How to prepare strawberries for winter - all the most important autumn tasks

When to start preparing strawberries for winter?

The timing of autumn gardening procedures depends on the region in which the summer cottage is located. It is necessary to determine the moment so that the bushes have time to recover and get stronger after pruning and replanting. If prepared too late, the berry runs the risk of freezing, which will lead to its weakening, disease or death.

Cleaning times in different regions of the country:

1. In outskirts of Moscow. This is the region where warm summers quickly and sharply give way to cold weather. It is recommended to carry out all preparatory activities in early September.
2. In the Urals. Cut off damaged leaves in the second half of July. Then remove the beds from dead wood. At the end of August you can already prune the plant.
3. In Siberia. Harsh climatic conditions make it possible to begin autumn preparations immediately after harvesting. In early August, it is recommended to remove old leaves from the lower rows and flower stalks from the plant. Before the onset of cold weather, all that remains is to periodically water and feed.
4. In the Leningrad region. Increased humidity in the area contributes to the rapid development of fungal diseases and plant rotting. You can free the ridge from old leaves, dry peduncles and tendrils from the second half of August.
5. Other regions. Later than everyone else, autumn berry processing activities begin in the southern regions of the country: in Crimea, Krasnodar Territory. Here summer residents begin to implement them in early October.

How to properly care for strawberries in the fall?

Beginner gardeners often make mistakes when working with strawberries.

It is forbidden:

• trim bushes close to the roots;
• stop watering after harvesting berries;
• cover prematurely with thick film (if the weather is still warm), etc.

This leads to a decrease in the yield of garden land the following year. To avoid such an outcome, you should study the nuances of processing the plant in the autumn.

Cleaning and weeding beds

The first thing you need to do when holding fall events is to get rid of weeds. The grass interferes with the full ventilation of the berry crop, and takes away part of its nutrition. It’s better not to delay weeding. It is recommended to do it at the end of summer.

There is no need to pull out weeds in the fall. There is a risk of damaging the root system, and it will not have time to fully recover before the onset of cold weather.

Trimming

One of the controversial issues among gardeners is whether strawberries should be pruned. Experienced gardeners claim that after the procedure the plant will spend all its energy on forming new green mass. By the time it gets colder, the berry will be weakened.

Opponents of the procedure remove leaves, leaving only short stems, only if signs of damage or disease are noticed on them.

To perform partial trimming, do the following:

1. Prepare pruning shears or sharp garden shears. Immerse the instrument in the disinfectant solution for a few seconds. Use gloves to protect your hands.
2. Carefully trim off dry, weakened or damaged leaves. Remove leaf blades with red coloring or spots.
3. Place waste in containers and take it outside the site. It cannot be left on the ridge or between the rows. The process of rotting will begin and spread to healthy parts of the bush. Also, bacteria multiply under rotten cuttings, which are not always beneficial for the plant.

It is better not to touch large and lush leaves. In winter, they will become reliable protection from frost and wind.

It is better not to prune remontant varieties. This is justified by the fact that strawberries bear fruit until frost. And removing leaves in cold weather will not allow the crop to recover. But it is necessary to remove leaves with signs of disease or damage. This can be done on warm, dry days during the fruiting process.

An experienced gardener will tell you about the pros and cons of pruning strawberries for winter in the following video:

Loosening and hilling

Late loosening can negatively affect the condition of the root system of berry bushes. But, this event helps saturate the soil with oxygen. In the future, it will have a positive effect on the growth and development of the plant. The golden mean is to loosen the rows at the end of August.

Hilling up is a necessary procedure. During the summer season, the plant develops new root shoots, which form in the upper part of the rhizome. If you do not hill up at the end of summer, the root system will be exposed and will freeze out from the winter cold.

Watering

Watering the crop is required until the beginning of October. In dry weather, abundant irrigation of the soil once a week is sufficient. Consumption is 12 l/sq.m. When the rains begin, stop the procedure.

The water should be warm. Temperature not less than 18ºC.

Top dressing

The most favorable period for feeding berry crops is the second half of September or the beginning of October. The soil should be fertilized after pruning.

The main purpose of fertilizing is to increase the nutritional level of garden berries in order to quickly recover and improve winter hardiness.

