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Home » Growing Strawberries

Strawberry Plants and Cold Injury

Modified: Feb 11, 2022 by Mr. Strawberry · This post may contain affiliate links · 101 Comments

One of the benefits of growing strawberry plants is that they don’t die off every year. With appropriate care, they can live for many years, and they can survive very cold winter temperatures. These traits make strawberry plants hardy perennials.

As the temperatures drop in the fall or winter, strawberry plants undergo a transformation. They slow their cellular processes, move into a state of plant “hibernation,” and are dormant until warmer temperatures return in the late winter or early spring of the next year.

Strawberry plant with flowers partly covered in ice

When temperatures increase, strawberry plants revive and begin increasing their plant metabolism. But, a brief period of warmer temperatures can happen before the warmer weather is consistent. And, unfortunately, strawberry plants are susceptible to being damaged by cold temperatures if they are not prepared for them. When temperatures rise and revive dormant strawberry plants and then precipitously fall again, strawberry plants can suffer cold injury or “frost damage.” This post will guide you through the process of determining the degree and significance of cold damage on strawberry plants in your garden.

Strawberry plants and cold injury are common partners. Any time a plant survives the winter months, the late winter fluctuations in temperature put such plants at risk of freeze damage. And, while some damage is common, it is important to determine the extent of such injury. A small amount of temperature-induced damage will not kill your strawberry plants or significantly decrease their strawberry production if the plants are otherwise healthy. So, determining the extent of any cold injury is critical. After a cold snap, it can be critical to check a sample of planted strawberry plants to determine an appropriate course of action. If extensive damage is found, replanting your strawberry beds may be necessary (you can purchase some here, if needed: strawberry plants).

Checking Strawberry Plants for Cold Damage

If your region experiences a warm period followed by a significant drop in temperature, checking your strawberry plants may be in order. After the cold snap, wait a few days. Then, gather some simple tools.

Tools needed:

1. a small hand trowel

2. a piece of a 2×4 (or other hard surface)

3. a sharp and sturdy knife (a box cutter works well)

Strawberry plant with frosting leaves

After you’ve gathered your tools, go to your strawberry bed. Use the trowel to dig a circle around the strawberry plants you are going to examine. You only need to inspect a few strawberry plants. After the circle is dug, gently lift the plants out, shake as much dirt and debris off of the roots as possible, and then cut or pull off all the leaves. All that should be left is the crown and some roots. Put the crown on your wooden block or other cutting surface. Then, carefully make a vertical slice from the leaf end down to the root end of the crown. This should cut the crown cleanly in half. The crowns will often be firm, so be careful when cutting as a slip with sharp cutting tools can cause personal injury.

Immediately upon completing the cut, inspect the strawberry plant. As soon as the inside of the strawberry crown is exposed to oxygen in the air, it will begin to oxidize and turn brown, so swift inspection is required. Waiting too long to inspect will result in difficulty accurately assessing the extent of strawberry damage.

When inspecting strawberry plants, look for brown discoloration within the whitish, ivory-colored inner crown tissue. If light brown discoloration spots are visible, the strawberry plant has suffered mild cold damage. Mild cold damage on strawberry plants is usually insignificant. The strawberry plants will adapt, heal, and continue their normal and productive lives.

However, if brown streaks or significant browning are noted, the strawberry plants have suffered more extensive damage, and the strawberry plants may have to be replaced. Prior to digging up your entire bed and replanting, it is a good idea to wait a few weeks and recheck a sample of the plants. Upon recheck, if new white areas are developing within the crown, the strawberry plants will often recover. If there is no new white crown tissue, the plant is likely a goner. At that point, replanting the strawberries will be required.

Learn more:
Growing Strawberries in Cold Weather
Fall Strawberry Plants
Winterizing Strawberry Plants

Learn everything about growing strawberries from the Strawberry Master Manual, also don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and Facebook to stay updated with everything I post. We also have a Strawberry gardening group on Facebook! Feel free to join.

