Winter is approaching and temperatures are dropping, now is the time to prepare and protect strawberry plants for winter months. Horticulturists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach advise strawberries should be mulched in the fall to prevent winter injury. The repeated freezing and thawing of soil can damage strawberry plants. Allow the plants to harden and then mulch strawberry beds. In southeast Iowa this is usually recommended in mid- to late-November.

Recommended mulching materials include weed-free oat, wheat or soybean straw, or chopped cornstalks and should be three to five inches deep at application. Also, leaf mulches are not recommended, as they may damage plants due to excess moisture being trapped under the material.