There are 2 types of autumn feeding:

1. Organic. The most common is mullein. Fertilizer helps restore microflora and saturate with nutrients. The cooking method is as follows:
   take 1 kg of organic matter and add 5 liters of water;
2. leave for 14 days;
3. Next, prepare a working solution in the ratio of 1 liter of infusion per 10 liters of water;
4. use 0.5 liters per bush for horse feeding.
5. Mineral. Dilute potassium salt with water in a ratio of 20 g of the substance per 10 liters of water. Water the row spacing with the resulting solution. You can also use superphosphate (10 g per 10 l).

It is important to observe the dosage of fertilizer. If you use it in smaller quantities, the plant will not receive enough nutrients. Autumn treatment will be ineffective.

Exceeding the norm of mineral fertilizer will lead to the accumulation of nitrates, which will negatively affect the growth of berry bushes, the quantity and quality of the future harvest. An excess of organic nitrogen-containing additives activates the growth of the crop at a time when it should be resting.

Treatment of strawberry plantation against diseases and pests

At the end of summer, it is recommended to rid the strawberry plantation of weeds, which take nutrients from the soil. Pests or pathogenic microorganisms can also hide in weeds for the winter.

In the fall, such a procedure is not recommended, since weeding damages the roots of strawberry bushes, which will not be able to recover before the onset of cold weather. Therefore, in the autumn, you can treat the weeds with a special herbicide for strawberries, Lenacil.

At the beginning of autumn, it is necessary to carefully inspect the strawberry plantings for damage by various diseases or pests. If there is an attack by pests or damage by fungi, then appropriate insecticidal and fungicidal preparations should be used.

If there are no signs of damage on the foliage of the plants, you should still carry out preventive treatment of strawberries with fungicides and insecticides, since pests or pathogenic microorganisms can “hide” in the soil or on fallen leaves for the winter.

Strawberry processing

Pre-winter treatment of strawberries from pests and diseases is ridding the bush of existing problems and prevention for the future harvest. The best time to carry it out is August, after the last harvest of berries.

From diseases

The most common disease is spotting. You can get rid of it using a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Do the following:

1. Dissolve 100 g of the active ingredient in 2 liters of water. It is better to use warm liquid with a temperature of up to 50º.
2. Mix the contents thoroughly until a homogeneous solution is formed.
3. Fill with cold water to a volume of 5 liters.
4. In a separate container, combine lime according to the instructions so that the total amount is 5 liters.
5. Mix 2 solutions. It is better in a plastic or enamel container, because in a metal container the oxidation process will begin.

Spray the strawberry bush with the resulting solution. Should be used immediately after preparation. Apply in the morning, evening or in cloudy, dry weather during the day. If it rains after carrying out the procedure, repeat the procedure.

From pests

The most common strawberry pests are spider mites.

You can get rid of them, as well as other insects, as follows:

1. Dilute 2 tbsp in 10 liters of water. l. vegetable oil and the same amount of wood ash.
2. Pour in 2 tbsp. l. vinegar.
3. Pass 20 g of soap (preferably laundry soap) through a grater. Add 2 tbsp. l. component to the general content. It is allowed to take 2 tbsp. l. liquid soap.
4. Mix the fertilizer thoroughly until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.

Spray the bushes and the soil around them with the solution. Do the treatment in early October (2 - 3 weeks before the expected cold weather).

Frost protection

One of the most important procedures in the fall is protecting strawberries from freezing. For this purpose, it is necessary to create a reliable shelter from frost and snow. Mulching or agrofibre will help solve the problem.

Mulching

In the second half of August, mulch should be laid.

Suitable for this purpose:

• cut grass, which must first be sorted out, shaken, soaked and dried in the sun;
• needles;
• tree bark crushed into large pieces;
• wood shavings or large sawdust.

It is permissible to use peat, but in small quantities. Otherwise, soil over-oxidation will occur.

Mulching is done like this:

1. Water and loosen the strawberry beds.
2. Place a layer of mulch about 2 cm deep on the soil around the bushes and between the rows.

Agrofibre

It is better to replant strawberries under agrofibre in the fall. The material will protect the plant from frost in winter, and from harmful vegetation in spring.

