bushes should be planted in boxes. For this, boxes with a double layer are suitable. The root zone should be covered in several layers with moss or sawdust. From time to time it is worth evaluating the condition of the seedlings. If necessary, they should be watered. nine0003

Some gardeners leave strawberries to winter right in the garden. To do this, the earth should be moistened, fed and covered with insulation. The material should be fixed on the bed so that it does not blow away. If the storage rules are violated, strawberries may freeze.

Sprouts can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 months. Plants should be placed in a bag without soil. It is recommended to sprinkle it with water and put it on the bottom shelf. The temperature regime should be + 1-2 degrees.

Another popular storage method is the Freego method. To do this, cut off all the leaves from the seedlings and place them in a cold place. Thanks to this, it is possible to select the strongest plants, get rid of weak crops and achieve excellent yields. nine0003

Preserving seedlings by snowing

To use this method, strawberries must be prepared in advance. 1 month before this, it is worth reducing the amount of watering. 2 weeks before shelter, it is recommended to completely stop moistening the soil.

After that, the bushes should be watered once to prevent them from drying out. During this time, strawberries slow down life processes.

After that, do the following:

  1. Select an area that is permanently covered with 15 centimeters of snow. nine0008
  2. Transfer dug seedlings to it.
  3. Cover the bed with straw.
  4. Top with spunbond.
  5. Lay a layer of snow 10 centimeters thick.
  6. Add another layer of straw to keep the snow from melting and keep the heat in.

Tips for caring for strawberry tendrils after planting

During the first 2 weeks after planting, the plants should be watered every morning. Then it is recommended to do this with an interval of 3 days. To prevent the active growth of weeds, the site should be covered with a mulch layer - needles, straw, sawdust. It is also permissible to use agrofibre. nine0003

Fertilizers are recommended to be applied 3 times during the growing season. It is best to use organic matter - manure, humus, humus or peat. If this is not possible, it is permissible to use ready-made tools.

Prevention of infestation by parasites is of no small importance. Sick plants should be removed from the site and the leaves and stems should be treated. At the time of the beginning of flowering, it is worth removing the peduncles and stepchildren.

Common gardening mistakes

Common gardening mistakes include:

  1. The vine that connects the mother plant to the rosette is cut too soon. As a result, the young bush does not have time to form developed roots, which negatively affects its adaptation.
  2. Do not control the number of whiskers on the bush. As a result, too many outlets appear on them. This leads to a weakening of the plant and problems with the adaptation of the bushes in a new place.
  3. Mustache transplanted several times. Young sockets have too fragile roots that are easily damaged. nine0008
  4. Perform the procedure in rainy or hot weather. High humidity leads to the development of fungal infections, and heat provokes a strong weakening of crops.
  5. Transplant bushes to an unprepared place. When using the wrong soil or neglecting fertilizers, there is a risk of poor crop establishment.

The issue of storing mustaches on strawberries is considered quite relevant. To achieve success in this, it is worth choosing the right technique and clearly following the recommendations of experienced gardeners. nine0156

photos and names. How to choose strawberries for planting

In most areas, the queen of berries, strawberries, is grown. It prefers a warm climate with snowy winters. In areas of the temperate zone, many varieties do not withstand harsh frosts of 18-27 ° C, and a significant part of the stems freezes. Part is restored to fruiting with damage to the crop. Breeders have bred dozens of varieties adapted to cold climates, many bear fruit later than others, but their flower stalks are not damaged by May frosts. Some can overwinter even without snow cover. Consider winter-hardy varieties of late strawberries with a photo, name, and a brief description. nine0003

Strawberry variety Unexpected Joy: description

A novelty with large dark raspberry berries of almost perfect shape with occasional shallow grooves. Bred by Krasnodar breeders. Received resistance to most species diseases: verticillium, powdery mildew, stem nematode. It is not exacting to moisture, except for the fruiting period. The fruits are juicy, with a small amount of pulp, dense, which is typical for any variety of autumn strawberries. Bestows sweet berries until late autumn. nine0003

Red Gauntlet - an ideal variety for the Moscow region

A plant from Scotland with a medium late fruit ripening period. The first will be large, up to 30 g, wide-conical, slightly flattened laterally. The ribbing is slightly pronounced, the color is dark red, plaque is noticeable. Powerful stalks do not always keep the berries above the ground. Part falls on the foliage, part - on the soil. Productivity up to 100 kg per hundred square meters. Strawberries Red Gauntlet are not afraid of frost, leaf spot, gray rot.

