Can Strawberry Plants Be Mowed Off Before Winter Mulching?

Growing Season

• Strawberries are summertime plants and begin to grow and bloom in early spring. Uncover mulched strawberries with the last frost, mix new compost into the soil and resume summertime watering schedules. Give the plants 12-12-12 fertilizer at a rate of 1 lb. per 50 feet of row in mid-season. This fertilizer encourages blooming and fruiting.

Mow and Prune

• Begin your renovation process right after the last strawberry harvest to prepare for winter and encourage the next season's fruit set. Mix 12-12-12 fertilizer into the soil at a rate of 4 to 6 lbs. per 100 feet of row, then cut the tops off the strawberry plants with a weed whip or mower. Tidy your rows to 6 to 8 inches in width, and leave only five to six plants per foot.

New Growth

• Put 1/2 inch of compost or topsoil over the strawberry patch to raise the bed and encourage new growth. Water the patch with 1 to 2 inches of water every week to keep the soil moist and the plants growing. Maintain this patch through the end of summer, with new growth and runners. Transplant the new plants as necessary to maintain tidy rows in your new bed.

Mulch and Winter Care

• Feed strawberries again several weeks before the last frost with 3 lbs. of 12-12-12 fertilizer per 100 feet. Always follow manufacturer directions for safe fertilizer application. Mulch the plants with 4 to 5 inches of straw, hay or shredded paper after the first hard frost in fall, when the plants go dormant.