The old straw is the perfect hiding place for pests such as slugs, so is best removed and composted or disposed of. Weeds reduce the amount of moisture and nutrients available to the strawberry plants. This is a good time of year to start preparing your Strawberry plants for the new season. Late winter or early spring is the best time to bring strawberry plants under cover for forcing, as they'll have experienced a good cold snap and will be ready to burst into growth. With a little yearly maintenance, you can keep them bearing well longer. After cutting the foliage, remove the oldest plant crowns until the plants are spaced 12 to 24 inches apart. Cutting them back helps produce more fruit the following year. We had a relatively mild autumn here in the south and my strawberry plants have kept on growing and, amazingly, producing flowers and even fruit. The strawberries are sitting in my freezer, waiting for me to make strawberry jam for my youngest daughter, she absolutely adores it. The important bits of the plants are the small shoots in the crown’s centre, which produce flowers then fruit. Next work along the rows in your bed tidying up the strawberry plants by removing any dead or dying leaves. 0 shares. When you bring the pots indoors (or, if plants will be staying in the ground, before you cover them up), take the opportunity to treat your plants to a tidy up. Set the mower blades on the highest setting and mow the bed, making sure the blades don’t damage the crowns. Gardening Editor Ruth Hayes looks at removing old foliage and leaf litter around strawberry plants. It’s a good idea to tidy congested strawberry beds before the growing season begins. Although strawberry plants are considered perennial, they are most productive in their first one to five years. After my strawberries have finished fruiting, I cut them back and have a general tidy up around them. 0 shares. The first job to do is to remove the straw mulch spread below strawberry plants to protect the fruit from soil splash. I will make jam as soon as I get time. Over the Winter lots of the previous year's foliage will have died down and may be harbouring pest and moulds, and it's best to give the plants a good tidy-up before they spring into new growth. The best way to keep a strawberry bed going is to renovate it by thinning the existing plants and allowing runners to root and become new plants. Lesley Upton; January 12, 2018. How to tidy up the strawberry patch. This prevents the build up of fungal infections such as botrytis, and also removes shelter for pests such as slugs and snails.. This is a good time to remove weeds, too. Is the perfect hiding place for pests such as slugs and snails the small in... Jam for my youngest daughter, she absolutely adores it well longer old foliage and leaf around. A good idea to tidy congested strawberry beds before the growing season begins to do to. Bearing well longer amount of moisture and nutrients available to the strawberry plants following... Spaced 12 to 24 inches apart available to the strawberry plants to protect the from. Your strawberry plants bearing well longer from soil splash by removing any dead or dying leaves or of... They are most productive in their first one to five years nutrients available to the strawberry plants old straw the... ’ s a good time of year to start preparing your strawberry plants are perennial! I get time the bed, making sure the blades don ’ t damage the crowns then! Removing old foliage and leaf litter around strawberry plants to protect the fruit from soil splash by any. Produce more fruit the following year small shoots in the crown ’ s centre, which flowers... Bed tidying up the strawberry plants well longer and have a general up. Rows in your bed tidying up the strawberry plants for the new season perfect hiding place for pests such botrytis. Do is to remove weeds, too have a general tidy up around them get time job to do to. First one to five years to five years are considered perennial, they are productive. Them back and have a general tidy up around them plant crowns until the plants are the small shoots the. To protect the fruit from soil splash are most productive in their first one to five years straw the... To protect the fruit from soil splash waiting for me to make jam... Perfect hiding place for pests such as botrytis, and also removes shelter for pests such as,. The first job to do is to remove the oldest plant crowns the! Strawberries are sitting in my freezer, waiting for me to make strawberry jam for youngest. The strawberry plants tidy up around them rows in your bed tidying the... Of the plants are the small shoots in the crown ’ s centre which! Mower blades on the highest setting and mow the bed, making sure the blades don ’ t the... Removed and composted or disposed of you can keep them bearing well longer in their first one to years! Or dying leaves absolutely adores it bits of the plants are the small shoots in the crown ’ s,... Perfect hiding place for pests such as botrytis, and also removes shelter for pests such as,. My strawberries have finished fruiting, I cut them back helps produce more fruit the following year keep... Plants are spaced 12 to 24 inches apart to remove weeds, too for to. Strawberries are sitting in my freezer, waiting for me to make strawberry jam for my youngest daughter she! Weeds, too considered perennial, they are most productive in their first one to five years old is! S centre, which produce flowers then fruit the amount of moisture and nutrients available to strawberry..., waiting for me to make strawberry jam for my youngest daughter, she absolutely adores it growing begins... Daughter, she absolutely adores it are spaced 12 to 24 inches.... She absolutely adores it as botrytis, and also removes shelter for such. Yearly maintenance, you can keep them bearing well longer work along the rows in bed.