Strawberry Verdi: description and photo of variety

Dutch garden strawberry fruiting in June. Suitable for any type of cultivation: in the field, in the greenhouse, under cover. The first fruits are large, dense, barely conical, the subsequent ones are more elongated and sweet. The berries need to be picked every 2-3 days. The grade equally well maintains a heat and low temperatures in the winter. It bears fruit for a long time: next to the first ripe fruits there will be flowers and even buds. Perfectly resists the attacks of infectious diseases, mold.

Disease resistant strawberries UK

Highly productive bushes give up to 2-2.5 kg of large berries per season, their weight is 40-80 g, the latter are smaller. They are juicy, with a moderate amount of pulp. The latter reach by the beginning of September, in the northern regions the berries turn red in the garden even in early October. Overripe fruits are first filled with water, then dry. The bushes of Great Britain are tall, powerful, frost-resistant, not afraid of return frosts during flowering.

Troubadour with simultaneously ripening berries

Widespread industrial variety of autumn strawberries with medium yield, but large berries. Bred in the British Isles, tolerates a short drought. An important characteristic is that most fruits are reached simultaneously, over several days. Peduncles hold the berries at the level of the foliage, most of the falling fruits are on the leaves. They are long, cone-shaped, ribbed. Strawberry Troubadour produces powerful side shoots. nine0003

Zenga Zengana - cold summer cultivar

Germanic shrub for areas with short daylight hours. If at the end of May it lasts more than 13 hours, fewer fruit buds are laid. A month after flowering, bright red giant fruits with a wax coating are formed, which are well transported. The yield of the bush is 1-1.5 kg. Practically does not react to prolonged waterlogging, however, it is affected by gray rot, leaf spot.

Pegasus strawberry variety: description and photo

Garden strawberry from Britain, yielding up to 1.5 kg of fruit per bush. The bush is powerful, tall and sprawling. The berries are large - 30-45 g, flattened on opposite sides, do not ripen at the same time. Moderately soft and juicy, without sourness, suitable for transportation. Strong flower stalks keep the mass of fruits at the level of foliage, above the ground. They do not tolerate drought well.

Henry's strawberry: description and characteristics

Victoria dark-colored with powerful tall bushes, the stalks of which barely hold giant berries of an imperfect, sometimes ornate, shape: with ribs, outgrowths, deep depressions. Weight - 60-70, sometimes up to 100g. The fruits do not crumple, do not give juice during overload, delivery to the customer. They have an aroma with hints of peach, there are no voids inside. Excellent resistance to stains, rot. nine0003

Strawberry variety Princess Diana

British selection bushes bear fruit from late July until frost. Farmers are grown mainly for processing - ripe berries crumple, secrete juice during pouring, transportation. They have a lot of sugars, pulp, sourness is present. Princess Diana is known for her complex disease resistance. Forms a lot of powerful whiskers, which will have to be fought regularly.

Siberian beauty Anastasia

Moisture-loving frost-resistant strawberry variety from Siberia, enduring late spring freezing. Resistant to diseases, berries are almost not interested in birds and pests. The fruits are conical with a slightly blunt tip, medium to large in size, dark red in color, occur with depressions. nine0003

Early variety Yunia Smides

Guest from Lithuania for Belarus, the Baltic states, northwestern regions of Russia. The first berries are large, barrel-shaped with a slight thinning at the tip. In the next harvest waves, they become smaller. Strawberries Yunia Smides even unripe fruits are sweet, there are no voids in them. Bushes reveal their potential in the third year - they give up to 1 kg of sweets.

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