How you cover strawberries for the winter will determine how the plants will survive the winter and, of course, the harvest next season.
An expert of the online publication BelNovosti, agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh named 3 mistakes that summer residents often make when performing this procedure.
1. Do not cover dry beds
Before throwing covering material over the strawberry bushes, the bushes need to be watered.
This moisture-charging irrigation is needed to saturate plant tissues with moisture, which makes them denser and cells more elastic. Such bushes are not afraid of frost and icy wind, and this is only one of the many advantages of winter irrigation.
2. Hill up the strawberries
When the plant reaches 2 years of age, the roots of strawberries tend to protrude, which results in a decrease in the winter hardiness of the crop and more frequent cases of freezing in winter.
To avoid this, hill up the strawberries, carefully raking up the soil and not burying the root collar too deep.
3. Loosen the soil moderately
Experienced gardeners recommend slightly (!) loosening the soil. Active loosening of the soil around the bushes, as well as enthusiasm when digging between the rows, is not welcome.
