Hello,

I am looking for advice from anyone who has experience with fall planting of strawberries in New England. I am trying to figure out the best management strategy for the 1/2 acre of Chandler and Sweet Charlie strawberry plants that I planted on plastic in Mid September.  I've never grown fall planted plasticulture strawberries before, so I am not sure how best to manage them during the winter.  We have had the block covered with floating row cover ever since October.  I am not sure if we should pull that back and mulch the isles with straw, and then reinstall the row cover for the winter, or if it would be better to cover the plants & isles with straw and then just leave them without row cover for the winter so that they can get enough chilling and have less temperature fluctuation.  We could also just apply straw to the isles, but not put any on top of the strawberry plants.  The plastic beds are raised about 6 inches.  I am a little concerned that if we do not use straw mulch in the isles at all, the fruits may be susceptible to mud splash when they ripen next summer, and we would also have to cultivate the isles to keep weeds down.  I am also unclear if it would be better to have the row cover on or off in the early spring when new growth resumes.

Please e-mail me if you have insight you would like to share.  Thanks, Ryan   ([log in to unmask])

Ryan Voiland
Owner and General Manager
Red Fire Farm
Fields in Granby & Montague MA

Mailing Address: 184 Meadow Road Montague, MA 01351
413-467-7645
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