Boarding procedure:

1. Keep the soil free of weeds.
2. Dig it up.
3. Loosen it.
4. Apply fertilizer.
5. Spread agrofibre to suit the size of the bed.
6. Make holes in it where the holes will be located.
7. Plant strawberry seedlings in a new location.

How to treat strawberries against pests

To prevent pests from appearing on the berries, preventive measures should be taken in the fall. Before you treat strawberries against diseases and pests in the fall, you need to choose the right product.

It is best to use chemical or biological drugs. Traditional methods will also have a positive effect.

Chemicals

In the fight against parasites in the fall the following is used:

• Karbofos;
• Aktar;
• Aktellik;
• Fufanon-Nova;
• Agrovertin;
• Aktara.

Pesticides have varying degrees of toxicity. If the dosage or safety precautions are not followed, they can cause harm. The drugs must be used in strict accordance with the instructions supplied with them.

Biological agents

Biological products are not as toxic as chemicals and are generally less harmful to soil and humans. It is advisable to use them when local foci of infection are detected.

The most common:

• Fitoverm;
• Verticillin;
• Aktofit.

Treating berry bushes with iron sulfate in the fall will help the plants not get sick and strengthen their immunity. Strawberries that receive proper care in the fall will survive the winter more easily and will begin to grow faster in the spring.

Important!

The best effect of biological products will be if you combine them with chemicals.

Features of preparation for winter of different varieties

The rules for preparing strawberries for winter are identical for different varieties of berries. There are only small nuances for the usual and remontant type of plant.

Regular

The berry begins to bear fruit early and finishes yielding by the end of July. Basic procedures for preparing for winter can begin as early as August.

The variety tolerates winter well. Vegetable mulch is suitable as a cover. For example, pine needles. It should be laid out after the start of frost.

Remontantnaya

Remontant varieties of strawberries continue to bloom until the onset of cold weather. It is recommended to start preparing for winter no earlier than September.

This variety should be well saturated with moisture before winter. It is necessary to regularly water in the morning or evening with 5 liters of water per sq.m.

Plants usually do not tolerate winter well. You need to make a good shelter. For this purpose, use a thick layer of straw or dry leaves.

Feeding in autumn

During the period of active fruiting, strawberries spend all their strength. Therefore, during the period of preparation for winter sleep, I make sure to fertilize the berries with complex mineral and organic fertilizers.

First of all, in September I add humus, chicken droppings or manure to the entire plantation. In October, I feed the berries with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, which increase the plant’s overall immunity and resistance to disease. I do not recommend using nitrogen fertilizers in the fall.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Experienced gardeners recommend taking into account several important nuances when preparing strawberries for winter.

Subtleties of processing:

• For the first time before winter, trim only one ridge of the plant, leaving the rest unchanged (this will help determine how the plants overwintered better);
• Fertilizers containing chlorine and large amounts of nitrogen should not be used in the fall;
• It is not recommended to replant into frozen ground (if it was not possible to do it on time, it is better to postpone the procedure to spring);
• As the snow falls, throw it with a shovel onto the bed with strawberries (it will serve as additional cover).

More tips from experienced gardeners can be found in the following video:

Pre-winter processing of strawberries will allow the crop to wake up faster in the spring. It will contribute to the appearance of a high and high-quality harvest in the summer, since growth buds are formed in the fall.

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How to trim correctly

Pruning is one of the most important activities when it comes to strawberries. After some time, some of the leaves die off, others are damaged by pests and diseases, and therefore the foliage that has served its term should be pruned in the period from July to August, when fruiting traditionally ends. However, it is not worth cutting everything off completely; the young foliage located in the center of the bush remains. Closer to autumn, garden strawberries will restore their greenery completely.

In September, it is worth examining the bushes so that if sick ones are found among them, cut them out pointwise. The remaining green mass will still be enough to insulate the plantings for a full winter.

Under no circumstances should strawberry foliage be completely removed. However, it’s also not worth allowing a real jungle of foliage without having time to carry out summer pruning. In this case, there is only one solution left - it is enough to eliminate single affected leaves selectively or not touch anything at all, leaving all pruning work for the spring.

Autumn is the period in which strawberries should already have time to grow lush foliage, while the formation of aerial shoots should be controlled throughout the summer. It is on the mustache that the plant sometimes wastes its energy; this should not be allowed.