I live in zone 6 Missouri, I dug up my strawberries a couple weeks ago divided 10 original plants into 31 replanted and trimmed, outside in raised beds then covered them with about 4 in of leaves. We will see how they do in April. I’ll give an update on if they die or continue to grow. The reason I did this is just to see how hardy Mother Nature is.
I've never grown strawberries let alone try to over-winter them. But, these tips seem good to me. Sometimes I watch other RU-vid content creators who put out 6 minute videos that seem like they just drag on and on. But, eve when you post a 9 minute or 12 minute video, it is interesting and I often wish It could be longer.
Thanks so much Donna!! I really appreciate that. I do worry about the longer videos sometimes. In fact, I had this video done yesterday but I really felt like I needed the recap at the end so people didn't complain about the length! Thanks for that Donna, have a great Sunday.
All my strawberries died over the winter and I think you just confirmed my suspicions. I just reseeded my woodland strawberries, now to get more June bearing.
Late to the party but I just watched both your strawberry overwintering videos. Great, clear, and easily understood steps that helped me decide if I wanted to give strawberries a try on my Colorado patio. I'll be giving them a try with these overwintering tips!
If you have good drainage, you can just mulch them and they'll be fine. But bringing them inside works too. Best of luck, I think you'll be swimming in berries next year!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms I will be swimming in berries ill have a bunch of 2nd year plants fully mature and I bring them in just in case as our winters are also very bad not just because of rain but storms sometimes very cold weather and other stuff and I grow in pots
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Hi jeff..been watching your videos from the uk and recently subscribed...i must say your content is awesome 👌 fantastic info about strawberry overwintering..keep up the good work friend.👍
Hello Everyone 💞 I wish I had seen this tutorial last year..I pray they come back ..But if not I will start again it was my first time growing strawberries.. Thanks And Stay Safe And Blessed 🙏🏻💞
We are told to pinch the first year blooms! I followed the false advice and after the first year they were all dead. I did everything the pros said. It’s just that in zone 9(sw fla) it’s too damn hot. Tried shade and so forth. I had the wrong variety. Be absolutely sure you have plants for your zone. Real good video here!
Great video thanks for the info I have work to do with my strawberries...I was wondering why they were putting out flowers and strawberries this late thanks a bunch all the best from NY
Right on! Yeah, such a funny strategy... But it happens every year. Couple cold days and they get triggered to sent out their dormant flower buds, then it warns up and they bloom! Such a waste of energy too! Cheers man, happy Sunday.
Thanks for the video. It's very helpful! Im in zone 8a and I bought some strawberry plants early summer hoping I could keep them alive thru our hot summer. These are my first strawberries, and they are doing great. I've trimmed them and transplanted them into a
...raised bed, and they are doing great! Just wondering, when should the straw be added? Before first frost, or is there a certain temp to go by? Thanks! ~robin
@@robindoles1 Yes, for sure....wait for the plants to tell you. Couple freezing nights usually sends them into dormancy. And a few nights below freezing won't hurt the plants. Its the exposed minus 30 degrees that kills them. Don't cover too early, you WANT the plants to be dormant. And that's usually right around frost time....even after a few consecutive nights of below freezing. :-)
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Thanks! We are still having pretty warm days, but the nights are getting cooler. I was thinking about putting straw around them, but not over them yet.
I would like to make my 4x8 raised bed into a complete strawberry patch next year. As of now 1/5th of the bed is first year seascape strawberries. My question to you is should I replant them into pots and bring them into the basement or in my unheated garage. As of now they are not well organized in the bed. I live in Cape Breton Nova Scotia. Thanks for all your help as this is not the first time I commented. Love all your tutorials.
Been watching some of your videos and loving the tips, just realized we both live on the island! awesome! I'm in Sooke, how about you? New to gardening this year, figuring it all out! Cheers!!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms very cool! Maybe it's an algorithm thing? Great to know your advice directly applies to me! My 4 year old son and I watched a bunch of your videos this morning. Great for him to see as well 👏 where do you get your straw btw?
