The leaves are what's putting life into the plant. Mowing after harvest is not helping your new runners. Mowing now would help with the mat of straw closer to the crowns for winter protection.

I always mow as part of the renovation after harvest. I wouldn't do it now, and I do nothing for winter protection. I've never lost a harvest in 8 years of growing strawberries.

Hamilton, hope you dont mind me piggybacking on your thread, seemed silly to open another one with a similiar question...but does anyone know to what temp. strawberries are cold hearty to? (hope that's the right lingo) I want to decide if I'll need to put my strawberries, which are now in big half wisky barrels, into my GH for our mild winter? we will typically only get a few weeks (and not consecutively) of belowing freezing temps here and no snow..can they handle this? These plants came as slips from my mom's garden in Idaho and she brought them to me in May this year and they grew out nicely, but did not bear any fruit, the plants are very healthy looking...any ideas? suggestions?

Hi rjinga,

No, I don't mind at all. I'll even give you a bit of an answer. I've read lots that say to mulch after it gets to 20F. Because you don't get any snow, you might want to provide a little bit of mulch for insulation.

If strawberries are cold hardy up here in Canada, I'd venture a guess that a Georgia winter isn't going to do them any harm.

OK, so far I have one person saying to mow before mulching and one person saying to mow at renovation. Anyone else have some advice?

Mowing during renovation may help with disease problems. Blow or vaccume off all the debries.

I'd probably post to the "fruits and orchards" forum. Don Yellman usually responds and he's in zone 6/7.