Winterize strawberry plants pots
Winterizing Potted Strawberry Plants - Gardening Channel
Of all the fruits, strawberries are among the easiest to grow and are a good choice to grow as container plants. Winterizing your potted strawberry plants will keep them happy year after year.
Pots used to grow strawberries are usually made of terra cotta; the reddish-orange pots we all know so well. Both ‘regular’ terra cotta pots and those made specifically for strawberries or small succulents will work just fine. The reason for using terra cotta is that it’s highly porous which allows for well-drained soil. You can purchase strawberry pots at your local home and garden centers or online at places like Amazon. Another popular choice for a container gardener is a wire hanging basket lined with coconut fiber or moss.
Strawberries are perennial plants — they go through a period of dormancy in the winter and return in early spring ready to go again for another growing season. With a minimal amount of preparation for getting them through cold temperatures, your strawberry plants in pots can be as productive as in-ground plants. The amount of winterizing required depends on what planting zone you live in.
Virtually every planting zone is conducive for growing strawberry plants at least a few months out of the year. If you don’t know what zone you live in, go to PlantMaps.com to find out. Those living in zones 2-7 have long winter months and colder temperatures which will require winterizing your potted strawberries. Those living in zone 8 or higher can rest easy because no extra attention is necessary.
Winter care for strawberry pots in parts of the country with cold winters can be accomplished by putting the pots in a cool garage or cellar. You can also remove the plants from the pot and plant them in plastic pots. For best results plant those pots in the ground in your garden beds, up to the top rim of the pots (leaving the top of the plants exposed). Of course this needs to be done before the ground freezes. The plants should then be covered over with a loose layer of clean straw.
For warmer zones or areas with mild winters that don’t experience extended periods of temperatures below freezing, simply place the plants under the deck, on a covered porch or any protected area to provide coverage from winter precipitation and winter wind.
If you have an extended period of cold weather with below freezing temperatures, it’s a good idea to bring them into your garage or cellar.
Those living in the warmest climates — where berries are produced commercially — simply removing unwanted runners from the plants to promote healthier growth of the mother plant and watering them less frequently is sufficient.
That’s about all there is to winterizing your potted strawberry plants. Honest. Homegrown strawberries make a great container crop for the following reasons. They:
1. Have shallow roots
2. Are low-maintenance plants
3. Produce small fruits that don’t require a lot of room
4. Have a vine-like quality that allows them to grow and produce outside the container
5. Naturally propagate runners that can be rooted quickly and easily into more pots
Ever-bearing strawberries (those which produce berries in the spring and late summer) are usually the best for growing in pots.
Some of the more popular varieties of everbearing strawberries are Calypso, Alpine, Arapahoe and Alexandria.
When buying your plants, make sure you purchase healthy plants with nice green foliage, few if any runners and plants whose root crowns are firm but fleshy feeling. Plants can be purchased at your local home and garden centers, or from fellow gardeners in your area who have plants to spare. Any of these reputable seed and plant catalogs are also excellent sources for quality plants that come with limited guarantees: Henry Fields, Gurney, Jung, Burpee, Park Seeds and Harris Seeds.
Growing strawberry plants in pots is a fun, economical, delicious and easy way to introduce you or your children to gardening and healthy eating.
How to winterize strawberry plants
Are you wondering how to winterize strawberry plants? Whether you grow them in containers, a raised bed or in the ground, knowing how to care for strawberries over winter is important to ensure they stay alive, healthy and will produce maximum yield the following year; after all, no summer would be complete without fresh strawberries and cream.
Homegrown strawberries, freshly picked and eaten on a warm sunny day, are one of the true joys of summer. They are brilliant garden ideas as they are often much sweeter and tastier than shop-bought varieties. However, to survive from year to year, they will need to be overwintered. Below, we explain how.
How to winterize strawberry plants
(Image credit: Getty images)
Ensuring that caring for your strawberry plants is on your list of winter garden ideas will mean you will have a good crop to enjoy come summer with no need to buy them.
However, before you learn how to winterize strawberry plants, you first need to consider your local climate.
Do strawberries need to be winterized?
