How To Keep Potted Strawberry Plants Alive For Next Season

Strawberry plants (Fragaria x ananassa) are a fantastic low-effort crop to grow at home. They are a fairly hardy perennial that comes back year after year to produce fresh fruit for you to enjoy. Furthermore, they are one of the best berries to grow in containers, as they are adaptable and have a shallow root system, which means you can enjoy a harvest of fresh strawberries even without a large garden. Although they may survive the colder months without any attention, prepping strawberry plants for winter provides them with a little bit of help and ensures they stay healthy. As potted strawberry plants experience cold weather coming from every angle with drafts circulating the containers, they need extra insulation over the winter months. If temperatures stay below 20 degrees Fahrenheit for a while, they may freeze through and not come back in the spring.

The easiest way to keep your potted strawberry plants alive over winter is to bring them into a location that stays between 20 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This may be a heated garage, shed, or conservatory. However, it is helpful to hold back on bringing them inside as soon as the weather gets a bit colder. Allowing your potted strawberry plants to experience the colder temperatures in fall will help them go into winter dormancy and develop ways to protect themselves. Keep your eye on the forecast, and once the temperature starts to dip below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, bring them inside. 

If you do not have a suitable indoor space for your potted strawberry plants, you can leave them outside over the winter. You just need to give them a little extra attention and protection from the cold. One option is to dig a hole in your garden, and place the pot in it, which helps to protect the plants from frost. This is a great idea if you have vegetable patches that are left empty at the end of the growing season. If you cannot do this, wrap the pots in insulating material or place potting mix or soil around them to shield them from the cold. 

Once that is done, it is helpful to add 2 or 3 inches of mulch to the top of your potted strawberries. Straw and chopped leaves are both commonly used to mulch strawberry plants. Make sure you are applying the mulch after your plants have gone dormant. Throughout the winter months, keep an eye on your strawberry plants for any damage or injury. They will need a small amount of water during this time, especially if they are cold-shocked. With enough care, your strawberry plants will come back strong in the spring and produce a healthy crop!