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Comments

  1. Dawn

    October 26, 2020 at 11:31 am

    We have had a good cold snap, and 3-4 inches of snow on the strawberry bed before I was able to mulch with straw. We have had a week of cold below freezing night since and are going to warm into the 40s next week. Can I cover with straw. Next week after snow melt or do it right away? And will the snow harm the plant? It is a mat of plants that need to be thinner currently.

    Reply
  2. Calvin

    February 18, 2020 at 11:47 am

    I know its not common practice to transplant strongly rooted runners in the late winter (February in Virginia) but I have found that I have more success doing this then when I try to transplant in the warm and hot months. I’ll have to wait and see for sure, but is there any science behind why its easier to transplant a runner in the winter than the spring? The 50-75 plants I dug up and moved all seem to be healthy, granted this winter was a bit warmer than recent years, and I soaked the roots in rain water for several hours to overnight before I planted them in new beds.

    Reply
  3. Diane

    April 24, 2019 at 12:34 pm

    Mr. Strawberry,
    I have some strawberries in a raised garden. They seem to be confused because when I uncover them, I see nothing but dirt. I think they have died. But, about August or September they come to life. What am I doing wrong. My plants that are actually in the ground still look like strawberry plants when I uncover them. It’s jsut the ones in the raised garden that are confused as to when to grow and produce! Help!

    Reply
  4. Jamee

    January 02, 2019 at 9:24 am

    It’s currently 34 degrees right now (6 am) I cover my potted strawberry plant with a towel and move it closer to the house. When the sun comes up, I uncover it and move it back out. It gets 50-60 ish during the day, and it is fine. I did give it a shot of (diluted) plant food, it’s actually producing lots of strawberries😄

    Reply
  5. Dave Rucker

    December 22, 2018 at 10:14 am

    Deer ate the leaves off my plants. Will they still produce this spring

    Reply
  6. Kris

    September 09, 2018 at 4:42 pm

    Mr. Strawberry my friend’s son has a strawberry plant n the last few weeks it’s been high 80s n low 90s outside n now it has dropped to mid 50s will his plant be ok to stay outside he is very worried his plant will die

    Reply
  7. amma52

    September 01, 2018 at 7:14 am

    hello mr/mrs strawberry.
    i have been growing strawberries in a white plastic gutter attached to my terrace railing. last year i had loads of strawberries. all the plants died over the winter and i had to plant new. this year there was not more than 10 strawberries out of the 12 or so plants i have. i would like to save these plants for next year. what should i do? as i live in brooklyn, ny i have nowhere to get straw.

    Reply
    • Edwina

      September 07, 2018 at 4:16 pm

      This happened to me in Montana. In cold areas where winter temps go from freezing to thawing throughout winter plants won’t survive in containers. Have to be in the ground and covered. Can put containers in heated garage and water about once a month and they will survive and can be put outside in spring.

      Reply
  8. Phj

    March 30, 2018 at 5:51 am

    I’m in SW Virginia. Plan on planting raised beds with plastic mulch.
    It’s very rural. Can 300 plants survive the animals & birds.

    Reply
  9. Arandomperson

    March 27, 2018 at 3:55 pm

    so I have a strawberry plant and I didn’t cover it and we had a very snowy winter and we have one cold snap it got 70 degrees for 1 day and I think there was snow on it when the cold snap happened and I’m wondering if I should just replant since I planted it in 2018 and I got barely any strawberries..l got less than a dozen RIPE ones.

    Reply
  10. Emily Bectol

    March 16, 2018 at 3:27 pm

    can the strawberry survive if the summer is very rainy?

    Reply
  11. Emily A

    September 20, 2017 at 10:35 pm

    If giving out new strawberry plants (runners) in zone 5 mid September, what are the odds of them surviving if planted before October? Recommending generous mulch to recipients- would that be enough?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      September 22, 2017 at 2:33 pm

      Emily A,
      Yes, this is actually the perfect time to plant! All of them should do fine as long as they are cared for appropriately. Good luck!