If you are investigating how to grow strawberries, and want a low maintenance approach to gardening, it's worth knowing that strawberry plants are hardy in the USDA zones 6+ and in the UK; in these climates strawberry plants can often survive without protection provided they are in a well-drained site, but in places that experience colder temperatures they may need protection.
While they are fairly hardy, and require cold temperatures to enter dormancy, strawberry plants will not tolerate hard ground frosts or waterlogged soils.
‘Winter care for strawberries is different depending on where you live. If you live in an area that gets down to temperatures of 15ºF (-10ºC) they need to be covered, this usually applies to zones 3, 4, 5, and northernmost parts of 6,' says Venelin Demitrov, horticulturist at Burpee .
'In southernmost parts of zone 6 and zone 7, where it is likely for the ground to freeze, it is best to cover them but they don’t have to be covered. If you live in a warmer zone, like zones 8 or 9 you do not need to cover them.'
(Image credit: Getty Images)
What's the best way to winterize strawberry plants?
If you're planning a winter garden, it's worth knowing that overwintering strawberries isn't complicated. The best way to protect strawberry plants from ground frost is to add a layer of mulch around the base of the plants after they have entered dormancy.
This mulch will also help retain moisture as while they do not like waterlogged soils, strawberry plants to like to be kept moist.
‘For mulching, lightweight options like straw are best; cover with 3-4 inches once the ground freezes,’ says Venelin Demitrov, horticulturist at Burpee .
However, strawberry plants do benefit from the cold in order to fruit well and it is essential that any mulching is done after they have entered dormancy.
‘A few light frosts in fall will send strawberry plants into dormancy. In USDA hardiness zones 5 or lower, plants usually enter dormancy by the end of November. In zones 6 and higher, dormancy usually starts in December,’ Amy Enfield, Horticulturist for Bonnie Plants .
In climates with milder winters mulching is not necessary but new flower buds may be protected with from harsh frosts in early spring using horticultural fleece or cloches.
(Image credit: Unsplash)
How to prepare strawberries for winter
To overwinter strawberries, whether they need protecting from harsh winters or not, give them some care and attention before winter sets in to ensure they are healthy and ready for fruiting next summer.
Preparing summer-fruiting strawberry plants for the next year starts after they have fruited. Here’s a step by step guide.
Cut back after fruiting – After the last summer-fruiting strawberries have been harvested, cut plants back to 3 inches (7.5cm) above the ground to help direct the plant’s energy back into their roots and to create space for new shoots to develop before it goes into dormancy. Remove all dead leaves and trimmings. It is not necessary to cut back autumn-fruiting plants.
Remove summer straw mulch – Strawberries are low lying fruits, so before fruits form in early summer many gardeners surround the bases with straw to protect the fruits from dirt and pests – strawberry mats are also used. However, in areas with mild winters, leaving this straw applied over winter can cause your strawberry bed to become a breeding ground for pests and disease, so this should be removed. In areas with mild winters there is no need to re-apply the mulch, but in climates with harsh winters a fresh mulch can be added – see below.
Feed – Applying a fertilizer after cutting the plants back will help the plants produce new growth before they enter the dormant period. This should be done well before the first frosts, in late summer or early fall, as promoting new growth in winter can lead to tender growth being damaged by frost.
Clear up – Strawberries are susceptible to disease so before winter it is important to clear up any dead leaves from around the plant and be sure to remove and discard any dead plants. It is also best to keep the area around the plants weed-free, too.
Mulch after the first frost – If growing strawberries in areas with harsh winters (as discussed above) a 2-3 inch layer of mulch can be added round the plants to help protect the roots from ground frosts. If your region has really cold winters it may be worth adding a thicker layer.
However, before you apply mulch, It is important to make sure your strawberry plants have entered dormancy.
‘If plants are not hardened off properly, they can continue to actively grow under the mulch and these tender shoots can be easily damaged by any sudden cold weather,’ says Amy Enfield, horticulturist for Bonnie Plants .
(Image credit: Getty images)
What mulch to use to winterize strawberries?
There is debate over what mulch to use to winterize strawberries, but the general consensus is that lightweight mulches of straw or pine needles work best.
