Last winter most of my strawberry plants froze because of the erratic temperatures,or so I think.I have never lost strawberries before because we normally have a decent snowcover.I lost most of the Fort Laramie,Kent,and Tristar. The Ogallala survived,perhaps more snow remained on them being planted in a more westerly site.I garden in Zone 1. I am wondering if you could suggest any cultivar for cold climates?And what is considered to be a good mulch for strawberries?My raspberries,gooseberries,currants, even the scruffy apple trees,all survived. I have some tiny apples forming-so I am very disappointed with the strawberries!
It seems like you've found the varieties best suited to your climate - local garden stores usually sell plants that will grow in their local climate, so check around and see what they have. As for mulching, there are many mulches you can use. Any loose decomposible material can be used (pine needles, dried grass clippings), although straw is the most commonly used mulch. Cover the strawberries in 4-6 inches of your mulch in fall, and uncover the plants in the spring, leaving the mulch around the plant to protect buds and flowers. There are other options for protecting your plants against the cold: You can use floating row covers, or landscaping fabrics. It's wonderful to hear about all those fruit being grown in Zone 1! Cheers.
Thank you for the reply.I gather I am not alone in losing strawberry plants last winter.A few runners have survived,but I can't tell which variety.How would I find a cultivar with the Senga Sengana traits?I read about it in SoDC,and from descriptions,believe it was grown in the NWT in the 60's.It seems to have disappeared from that particular site.Its roots could reach 2 metres,and it was hardy even without a snow cover.I don't know how to track strawberries' parentage.I think many gardeners up here renew their strawberries yearly. I am a "cussed" type who likes to see how long a plant will survive!