      Reply
  12. Marilyn

    September 19, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    When should I bring my strawberries inside to over winter them. I live in Zone 5b according to the USDA Plant Hardiness Map. Is there a particular temperature that would indicate that I need to take them? Thanks for the help.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      September 22, 2017 at 2:31 pm

      Marilyn,
      When the evening temperatures have dropped into the mid-twenties for several days in a row, the plants will enter dormancy. You can put them inside then, unless the area where they will be is heated. If the area is heated, you can bring them anytime. But, it is better for the plants to remain dormant over the winter. Good luck!

      Reply
  13. Emily

    June 18, 2017 at 7:22 pm

    Hi,
    This is my second year with my strawberry patch and I have a problem that I can’t find a solution to anywhere! I have about 30 very large healthy plants, I snipped off the blossoms last year to let them get established and this spring they were just loaded with gorgeous fruit! I was so excited! But two days ago I went to weed and saw that most of the green berries had been dropped. It was cold for a fee nights last week (mid 20s) but they are in a protected area and I had thought that formed berries would be okay? Could a cold snap do this?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      June 29, 2017 at 8:33 am

      Emily,
      Usually, strawberry plants won’t naturally drop fruit like fruit trees do. However, if the plants undergo a significantly stressful event they can. Green strawberries will usually survive temperatures down to 28 degrees Fahrenheit, but if the temperatures drop below that, strawberry fruit drop can occur. If your cold snap resulted in a few nights of mid-twenties temperatures, that was likely stressful enough to cause the issue. If the forecast calls for temperatures like that in the future, rolling out a row cover over them for the night is usually sufficient to protect them and get them through the trial. Good luck!

      Reply
  14. John Schneider

    May 10, 2017 at 1:29 pm

    I planted about 100 plants in a raised bed. 20×30′ My plants went through some crazy hot then cold 39degree lows. Then a layer of hail. Know my plants are turning brown and wilting. What is wrong did they get cold damaged and what do I do now?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 21, 2017 at 3:24 pm

      John Schneider,
      At only 39 degrees, it is not likely that they suffered any cold damage. More than likely, they were either damaged by the hail, or the varying amounts of water damaged them. See here for more on wilting strawberries. Good luck!

      Reply
  15. Lawrence Richmond

    May 09, 2017 at 2:14 pm

    How can you tell if the blooms are damaged. Will they be black in the center. They are not open. We had a very hard frost last night it was 25.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 10, 2017 at 8:42 am

      Lawrence Richmond,
      Yes, if the blooms turn black, they are damaged. Wilting and shriveling are also indicators. Good luck!

      Reply
  16. Phyllis Piontkowski

    April 29, 2017 at 11:28 am

    If strawberries are blooming now and the forecast is for 3″ to 7″ of snow this evening, will my strawberries be hurt?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 03, 2017 at 1:21 pm

      Phyllis Piontkowski,
      The blooms may be damaged, but the plants should do fine as long as the temperature stays around 30 degrees. If it drops to the mid-twenties, they could suffer cold damage. If it is going to be between there somewhere, I’d recommend covering them just to be safe. Good luck!

      Reply
  17. Michelle

    April 09, 2017 at 1:14 pm

    Hi Mr. Strawberry. I live in Zone 7a Utah. I just barely got some bare root strawberries in the ground 3 days ago and last night we got a surprise snowfall. Although it looks to be melted by end of day they were covered by the snow throughout the night. I really have two questions. One, do you think they’ll make it? And two, how soon will I know if they died. They have no really leaves yet, just green crowns. Id like to plant new ones soon if i have to. Thanks for you time!

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      April 17, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      Michelle,
      Yes, they should make it. Strawberry plants can handle a little bit of snow as long as the temperatures don’t drop too far into the 20s. If they haven’t started putting up at least a few green new leaves by this point, they may have died. I’d give them another week or so in Zone 3 and then replant if they still haven’t started growing. Good luck!