‘Choose a material that allows water to drain and air to circulate. Clean straw and pine needles make great winter mulch,’ says Amy Enfield, Horticulturist for Bonnie Plants. ‘Wet, clumpy mulches like leaf mould may promote disease and can form a compressed mat that will suffocate strawberry plants.’
(Image credit: Getty Images)
How to winterize strawberry plants in pots
Strawberries can be grown in pots or containers but as these sit above the ground they will be more vulnerable to the cold than ground-grown plants and will dry out more quickly.
To help protect strawberries in pots from cold weather you can try several things:
As with ground-grown summer-fruiting strawberries, the plants can be cut back after fruiting and cleared of dead leaves and old foliage before the winter.
Being limited, the soil in pots or containers will dry out more quickly than soil in the ground, so over the winter you will need to check that your container-grown strawberry plants have not dried out and to water them when needed to keep them moist.
(Image credit: Getty images)
Do strawberry plants need to be cut back?
Summer-fruiting strawberries should be cut back to about 3 inches (7.5cm) above the crown to direct energy into the roots of the plant and to make space for new shoots, but care must be taken not to cut out any new growth. Cutting back is not necessary for autumn-fruiting strawberries but any old or damaged foliage should be removed before winter.
How do you prepare strawberry plants for the spring/summer season?
Once the threat of frosts have passed the winter mulch can be removed from the strawberry plants, but you need to be careful not to remove it too early, explains Emily Barbosa Fernandes, small space gardener from California and a consultant at HouseGrail .
‘Leave the mulch on as long as possible. Removing it too early may cause them to flower too early, causing the flowers to freeze,’ she explains. ‘A good rule of thumb is to remove the mulch when around 25-30% of the plant shows new growth. Once you pull the mulch, fertilize the strawberries with a 10-10-10 fertilizer.’
Preparing strawberries for winter: how to protect a berry plantation from frost
The last few days are before frost. It's time for the plants to rest and gain strength during the winter sleep for the next summer, sun and harvest.
But in order to keep strawberry bushes healthy and strong until spring, they need to be properly prepared for wintering. How to do it right - read our article.
How to prepare strawberries for winter
There is one obligatory rule - you can prepare berry bushes for winter only after flowers and berry ovaries stop appearing on them. For better preservation of the bushes in winter, it is necessary to carry out a set of works on pruning the leaves of strawberries or strawberries, carrying out autumn dressings with special compounds and arranging a winter shelter directly.
Should strawberries be pruned in autumn
Experts argue whether it's better to cut leaves from strawberry bushes in winter or not. There are quite a few reasons to make a “haircut” in autumn:
- Strawberry pests often hibernate in old leaves.
- Leaves - a place of accumulation of pathogens of infectious diseases.
- In contact with moist soil, the leaves quickly rot, becoming a dangerous factor in infecting the whole plant with rot.
- Plants with minimal leaves are easier to cover and mulch.
Along with this, there are good reasons not to prune strawberry bushes:
- Pruning the leaves leaves a lot of wounds, especially when removing a lot of green mass. Wound surfaces serve as entry gates for infections.
- With a cardinal removal of leaves, the strawberry bush is under severe stress, and this is not at all good when preparing for winter. In addition, the plant will try to recover urgently and will begin to spend the last of its strength on growing new foliage.
- If the leaves are not carefully removed, the heart of the bush is often damaged, such a plant may die in the winter.
We believe that the best option is a partial pruning of strawberries, when the oldest and most damaged leaves are removed. It is not necessary to manually tear them off the bush; it is best to carefully cut the leaf cuttings with sharp scissors or secateurs that do not crumple the leaf tissue.
Diseased leaves are burned, otherwise an infectious focus may appear on the berry plantation next year. If the leaves are healthy, put them in the compost.
If rooted whiskers remain near the bushes, then you can not remove young plants from the garden until spring. When winter passes, they are transplanted to a new place or replaced with young growth of old, overgrown bushes. Overwintered rooted rosettes are more resistant to bad weather, bloom faster and give a full harvest.
Watering before wintering
Strawberry or strawberry bushes should not go into winter sluggish, so the beds are well watered several times before preparing the plants for shelter.
