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how to keep strawberry plant #886877

Asked October 01, 2024, 2:40 PM EDT

I have a strawberry plant that is in a clay pot. I really value this particular plant since I brought it from NJ when I moved here to Brattleboro. My question is: how can I keep this plant alive so that I can plant it in a good spot in the yard next spring? Or should I plant it in the ground now? Thank you for helping me!!

Windham County Vermont

Expert Response

Hello Joanne, 

Thank you for reaching out to the EMG Helpline! Great question about your strawberry plant. Do you happen to know the variety? If the variety is suitable for growing in ground in Vermont, it's generally best to plant strawberries in the ground in the spring.

For this winter, I recommend bringing the pot indoors. It can overwinter in your garage or basement and the pot may need a little insulation if the overwintering spot goes below 20 degrees. 

Potted strawberry plants, along with their roots, must also be protected from winter temperatures. This makes protecting container plants a bit more complicated than in-ground plants. This article suggests three options. Note, for the second one, a terra cotta pot is likely to crack if planted in the ground over the winter:

  • The first option is to move your container strawberry plants to an area that stays between 20° and 40°F all winter. For many gardeners, this space does not exist in our homes. In January and February, my garage gets well below 20°. So, most gardeners should consider insulating the roots and leaves with mulch or soil.
  • If the soil is not yet frozen and you have soil to dig into, you can dig a hole slightly wider than your container and place the container in the hole so that the strawberry leaves are just above ground level. Backfill the hole with soil around the container. Then cover the strawberry leaves with mulch.
  • If you are unable to dig a hole for your container plants, then a third option is to mound several inches of potting mix or soil around the container in order to help insulate the roots. Then cover the strawberry leaves with mulch.

If you decide to plant it in the ground next spring, here are some growing tips from our neighbors in New Hampshire: 

https://extension.unh.edu/sites/default/files/migrated_unmanaged_files/Resource006095_Rep8605.pdf

I hope one of these options can work for you. Please let us know if you have any other questions! 

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