      Reply
  18. cris

    September 27, 2016 at 7:26 am

    hi, im planning to plant stawberries in switzerland but on my house there is no shed of sun.. it is possible to plant or no? please give me some advice. Thank u so much

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      October 20, 2016 at 10:29 am

      cris,
      If you mean that there is no greenhouse (I’m not sure what a shed of sun is), you can probably improvise with some PVC pipe as a frame and some clear plastic. Just make sure the snow doesn’t crush it. Depending on your location, however, you may not even need that. I’d give it a shot and see how it goes! Good luck!

      Reply
  19. Lauren

    September 19, 2016 at 12:26 pm

    I made a stacking terra cotta pot arrangement for my strawberry plants in New Jersey. It is quite heavy and I am trying to determine what to do for the upcoming colder months/winter. If I leave them and allow them to go into dormancy state, can I cover the pot tower with thick black garbage bag for the winter and leave them outside? Or should I move the whole thing into shed for winter? Will I still need to water them during dormant stage?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      September 22, 2016 at 10:23 am

      Lauren,
      In New Jersey it will probably be better to move them into the shed; and, yes, you will still need to water them enough to keep the soil from completely drying out. Good luck!

      Reply
  20. Strawberry Rookie

    July 11, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    Hi! I’m new to growing strawberries & I have some babies that are just germinating from seed. I know they are very delicate. My question is with the hot & windy days we are having recently here in Southeast Wisconsin, is it best to keep the seedlings indoors under a grow light? I’m keeping them watered well & my home’s temperature is set at 74. The temps outside are upper 80’s. What is your advice? Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      July 20, 2016 at 2:20 pm

      Strawberry Rookie,
      Yes, it is better to let the plants get bigger and then then harden them off slowly towards the tail end of summer or early fall. Then, planting them outside in their permanent home in late September will likely produce the best overall results. Good luck!

      Reply
  21. Anthony

    March 26, 2016 at 1:45 pm

    Last year I planted strawberries in a tiered garden that I bought online. I used good garden soil, but they were overtaken by weeds. This year I would like to cover the soil first with weed block and then plan the strawberries. Do you see any issues with doing so?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      March 31, 2016 at 4:22 pm

      Anthony,
      I’m assuming that weed block is a fabric of some type to keep the weeds from growing through. If so, then there is no problem with that at all. I would still put down a layer of clean mulch on top of the weed block. And, if you want to let any runners root, you’ll need to position them where you want them and then snip a small hole in the fabric so that the roots can grow into the soil. But, that should work fine. Good luck!

      Reply
  22. Ashley

    March 18, 2016 at 7:24 am

    We are expecting a late winter storm this weekend, with up to 6 inches of snow in the forcast. My plants are already out of their dormant stage. What is the best way to protect them from the snow?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      March 23, 2016 at 1:19 pm

      Ashley,
      If you have just a few, it is easiest to place pots or buckets over them. If you have a lot, try a row cover like Reemay. If the temperature is not going to get down into the mid-twenties, you probably don’t have to do anything. You may lose your blooms, but the plants will likely keep trucking right along. Good luck!

      Reply
  23. Carrie

    February 10, 2016 at 4:08 pm

    Thank you for your wealth of information. May I ask if there is any chance for my strawberry plants for next year if I have not protected them with straw or any other covering? It will get bitter cold this weekend and straw is unavailable locally. We live in zone 5b. You can stop laughing now 🙂

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      February 11, 2016 at 9:18 am

      Carrie,
      I’m not laughing! When I first started growing strawberries many, many years ago, I did the same thing as you. And, an ice storm came through and deposited about an inch of ice on everything. That made a huge mess of broken trees, downed power lines, and general mayhem on the roads if anyone wanted to try and drive on that, but guess what!? Every one of my strawberry plants survived! That was part of what helped deepen my amazement at these little plants. True, extremely cold weather can damage your plants, but you can use plastic or some other cover to protect the crowns at least a little bit if you don’t have straw available. Just be sure to remove it again as soon as the cold snap is over. They may even survive without any covering! But, I’d cover them with something if it is available. Good luck!

