Paul Drahn wrote:
On 3/19/2019 8:34 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:
Â* So I decided the easiest way to get mulch around the strawberries is
to use shredded paper - but I'm unsure about what paper is safe . Useta
be that glossy paper was not , but newsprint was . I *think* most modern
inks are soy based and safe , but I'm not sure . It'd sure be nice to
use all those spam mails for something productive instead of burning them .

We cover the strawberries with Ponderosa pine needles for the winter.
Then remove most of them in the Spring(about now). And leave some
needles to use as mulch when the new leaves begin to grow. Keeps
irrigation water off the berries, too.

Paul in Central Oregon

hi Paul,

i don't recall you posting here before so welcome.

if the plants are established i don't always bother
mulching them for the winter at all. this past winter
was as bad as they can get for plants with too many
times of bare ground and very cold chills down past
-20F. frost heave can pop late season transplanted
crowns right out of the ground by spring.

this past fall i managed to get the strawberry patch
done earlier in the fall/late summer and it looks like
i have survivors enough. just have to see how they
green up and hope the spring isn't too crazy with the
frosts when they are flowering.

some times i do put some pine needles on them but not
every year - it comes down to how busy i am with other
things and if i get to it.

i'm not sure what the irrigation water on the berries
would do as far as i can tell the berries are in good
shape here even with our normal rain falls. as long as
i get them picked when they are ripe.

to prevent mold and bug issues i pick everything that
is ready even the berries that are partially eaten by
chipmunks or birds. there are some berries that the
worms or wood lice will get after and i pick those too
if i notice them. any scraps that i can't eat will get
fed to the worm bins (along with the tops/leaves).


songbird