[TennesseeChicken]

Hi Everyone-

This was my first year of growing alpine strawberries (Rugen Improved). They did quite well! I was wondering if anyone knew how to cut them back before mulching for the winter. I'm still getting lots of blossoms. We're about to get our first big freeze and dont know if I should cut them back before or after the freeze.

Thanks!

 

[stephanie]

you shouldn't have to cut strawberries back at all. just trim off any runners and plant them for future berries. I live where strawberries grow wild and they are very prolific plants and can handle being covered in snow. I would say just mulch them and leave them be other than the trimming of runners.
the crazy things grow in my lawn and get mowed, they do love sandy soil best.

 

[Tammy]

I'm not familiar with that particular variety, but I have a strawberry patch in my garden and once all the leaves turn brown and die off, I cut anything above the ground off. So all that remains is just the root. When I did that last fall for the first time, I had the largest strawberry plants I've ever had. they were very big and lush. Not sure if it was because of cutting them all back, or maybe they've just reached a mature age (they are about 3 yrs old now) and are more prolific. But I like to cut back all my perennials in the fall after they've gone dormant because I don't really like the look of dead leaves everywhere that just turn into soggy messes with all the rain we get out in Oregon.

 

[stephanie]

it was the maturity of the plants they reach peak at 3 years then slowly fall off after that but when you trim the runners off and plant the baby strawberry plants you can replenish your stock of mature plants yearly.

 

[TennesseeChicken]

Well, we just had our first hard frost and they survived. Not much else did, though I had them covered and there are still lots of blossoms. Thanks for the replies!

 

[stephanie]

odds are the blossoms will fall off now till spring when new growth starts, then be ready to pic berries.