🍓 Great video! What temperature is too high for dormancy? I live in Wisconsin. I have potted strawberry plants that I would like to keep in my basement for the winter; which is about 50°. Thanks for the tips! 🙂👍
Get them in the ground about 4 weeks before first fall frost Johnny: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-r-im8w7VOJQ.html Strawberries are meant to go dormant over winter to stimulate next year's berry production. Don't keep them going in the garage....that's won't be good in the end.
Hello I live on Vancouver Island as well. So it is so nice to have a gardener that is in the same Zone as me. I started my Gardens and I have covered them with straw there is no product in them yet but I will do that in the spring. My question to you is will I develop mold or other unwanted items if I just leave my two beds exposed to all the rain and snow that I will get before spring? Thank you so much for your time...suzy
Hey, small world! Thanks for stopping by! No, don't worry about rain or snow. Snow is actually good....its another insulating layer. These guys are designed for this, and its why we use straw and not leaves or grass than tend to clump and smother the new Strawberry shoots. With straw, you're good to go. Literally no maintenance until spring! :-)
Yes, you can Lisa..you can definitely shelter your plants....the key is you don't want it too warm though. They plants NEED to go dormant. -5 to -7C is around the ideal winter for them.
This coming spring will be my first try at a garden. The first video I saw of yours you were wearing an Expos hat... Auto Sub from me :) I am planning on trying strawberries in rain gutters, should I plan on bringing them indoors for winter (Normally around 30 degree average winter here) or will straw be enough outside?
Ha ha awesome....love the 'Spos!!! Strawberries in gutters is awesome, yes the cooler weather without the usual buffer of a large amount of soil could be an issue (freezing). But you also don't want the Strawberries to be too warm and break dormancy either. 30 degrees F for Strawberries is nothing though. They can survive well below freezing...in fact, they do better with a real winter! :-)
I am in zone 6 and have 2 strawberry plants in 5 gallon wicking buckets. They were planted in spring of 2021and I have several stolen runners off those 2 plants that have rooted themselves. Should I dig them up in August and plant them in wicking buckets where I want them.
Hey buddy, I always prune, but Strawberries are one of the plants where you don't have to. The dead leaves actually becomes mulch. So totally your call. Did you plant them in your hugelkultur mounds?? That would be PERFECT..!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Thanks Jeff! I sure did! they are right at the edge of my stone terraces, so I can harvest from below like they are in a raised bed :)
Hi there, Mr. Knob can I buy store bought and set the seeds now .. ? I’m in Toronto canada 🇨🇦 and was wondering if that’s a safe method because I don’t have anywhere that would sell a plant at this time of the year, as I wish and would’ve gladly bought a few.. please advise me on what to do, if if you knew of anyone or anywhere on what to do or where to go get some sir. Help me please and Thanks 🙏 🇨🇦
@@Pubgfetiz 100% you can start the seeds indoors right now. In fact, if you want berries in 2021, you'd HAVE to be starting seeds now as if you start them in the spring, those plants won't be producing until 2022. Cheers!
If I bring my potted strawbs into my garage should I water them during the winter? How can I get larger and more strawbs? I'm in zone 6a Long Island. Thanks 🍓
I enjoyed your strawberry wintering video I’ve just received some giant strawberry seeds how to apply them first year at gardening can you please help me by telling me how to plant them and how deep in that thank you Sandra UK
Hey Mary, that all depends. If the soil is dry, for sure. If you have a lot of air motion and the soil is continually drying out, yes again. If the temps are cool and the soil is staying moist and you've mulched to mitigate evaporation...then no...leave it alone. Under water is better than over water in this instance. :-)
This was so helpful! One question though - I will most likely be using "young" strawberries but I will need to bring them indoors for the winter as I will be using a community lot. Is it safe for me to follow the steps for the older mother plants for this? Miigwetch/Thank you
Thank you for the great video! If I have wall mounted planters that I can put in our garage, but the temperatures over winter can get to -30 to -35C, will they still be OK in the garage or will they need straw even in the garage? If it’s not getting any natural moisture over winter, should I water in the garage occasionally? Thanks! (We’re zone 3/4 in Calgary)
im not an expert but i am a newbie grower who has been doing intense research i live in northern usa which gets cold as well and i would say to add straw even in the garage to be safe because the likelihood of them reaching those extreme cold temps will be higher without it. ive seen people say that watering isn’t necessary but you dont want the soil to completely dry out either
its getting colder now, (October 2022) here in zone 4 Vermont. i have strawberries in larger pots, and want to overwinter them. could i simply cover them in mulch? or could i pull them all up and plant in small individual containers now, for next years beds? also, its already october but can i split them now and still be ok, if i over winter them in pots indoors, alive, but in a kept cold Solarium?