      Reply
  24. Jamie Dagley

    February 05, 2016 at 8:36 pm

    Hello, I am in South Carolina. We are getting ready to have a a few freezing nights. If I place plastic pots over the plants, will that help protect them? We also just had a ton of rain so the ground is wet. During the daytime the temperature will be in the low 50s for most of the days. I do have one blossom already. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      February 09, 2016 at 3:01 pm

      Jamie Dagley,
      Yes, plastic pots should be sufficient to protect the plants, but the blooms may die back. Good luck!

      Reply
  25. clifford azema

    November 22, 2015 at 10:43 pm

    Hi,i live in Houston texas and just reacently planted 30 festival strawberries and 25 ALBION STRAWBERRY PLANTS.They are growing great and its early November,within the second week the festive are flowering i pinched all the flowers off and read to do so,will i get flowering again in upcoming spring and strawberries the first go around,i was told in my climate i could let them fruit the first year if i did fall planting.Thanks

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      December 04, 2015 at 2:14 pm

      clifford azema,
      Yes, you should get a good harvest next spring. Keep pinching off flowers until they enter dormancy! Good luck!

      Reply
  26. Pete

    October 16, 2015 at 7:51 pm

    Hi,
    I have 2-25′ rows of strawberry plants that I just planted this past spring. I live in MA. There is a freeze forecasted for the next 2 nights 20 degrees for 7 plus hours. The rest of the week has no freezing temperatures. Should I cover them with straw and if so can I leave them covered for the rest of the winter? Thank you in advance for your time and expertise.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      October 20, 2015 at 4:34 pm

      Pete,
      It would actually be better to allow the plants to have their vegetation killed off, rake them clean after the leaves have withered, and then cover. A couple of nights of low 20s is just what they need to have dormancy induced, but it should not do damage to the plants as the soil will still be warm enough to insulate them. If the forecast calls for extended cold, go ahead and mulch. But, with just a day or two of cold, they should do fine. Good luck!

      Reply
  27. Jean

    September 18, 2015 at 3:11 am

    My strawberry plants have green berries on them formed in later winter. Do I leave them on now we are in spring or cut them off?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      September 24, 2015 at 10:11 am

      Jean,
      Leave them! If you are moving into spring/summer, they should ripen to red and can be picked then! Good luck!

      Reply
  28. Stephy

    July 13, 2015 at 5:07 am

    hi i am jusy worried about my strawberries summer is ending soon here in Norway (actually summer wasn’t great this year quite cold like 10-15 C is the warmest) so my question is does it have a chance of surviving the winter?

    Coz now it is bearing strawberries but i noticed there are premature ones the size of a green pea that hasn’t grown full, i don’t know if it is delayed or never will grow like the 8 pcs full grown i have harvested. I am really worried.

    Thanks in advance if you will reply ^_^

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      July 14, 2015 at 3:39 pm

      Stephy,
      Yes, if you care for them appropriately, the plants can survive the winter just fine. See here for details. Good luck!

      Reply
  29. Sindi

    July 01, 2015 at 12:38 am

    Question. If the strawberries are packaged in a reffer on temperature 35 but if it slightly goes on 25° for less than ten minutes would it damege the strawberries. It’s on a reffer the one you transport from store to store.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      July 03, 2015 at 2:42 pm

      Sindi,
      No, that short of a time period shouldn’t do any significant damage. Good luck!

      Reply
  30. tom alice

    June 08, 2015 at 7:17 pm

    live in western N.Y. I want to plant strawberries in gutters.
    Is it to cold to do so?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      June 09, 2015 at 8:22 am

      tom alice,
      No, but you will need to wrap or otherwise provide extra winter insulation if you wish your plants to be perennial. Good luck!

      Reply
  31. Marilyn

    May 22, 2015 at 8:20 am

    In southwestern Pa we are forecasted to have a frost. I have many green strawberries and would like to know if they should be protected tonight.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 22, 2015 at 8:47 am

      Marilyn,
      If the temperature is going to be down into the twenties, it would be a good idea to protect them. A mild frost shouldn’t hurt the plants (could damage the blossoms, though). Good luck!

