When Can I Uncover My Strawberry Plants?

Winter Protection

• Whether strawberries are new or established, they require some protection during the winter months. Gardeners who plant new strawberries in the fall cover them immediately with plastic mulch, while gardeners with established strawberries may use 3 to 4 inches of organic mulch, such as wood chips, compost, grass clippings or straw.

Spring

• The strawberry plant's natural growing season begins in spring, when temperatures rise over 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the best and safest time to uncover strawberry plants. Gardeners remove any plastic mulch and thin organic mulch to give the plants access to both sun and air.

Summer Mulching

• The University of Illinois Extension suggests that gardeners maintain a thin layer of mulch even after uncovering strawberries, to keep weeds down and maintain soil moisture in the strawberry patch. Organic mulch is best for summer strawberry mulching, as it also adds nutrition to the soil.