Definitely don't pull them up. Wait for the first hard frost, then mulch. Not before. Too early and they'll actually start growing.... which you don't want at this time of year.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms awesome, thanks! so, i started with 6 plants of an overbearing variety, and i planted at least 6 extra runners from them. got a bunch of berries this year too. im a novice at this and haven't got my planting methods sorted out entirely, so just experimenting with larger half barrel style size pots. for now they are still fairly green, with just a tinge of color change on most leaves. i have plenty more pots of the same size so i could spread them out later on, but i also have some 3.5 foot round metal raised beds that are more recent additions to my garden space, so i might places some strawberry plants in them as well. i do get some brutal winter here in Vermont, but if i dont have to worry too much with them even if i place the pots in my garage, that would be great. i also want to split the original plants, but as you said it may be too early, though this morning Was pretty frosty. i can at least afford new plants if i loose these, in the extreme chance, but i would love to be able to expand their number with splits and runners too.
@@EddieSchirmer that's so awesome Eddie.... You're going to be swimming in them soon! Definitely too late now to divide older plants, that's usually a spring or late summer job. I like to do it late summer so I don't miss a harvest, which sometimes happens when you mess with them early in the year.
its been below freezing for a week now where i am, and i find myself looking at my strawberry patch and shouting "GO TO SLEEP ALREADY!" because i dont want them to freeze and die, so i want to cover them with mulch, but they are definitely NOT dormant yet...
I have a question it’s fall and it’s almost time to winterize the strawberry bed I was wondering it’s fall now and the leaves will be falling soon. Are leaves not a good insulator over the winter for the strawberries ?.
Hey Jeff, pine might be ok..I'd avoid it though...and most certainly avoid cedar. Aspen can work...just remember that wood chips will zap nutrients from the soil....so come spring, you may actually have to fertilize the plants.
Hey Kevin, no, you usually don't. Fall and winter are the wettest months, coupled with the fact that evaporation is near zero and transpiration IS zero....they shouldn't really need supplemental watering until spring. Cheers!
I heard you say you're in zone 8 and 9. What part of Canada are you in? I'm way down in Texas in zone 8a. Forgive me if I sound ignorant, because I am when it comes to Canada. :-)
Such good info! Question...late last year we moved into a house that had an existing raised bed full of strawberry plants. I didn’t know to winterize them. Are they doomed for spring? I’m in Northern California.
Thanks alyssa... Northern Cali? They are fine. Clean off the old leaves and move the dirt away from the plants to check out the crowns... So if they are crowded or still going for another season. Let me know how it goes!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Wow thanks so much for the quick response! I’m going to clean them up this week and will report back how they do this year. Thanks again! 💙
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms ok good to know! I’m a first time gardener and bought a house that has 7 fruit trees, a strawberry bed and a vegetable bed. Trying to keep everything alive haha.
When I receive my strawberries in the spring they come bunched up and brown. When do the companies bunch them? Are they stored in pots with compost all winter like this?
Hey Dorothy, it depends on the company and where you live. Usually they are dug up that winter/early spring a month or so before shipping. Rarely are they dug up the previous year and stored.