Watering is carried out in advance, several times throughout September, depending on the weather. If the beginning of autumn turned out to be rainy, watering is optional.
Autumn feeding of strawberries increases resistance to frost
A rich harvest depletes berry bushes, so strawberries must be fed with nutrients before wintering. This operation is performed after partial removal of the leaves, using organic fertilizers. Suitable bird and cow manure, ash, compost diluted in water.
- Bird droppings. It is diluted in proportions of 1:10, where 10 is water in liters. An effective fertilizer, it is soaked in water, insisted for 2 days and poured under strawberry bushes, trying not to get on the leaves. It is best not to pour the solution close to the center of the bush, but to water it between rows.
- Mullein. Diluted in proportions 1:1:10, where 1 - mullein; 1 - charcoal or ash, 10 - water. To prepare the infusion, take rotted mullein and one part of the ash.
Insist for 2-3 days, watered with a row-spacing solution. - Ash. It is applied at the rate of 150 g per 1 m2. You can scatter on the garden bed in a dry form, powdering the plantings.
Fertilized plants endure the winter better, bloom massively in the spring ahead of schedule.
Mulching
In September the beds and row spacings should be mulched. There is no need to do preliminary loosening of the earth now, as this can damage the roots, which will result in unnecessary problems for the wintering plant. You can lightly roll the lower part of the bush with earth, especially if the roots are exposed.
Straw, spruce branches, fallen leaves, corn stalks are best suited for mulching strawberries.
Spread the mulch on the ground, trying to distribute it evenly.
In the northern regions, where the winters are harsh, you can cover the beds with strawberries more carefully. With the onset of frost, voluminous branches are laid on top of the beds and a special agrofiber or lutrasil is rolled out on top.
As snow falls, it is raked over the shelter. Under such a "blanket" berry bushes are safe, just do not forget to remove it in early spring, otherwise the plantings may rot.
Strawberries are not so difficult to care for - simple measures carried out on time will allow you to harvest the richest harvest of tasty and healthy berries next year.
Author: Oksana Artemenko, garden expert of the Backer online store
Published: 07 Sep 2020
Views: 32573
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How to grow strawberries in pots in winter at home
Strawberries are one of the favorite treats not only for children but also for adults. Many gardeners quite often grow it in their yard or in a greenhouse. But there are also craftsmen who have adapted to grow strawberries in a pot at home on the window in the winter season. How to do this, and will be discussed today.
Contents
- 1 Features of growing strawberries in winter
- 1.
1 How to wake up the seedling - 1.2 Pollination
- 1.
- 2 Suitable strawberry varieties
- 3 Preparation of the soil
- 3.1 Preparation of strawberry seedlings
- 4 Planting pots
- 4.1 Planting technology
- 4.01
- 5 Pollination of strawberries at home in winter
- 6 Conclusions
- 7 Video about growing strawberries at home
Peculiarities of growing strawberries in winter
Today everyone can grow any vegetables and fruits all year round. To do this, it is enough to have a special greenhouse. But this option is costly. Therefore, recently has been gaining immense popularity in growing garden and garden plants at home on a windowsill or balcony . Strawberries are no exception. After all, many will agree that it is very original and tasty.
Growing strawberries in a pot is a popular pastime.
This will require high-quality seedlings, a pot, soil and great patience, because strawberry is a rather capricious plant .
An important point! Dug strawberry seedlings are stored in a cold room for up to 9 months.
How to wake up a seedling
During short daylight hours in winter, you will need a fluorescent lamp.
To wake up a seedling, it must be brought into a warm room. Thus, if desired, it is possible to establish a conveyor growing of strawberries, all year round.
It is important to remember that this plant is photophilous, and in winter, as you know, daylight hours are short. Therefore, additional lighting should be provided, a fluorescent lamp will help in this.
Pollination
Pollination can be done with a brush.
Another nuance is pollination. Since during the cultivation of strawberries in a greenhouse you can place a beehive there with bees or run bumblebees, it is impossible to do this in an apartment.
But don't be upset, in order to carry out the pollination process, you need to touch strawberry flowers with a brush every day.
