Good afternoon, my reader. Strawberries belong to crops that need protection from frost in the form of a garden bed cover. Snow is the natural and best insulation, but winter thaws pose the threat of further freezing of culture. That is why it is necessary to take care of the artificial shelter of the beds with this healthy and tasty berry.
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Suitable materials for insulating strawberries for the winter
Many gardeners use straw, dry foliage, and hay for insulating strawberry beds. But the danger of these covering materials is that almost all types of rodents use them as a shelter from frost. The remains of grains in the straw will attract all kinds of pests, which will also destroy berry bushes.
The optimal materials for use are spruce branches, dry needles, special covering heaters, which include agrofibre and spunbond.
The film is not recommended for use due to its absolute airtightness, which causes the formation of a large amount of condensation and rotting of the bushes in the garden.
How to properly carry out insulation work
Natural materials used for insulation can also cause heating of strawberry beds, as they are able to accumulate moisture in themselves. To avoid this phenomenon, it is recommended to completely cover strawberries for the winter until it is one year old. In older bushes that are already well rooted, you can only cover the root zone.
Many summer residents go for such a trick as completely removing leaves from each bush. Considering that there is no foliage - there is nothing to rot. But this radical method is better not to use. Firstly, the leaves serve as additional protection for the plant from the cold. Secondly, they accumulate a lot of nutrients necessary for the culture in the spring.
The best way to hide strawberry beds for the winter
Experienced gardeners consider air-dry as the best insulation method. Above the beds, it is necessary to install low metal or plastic arches on which the insulating material will be stretched. Outwardly, such a structure will resemble a tunnel.
It is best to use a transparent covering material. He will provide the berry with the light it needs. The likelihood of plant decay is completely excluded due to the air cushion between it and the shelter.
Instead of arches, you can use dry tree branches neatly located in the beds. The main thing is to avoid contact of the covering material with the bushes, so as not to cause freezing of the culture.
It is important to carry out all work on strawberry insulation after the first established frosts. This will allow the plant to harden and facilitate its existence in severe winter frosts.
Do you know how to insulate strawberry beds?
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You can also read about feeding strawberries in the following article:Feeding strawberries during flowering for a good harvest