Can I use fine shaved wood chips as mulch? I can’t find any straw here where I live, I’m zone 9-9b but I got fine shaved wood chips and been using it but it looks like it retains water much. Thanks for this video. 👍🙏🏻
also, a question. can a single plant be grown exclusively in its own pot, if it is at least say, 1-2 gallons in size? and, how about long narrow containers, say up to 3 feet long, how many plants per foot? then, how about protecting the fruit from the ground/dirt, would you always just use straw mulch, or would you recommend those plastic tray things you can find at a garden store which the plant would grow through. or would it be more affective to simply have a narrow enough or small enough pot, so the fruit always droop over the side, and never reach the ground?
I have a question unrelated to winterizing but it has to do with strawberries. I started some strawberries from seed back in February. They been growing steadily and seem to be doing okay, growing pretty well even now in autumn. But the thing is, they're trying to flower! Should I let them or cut the flowers for them to save energy for the winter rest?
Hey Barbara...with the heavy mulch, it should be ok. Yes, there's not much moisture...but there's also very little evaporation and certainly no transpiration. Most winter plants can benefit from a heavy watering leading into fall.....but I wouldn't water them in the dead of winter if the plants are fully dormant and you started with already-moist soil! :-)
how can i tell if my strawberry plants are dead? they were in a pot, and i left them out all winter. now we're mid spring, and i don't see any new growth except for what looks like a some tiny fuzzy looking things from the crowns. i am wondering if they survived that this would be the earliest signs of growth, but i don't have high hopes.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms whitish. or kind of like a really light tan color. they seem to be coming right from the center of the crowns. i'm in zone 5b, so not really sure sure when they should start to grow again as i'm new to growing strawberries, but would assume that an everbearing type would have started to grow by now.
Its a great time to plant them. Don't expect berries this year, but the plants will get established and be primed and ready for next year's production! :-)
Got the 25 bareroot plants planted and only one plant is showing any new growth, the rest are staying just like the day I bought them. Have talked to the place I bought them from and they will be sending me new ones in the spring.
I have some strawberries in terracotta containers. I live in a high winter rainfall region. It is very storm- windy ,some hail, ( Cape Town, South Africa.) 1)Would the steps be the same as in your video? I am afraid the roots will rot with the excess of water. The lows average approx 10 degrees celsius-ie 50 degress farenheit. I saw someone else in India who seemed to store the plants in dry peat or coconut coir tied up in a plastic bag/no moisture in the dark over winter. Fine if one has a few plants? 2)What are your thoughts on this 2nd method? Thanks for all the advice.
Not where I live Sandy. We get so much precipitation over the winter it would drown the plants if I watered them further. Your climate may be different. :-)
Ok. Question .......l just got my plants from the corner of the garden. About 3-4 of them are medium size and the rest are small Should l bring them in home and winterize them. None of them show any pink or red color of winterize. They are quite small. Also do they need water. ?
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms ok. I’m in 6b. Rochester NY we get 20s and snow some time with ice. I put them all in 4 different pots. With some of the natural soil that l found them in. 4 were medium all the rest were small.
Don’t you have to water them if you bring into your garage? I brought mine into the garage last year and it died. I then read you have to add water to them in the garage
same ?, regular straw since pandemic is not been available. Got lots of pine needles however. Also no runners this 1st 9 months on 2 plants. Is it the species or a nutritional need. What can help?
I'm confused. You said you're zone 8-9, in Vancouver? (At 7:05) I'm in zone 9a. In Phoenix, AZ, USA. You know, the Sonoran desert? Our temps have been 60's to high 90's. Seems you should be much cooler.
