Any tips for overwintering my potted strawberry plants in polytunnel please?

[Russel Sprout]

Hi all

As the title suggests really... Photos below.

I removed runners as they appeared (after having propagated the new plants I wanted from them). I've since been removing shrivelled browned leaves as they turn.

There seem to be larger leaves on the outside, sprawling out, and smaller leaves on the inside, around the crown.

Some of the thoughts going around my head are...

1. Should I remove all of the large leaves now, or am I right to just remove them as they turn brown?

2. Do I need to water them at any point over winter?

3. What about feed?

4. Would some kind of protection against frost be a good idea or is that not necessary in a polytunnel?

Any opinions on these questions or other tips on how to overwinter them would be most appreciated.

Many thanks


Before removing dead leaves:




After removing dead leaves:

[ameno]

Strawberries don't need frost protection, they are fully hardy.
I would remove all yellowing leaves, not just brown ones.
Water when the pots dry out almost completely.
No feed necessary until about February, but if those are the pots you grew them in this year, I would repot them in around February, anyway.

[Vince G]

Ameno is absolutely right, they don't need protection, but who wouldn't prefer living in a slightly warmer polytunnel than a cold plot eh? LOL

I've just done exactly the same to my 50 outdoor strawberry plants, trimmed off all the rubbish leaves ready for winter and mulched them all with a load of bark chips. Next job is to build a 5 foot mesh fence round them to foil the rats, who scoffed themselves silly back end of the summer as the bird netting proved no defence. Don't mind the odd blackbird getting a feed, but don't like rats about. This will wait until April though, a lot of other jobs to do first.

[ChingfordHarry]

One of my colleagues at the allotments cuts all of the foliage off his (outdoor) strawberries - basically pretty much down to the ground. I was wondering if there's any advantage in doing this?

I just do what Ameno and Vince G do, i.e. take off the rubbish leaves and leave the ones in that are healthy, but I'm willing to learn.

[Jungle Jane]

I don’t think there’s any advantage removing all leaves,green leaves help feed the plant with nutrient for the roots,maybe the plot neighbour removes all leaves because it’s quicker than removing them over the months,some leaves go brown before others. The plants grow new leaves in the spring anyway,there might not be much difference in plant growth but it seems non beneficial for plants to cut healthy leaves off.

[Penellype]

Ameno is absolutely right, they don't need protection, but who wouldn't prefer living in a slightly warmer polytunnel than a cold plot eh? LOL

I've just done exactly the same to my 50 outdoor strawberry plants, trimmed off all the rubbish leaves ready for winter and mulched them all with a load of bark chips. Next job is to build a 5 foot mesh fence round them to foil the rats, who scoffed themselves silly back end of the summer as the bird netting proved no defence. Don't mind the odd blackbird getting a feed, but don't like rats about. This will wait until April though, a lot of other jobs to do first.

You will need to bury the mesh as rats will dig tunnels, usually upto about 18"deep but they can go down several feet. They are, unfortunately, also good climbers. Good luck keeping them out - it took me 6 months to get rid of some that had taken up residence in my cavity wall, and the only thing that eventually worked was concrete.

[ChingfordHarry]

I don’t think there’s any advantage removing all leaves,green leaves help feed the plant with nutrient for the roots,maybe the plot neighbour removes all leaves because it’s quicker than removing them over the months,some leaves go brown before others. The plants grow new leaves in the spring anyway,there might not be much difference in plant growth but it seems non beneficial for plants to cut healthy leaves off.

Pretty much what I thought. He seemed so sure that it was the only thing to do that I didn't like to criticise...