      Reply
  32. Charity

    May 21, 2015 at 7:42 am

    We r supposed to have temps in 20’s tomorrow night, I have 50 newly planted strawberry plants, some with bids, some already are producing strawberries and ripening. How do I cover to protect my plants? They are in mounded rows. ????

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 21, 2015 at 1:13 pm

      Charity,
      You can use clean straw to cover them, or you can use a row cover like Remay. Good luck!

      Reply
  33. Milo

    April 22, 2015 at 6:49 pm

    After reading all this, I feel confident that I planted my strawberry s in the right area in my yard. Ithey are behind my shed on the south side , setting about 5 inches deep in a 5×6 form. Temps are around the mid 30’s lately. But they are looking healthy as ever..

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      April 24, 2015 at 8:34 am

      Milo,
      Great! You’ll be harvesting soon, hopefully!

      Reply
  34. angel

    March 20, 2015 at 8:46 am

    hi will i kill my starwberries if i move them around all the time as they aint in pot they are in the soil it selfs..?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      March 20, 2015 at 1:18 pm

      angel,
      If you strawberry plants aren’t in a pot and are in soil in the ground, it is best to leave them alone unless you need to move them. If you need to move them, it can be done, but it stresses the plants. If you do it often, it will likely end up killing your plants. Good luck!

      Reply
  35. Donnie mac

    March 01, 2015 at 1:25 am

    This is my first time trying to grow strawberries. I bought a six pack from my local nursery. I don’t have room in my garden. Will they be okay in a big pot? Also I have them indoors now because tempatures are in the low 20s at night. When it gets above freezing temps consistently will they be ok transferring them out on my front porch?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      March 03, 2015 at 8:45 am

      Donnie mac,
      Yes, the strawberries should do well in pots as long as they have good soil and adequate water. They will also do fine once temperatures warm up to be outside on the porch! Good luck!

      Reply
  36. Ann Jacquot

    July 03, 2014 at 12:48 pm

    My Quinault strawberries are small and misshapen. I planted them last spring and had the same issue all summer. Is there anything I can do to make them bigger? I live in North Idaho. The plants appear healthy, green and lush. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      July 07, 2014 at 9:38 am

      Ann Jacquot,
      Possibly. I would recommend starting at the Growing Strawberries reference page and reading that material to ensure you have given your plants what they need. Then, you might want to visit this page to see if you have a different problem causing your misshapen berries. Good luck!

      Reply
  37. Laura

    June 29, 2014 at 9:51 am

    Hi, This is my third year growing strawberries in the ground with a smaller raised area in the middle of the patch. I mulched heavily and have gotten a very nice yield. On the raised portion my strawberries have been large and wonderful. In many areas on the ground portion, the strawberries are very tiny, even pea sized. Do I need to replace these strawberries? How can I help the ground level strawberries excel?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      July 07, 2014 at 7:46 am

      Laura,
      It could be a number of things. If your plants are three years old, they will begin losing their vigor soon, and should be replaced after this year (using runner plants from the mother plants you have is acceptable). Also, strawberries can deplete the nutrients from the soil over time which results in smaller berries. Crowded beds also result in smaller berries, so make sure your plants haven’t become too dense. If your plants in the elevated area are doing fine, and it is just your plants on the lower level that are struggling, there may be a drainage problem with your strawberries. In order to thrive, they need well-drained soil. Hopefully, you’ll get them producing well for you soon! The growing strawberries reference page should help further. Good luck!

      Reply
  38. Christine

    April 15, 2014 at 11:57 am

    I have strawberries in railing planters. Can I leave them out through the winter? Do I water them at all through the winter?

    Last year I brought them into the garage and watered them when they dried out. I brought them out last week and only 1 out of 6 planters started to grow green leaves. I don’t understand why all the other ones died?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      April 18, 2014 at 2:36 pm

      Christine,
      If you waited until the soil dried out to water, some of them probably died. The soil must remain at least slightly moist throughout the winter to keep them alive. If you still have one, be sure to save the runners, and you should be able to repopulate your railing planters in no time. Good luck!