Trying to start an indoor overwinter green room in my basement sunroom (w skylight). I started 10 from seeds that did well In small sod pots but I missed watering them for 5 days and the greens became dry. The stems still look glistening-good as I'm trying to revive them with an attentive watering cycle, but the leaves haven't come back, nor have they turned brown. How can I tell if they aren't worth saving after 3 weeks and if they are just shocked into dormancy. It's been pretty cold but the room hasn't gotten below 58 inside. I haven't been regular with my grow lights, so I'm setting myself up for failure until I get a timer setup
Hey Craig, for most of my amendments, I don't make them, I buy them. However, there are 4 amendments that I do make: 1) Banana Peel Fertilizer: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-npPwumDmW-M.html 2) Bone Meal Fertilizer: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UGyT-Cw04QM.html 3) Seaweed Fertilizer: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fZsZMp-MCDY.html and 4) Potash: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4_bTmkpie2k.html
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms I was talking about the blend you mentioned you make on your winterizing strawberry videos. Do you mix those 5 amendments? Is there a particular ration? Thanks for your videos.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms I wonder, if you cover them with something that reduced light a great deal, but still allowed air to circulate, could you induce dormancy inside?
Indoor yes... Outdoors? Not likely, but depends on your climate. Most places in the world where strawberries are grown, they are under 2 feet of snow in the winter, lol. Not much sense in watering them.
I'm in 9b. Strawberries are a cool climate crop, rather than a cold climate one like say Garlic. As such, temps below 15C or so are starting to hit their max, especially in containers. I would bring them into an unheated garage or shed at that point.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms do you think a garden storage box would suffice? I grow on a balcony and I do have one of those. Or maybe better to put them in the basement storage locker maybe? I don’t think there are any climate controls down there. I appreciate the speedy reply too! I am going to subscribe now. You are my first gardener sub.
@@1979Spica thanks!! The tricky part of indoors, even if unheated is having the plants break dormanvy in the middle of winter. That's not good and should be avoided. I do think cover could make the difference... as with cold it's often the dessication and drying out that kills the plants abd not so much the temperature.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms 2 of the 3 are Fort Laramie strain. It says it is a very hearty strain that can tolerate heavy frost. Maybe they can survive? Not sure what the other one was, it was just labelled as a white flower strawberry.
Hi I have lots of old and new strawberrie plants should I put all in pollytunnel or just leave them outside I am in Scotland lots of snow and freezing weather till march /April
Hi Sajad, Salaam I’m in Toronto Canada 🇨🇦 and was wondering if or how u planted your strawberries 🍓 plant as I have never grow any and really loves strawberry 🍓 I’m just a small home gardener in summer only and a several over wintered tropical and spinach/lettuce indoor planter during this winter. Can you advise me on what to do please and thanks 🙏 🇨🇦 God bless.
Hey Sajad, I wouldn't waste a poly tunnel on Strawberries...they are meant to go dormant. Don't try to keep them warm and growing through winter. Snow is great, one of the best insulators! Mulch with straw right around your first frost dates and uncover with the spring melt! :-)
@@Pubgfetiz If growing them from🍓 seed, do that now, indoors. Transplant in the spring outdoors into raised beds or pots in the spring (April) after all frost danger has passed. :)
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Thanks 🙏 Jeff, sorry I saw someone called you that, if it’s not your name I’m deeply sorry, but thanks for your reply as last night I went through your subscribed videos 75% and saw most of I needed to know about strawberries and your are right, I will get started now . Thanks so much 🙏🇨🇦
Total disaster again for me, one strawberry plant got eaten by birds and died, the other just died. Luckily they are cheap in the shops. But my pepper plant is growing again after winter.
Off topic: You have superb hair, i am almost jealous, but. Your face is loaded with some bad foods, compared to when you were young, this is into the cheeks and forehead. That can be from dairy, cereals and animals' fat, sugar.... you should avoid them, and try also not to use sea salt. You will look a lot healthier and younger if you can clean those, from your body.
That’s really unwarranted “advice”. Mind your own skin and face! Keep your rude “off topics” to yourself! Benefit from the information freely offered! :(
I have a strawberry plant that's in a plastic pot and it's survived 2 winters already. I didn't even know they came back again. I was surprised to see it green back up in the spring. We did nothing to protect it. It was was just sitting on a concrete pad all winter.
