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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] So close....strawberries, mulch

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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87@frontiernet.net>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] So close....strawberries, mulch
  • Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2008 10:31:49 -0500


On Mar 1, 2008, at 10:11 AM, Mark & Helen Angermayer wrote:

<x-tad-smaller>Rivka wrote:</x-tad-smaller>
"it provided protection to lowgrowing perennials etc. by covering them, and some protection to trees by keeping the roots at a more consistent temperature.
 
You're sure right.  It's interesting the different cultural practices needed, that most of you folks probably already know, but I'm still learning.  I remember some time back I asked questions about mulching strawberries in winter.  Some folks from up north said there was no need.  Some from further south said their strawberries looked worse when they mulched them.  I didn't cover mine and they look pretty terrible (although they don't look so bad they won't bounce back).  My conclusion: people up north, even though it's colder, get plenty of snow to insulate their plants.  Those down south (like us)don't get the snow cover, but don't get quite as cold as here, so they don't need to cover with mulch.  We're in the "sweet-spot" just cold and windy enough to freeze you're plants unless their mulched.
 
Mark
KS

I always mulch strawberries here (straw mulch) and believe most growers in this area do. The snow cover wasn't consistent enough, even years ago: that "January thaw" would sometimes be followed by bitter cold weather before the snow came back. Somewhat off-topic for this list, I also always mulch the garlic. I have much better winter survival and better growth that way; though this may have less to do with minimum temperatures at clove level than with preventing it from heaving out of the ground through repeated freeze-thaw cycles. I'll justify posting that on a fruit list by saying that I think the heaving can also be a problem with strawberries, though it may be less obvious to the eye than it is with garlic. If that's true, it would make sense to mulch them anywhere with a lot of freeze/thaw soil cycles, even if the air temperature isn't cold enough to damage them. Anybody have a comment on that factor?

--Rivka
Finger Lakes NY; zone 5 mostly



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