      Reply
  39. Newbie Strawberry Gardener

    February 18, 2014 at 8:14 pm

    My husband and I have talked about planting strawberries on general terms but nothing serious. He surprised me with 9 strawberry shoots for Valentines Day. I have planted them all in starter pots since our yard is flooded and we werent prepared for them. Today was the first day I could set them outside without worry but I am unsure at what temperature I should bring them inside or if it is safe to leave them outside. We have lows in the 30s this week but next week is expected to be in the 20s and teens. Help!

    Reply
    • Straw Berry

      February 21, 2014 at 2:41 pm

      Newbie Strawberry Gardener,
      If they are easily moved, it is best to bring them in if the temperature drops into the twenties. I am assuming that they are not dormant, so keeping them out of temperatures in the twenties will be best for them. Temperatures in the thirties shouldn’t be a problem at all. Good luck!

      Reply
  40. Jerry

    December 23, 2013 at 6:33 pm

    I live in South Georgia and we are forecasted to have 6 hours of temperatures from 30 degrees to 32 degrees. I have a cart of strawberry plants and can move them into our school greenhouse. Is this necessary or will they be fine left out in the shade house? They are planted in flats with about 3 inches of potting soil and I have two hanging baskets as well.

    Reply
    • Straw Berry

      January 01, 2014 at 11:17 am

      Jerry,
      Those temperatures will not hurt strawberry plants. In fact, they don’t even enter dormancy until the weather gets cooler than that, so you should be just fine leaving them in the shade house. Good luck!

      Reply
  41. Jenny (Australia)

    September 30, 2013 at 12:17 am

    Hey, I planted out 8 plants about 10 days ago into a soft plastic planter. Some of the plants have leaves that are turning brown, starting at the edges and then the whole leaf has turned brown. We have had some fairly crazy weather, warm, cold, very windy and lots of rain. I do not think that they have dried out. Any other suggestions as to what might be the cause and would you suggest cutting my loses and pulling these few out?

    Reply
  42. Pankaj Pandit

    September 17, 2013 at 5:01 am

    Also, my strawberry plants fruit from October – April, so what variety is that??, though they fruit less between December-January.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      September 23, 2013 at 10:24 am

      Pankaj Pandit,
      There is no way to determine what variety you have just from that information. Sorry!

      Reply
  43. Pankaj Pandit

    September 17, 2013 at 4:59 am

    Sir, I live In India and tried growing strawberries last year for the first time and was successful to some extent but I had few questions in my mind and hope you can help me with that. This is the month of September and temperature in our area rises to 35’C. If that temperature fine for growing them and secondly, yesterday it was cloudy and cool in the morning but eventually during the day, the sun was shining and hot so when I reached home in the evening, I saw that two out of dozen strawberry plants were dying and wilting. So, I applied water to see if that makes difference and after 2 hours I found them health and today in the morning they were looking very fresh, so I am wondering what could have caused the possible wilting and drying. Please reply.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      September 23, 2013 at 10:23 am

      Pankaj Pandit,
      Strawberries are temperate plants. Very hot temperatures can cause them to wilt and die. Also, the majority of a strawberry plant’s roots are in the top 3 inches of the soil. That is also the part of the soil that will rapidly dry out in scorching sun. If you have very hot days, you will need to water them more often or use a drip tape to irrigate and cool their roots. Good luck!

      Reply
  44. Elaine

    June 27, 2013 at 4:17 pm

    If your strawberries do have mild cold damage is there anything I can do to make it bloom again or more?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      June 27, 2013 at 10:51 pm

      Elaine,
      If it is mild cold damage, you may have to wait until next year to see if they bloom again once the crowns have had time to recover. June-bearing varieties typically won’t bloom again after their first major crop is produced. Good luck!

      Reply
  45. Peter

    June 17, 2013 at 5:10 pm

    Can I leave a frost blanket on my strawberries to keep the birds from eating them or will the berries not ripen or die from the blanket?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      June 18, 2013 at 12:24 am

      Peter,
      A better solution would be bird netting. Good luck!

      Reply
  46. Anthony

    May 21, 2013 at 7:10 am

    Thank you Mr strawberry.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 21, 2013 at 8:38 pm

      Anthony,
      You’re welcome!