Suitable strawberry varieties
To get a really suitable strawberry variety, you should not be fooled by beautiful pictures in flower shops. According to many experienced gardeners, you should choose proven remontant strawberry varieties. They are less capricious in care and are able to bear fruit all year round.
The Queen Elizabeth II strawberry variety is suitable for growing on a windowsill.
Remontant strawberry varieties do not live long, only 2-3 years.
Following the feedback of people who have been growing strawberries on the windowsill for several years , the following varieties are ideal :
- Autumn Fun
- Garland
- Crimean remontant
- Inexhaustible, etc.
- Queen Elizabeth
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Roman F1
- Tristar
- Brighton.
It is best to plant strawberries not from seeds, but from seedlings. Since during planting with the help of seeds you will have to try hard for the plants to grow. But during planting seedlings, the hassle will be much less.
Soil preparation
Once a variety has been selected, soil preparation can begin.
Ready-made primer is available from the shop.
Many people, in order not to bother, buy ready-made soil in soda centers. But there are also gardeners who cook it on their own. In addition, such soil is considered the best.
- To prepare the substrate, you will need sand, humus and earth from the ephedra in equal parts. All these components must be mixed well.
- It is undesirable to take land from the garden . Since it is not loose enough and is very often infected with various diseases, which can lead to the death of plants.
Preparing strawberry seedlings
Strawberries that have just been dug out of the garden should not be planted in a pot.
Many often make the mistake of planting strawberries dug up from the garden in autumn without any preparation.
- Before planting such a strawberry in a pot, it must be carefully inspect for disease .
- You should choose only the most beautiful and complete rosettes.
- Before planting, selected seedlings are placed in a pot of soil and placed in a cool place (cellar or refrigerator) for 12–14 days. This will induce dormant states in the plant, so it will rest a bit.
Planting strawberries in pots
The first step is to take care of the container for the strawberry bush. It is important that it be the right size and have special holes for water drainage, for one seedling, a 3-liter flowerpot is considered the norm. Many housewives prefer to plant strawberries in long balcony pots. In this case, 3-4 bushes can be placed in one flowerpot.
Long balcony pots are suitable for growing strawberries.
Important to remember! It is impossible to transplant strawberries from one container to another. Because after transplantation, adult bushes very often die.
Planting technique
If the strawberries are planted correctly, they will yield.
This stage is the most important, since the further growth of the strawberry crop will depend on the correctness of actions during planting seeds or seedlings.
Planting seedlings
Pebbles can be used as drainage.
- There must be a drain at the bottom of the container. To do this, use pebbles, expanded clay or broken bricks.
- The roots of the plant must then be examined; if they are too long, they must be shortened . So that they fit freely in containers.
- The roots of the plant are carefully covered with earth and lightly compacted .
- Strawberries should be watered after planting .
This can be done with the help of growth stimulants.
Planting seeds
- First, the seeds are placed in small plastic cups and covered with foil.
- Then they must be placed in the warmest place in the apartment.
- After the sprouts grow a little, they are transplanted into a permanent place (flowerpot).
Strawberry seeds should be placed in a glass and placed in a warm place.
Caring for indoor strawberries
Strawberries require abundant watering.
Caring for strawberries in flowerpots on the windowsill is a time-consuming process. Since this plant requires a lot of attention, especially if it is not grown in the natural environment in winter. In order for strawberries to develop well and bear fruit, you must follow the basic rules of care:
- Lighting . Firstly, you need to place flowerpots with strawberries on windows where the sun's rays constantly fall.
But the plant will still not have enough daylight in winter, it needs additional illumination with fluorescent lamps. - Watering . O should be regular and plentiful.
- The temperature must be within 20 - degrees .
- Top dressing. It is obligatory during flowering and ripening of berries. This should be done once every two weeks. During this period, it is recommended to make complex, organic or mineral fertilizers. You can also spray strawberries with iron-containing fertilizers, it favorably affects the amount of the crop.
- Loosening. This should be done regularly to ensure that oxygen reaches the roots.
Pollination of strawberries at home in winter
This is a must for harvesting. Therefore, we will consider it in more detail.
This is done in two ways: mechanical and manual .