      Reply
  47. Anthony

    May 17, 2013 at 5:13 am

    can I cut the flowers off that have black centres (frost damage) and if so were do I do this?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 17, 2013 at 8:46 pm

      Anthony,
      Yes, you can cut them off. Just snip the stem right behind the flower.

      Reply
  48. brenda

    May 12, 2013 at 8:10 pm

    we have 200 strawberry plants they are in full bloom, and many green strawberries
    should we cover them tonight. it is suppose to be in the lower 30s here in ky.
    thank b shaw

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 13, 2013 at 1:15 pm

      brenda,
      You can to be save, but already-formed strawberries typically do ok with lower-30s temperatures. Good luck either way!

      Reply
  49. amybeth

    May 09, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    Thank you for all the information! Really appreciated!

    Reply
  50. amybeth

    May 07, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    The problem is wilting is hard to detect add they really have a lack of foliage. They were 7″+ of root and maybe 1″+/- of crown growth. No green leaves, just fuzzy stems growing on a few. Supposed to be dormant. Does this make a difference re: frost tolerance?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 07, 2013 at 8:03 pm

      amybeth,
      If they are still dormant, that is actually good. They still may have problem, but it is a little less likely if they weren’t actively producing vegetative growth yet. There also have been some stories coming from the eastern coast that low temperatures haven’t been doing the damage they normally do. So, keep an eye on them, and, hopefully, they’ll perk right up and grow! Good luck!

      Reply
  51. amybeth

    May 06, 2013 at 8:27 am

    Just planted root stock plants yesterday and last night we had a 25 degree frost….. Will they survive do you think?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 07, 2013 at 7:37 am

      amybeth,
      A 25 degree frost with just-planted plants could indeed do mortal damage. Keep an eye on them. If they start to wilt, you might want to replace them. Good luck!

      Reply
  52. Lawrence

    April 24, 2013 at 5:26 pm

    I have blossoms and it is supposed to get down to 37 tonight with possible frost. Should I cover my 1,200 plants?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      April 24, 2013 at 7:45 pm

      Lawrence,
      Your plants will do just fine, but a hard frost will likely damage the blossoms. The safest thing to do would be to cover the plants, if possible. Good luck!

      Reply
  53. Honey hill

    April 20, 2013 at 10:39 am

    Will frost at 32* hurt blossoms on strawberrys?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      April 20, 2013 at 8:16 pm

      Honey hill,
      Yes, it is possible for the blossoms to be damaged by a heavy frost, but the plants should survive.

      Reply
  54. Ken

    December 25, 2012 at 11:39 pm

    Can strawberry plants survive 20 degrees F? If not, can I over my plants with a ‘Dalen Gard’n Blanket'(made out of a white light weight fabric). Also if covering them with this blanket is OK, should I leave this blanket covering my plants on until spring? Thanks again – Ken

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      January 06, 2013 at 8:49 pm

      Ken,
      Strawberries most certainly can survive 20 degrees F. In fact, it takes temperatures in the mid-twenties for several nights just to get the plants to fully enter their dormant state. You do need to protect your plants against cold injury at low temperatures, but I’d recommend using straw for protection. Good luck!

      Reply
  55. Lee Linton

    May 03, 2012 at 12:05 pm

    My strawberry blossoms have been damaged by a late frost. Should I snip off the blossoms that have turned brown to make way for new, healthy blossoms?

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      May 28, 2012 at 10:43 am

      Lee,
      Yes, snip off damaged blossoms and any other dead plant matter. Good luck!

      Reply
  56. Sheila Johnson

    June 06, 2011 at 11:53 am

    My strawberry plant leaves have dry crispy brown edges. What causes this, and how do I remedy the situation?
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Mr. Strawberry

      June 07, 2011 at 9:46 pm

      Sheila,
      The likely culprit is either a fungal infection (see the Strawberry Plant page for more) or just dying leaflets. Sometimes excessive heat or drought will do that to leaves.

      Reply

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