Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN

docachna 11/24/2020, 12:16 pm

I have a 4' x 8' bed of Mel's Mix that I raised strawberries in last year. I cut them back after the crop, and for the most part, they have grown back well again.

I'm undecided about how to mulch them. I would not suppose straw would work in Mel's Mix !

Has anyone tried burlap ? It would seem to breathe adequately. Anything else that has worked ?

TIA !

OhioGardener 11/24/2020, 1:12 pm

Straw works fine for mulching the top of the beds for winter protection, and then remove the bulk of it in the spring as the plants begin growing. Any straw left on the beds will quickly be digested by the microbes to further enrich the soil.

docachna 11/25/2020, 12:28 pm

OhioGardener wrote:Straw works fine for mulching the top of the beds for winter protection, and then remove the bulk of it in the spring as the plants begin growing. Any straw left on the beds will quickly be digested by the microbes to further enrich the soil.

Okay. I wasn't aware straw could be used in Mel's Mix. If that's the case, that's easy...

**sanderson** 12/13/2020, 4:07 pm

Docachna, We don't actually use straw in the Mel's Mix. But, after removing the straw mulch, there will be little pieces left and it is okay to mix them into the MM.

**sanderson** 4/21/2022, 2:06 pm

A little early this spring, but the Albion and Quinault strawberries are ripening. If I only had room for more beds. Razz

I left the summer straw mulch in place over the winter until I carefully removed it from under the leaves to add more compost and more straw.

Northern gardeners, how are your strawberry plants doing? Are some of them under a blanket of straw and snow?

Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN Strawb11

Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN Strawb12

OhioGardener 4/21/2022, 2:58 pm

sanderson wrote:Northern gardeners, how are your strawberry plants doing? Are some of them under a blanket of straw and snow?

Ours are just sprouting new leaves and runners, and starting their spring growth. We usually start picking Strawberries in mid- to late-June. Just Monday we had a brief snow storm that left a couple inches of snow. The next day the snow melted, the strawberries didn't seem to mind. The Rhubarb is really growing now, and we'll soon be ready for a good Strawberry Rhubarb Pie! Very Happy

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Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN

Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN

Re: Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN

Re: Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN

Re: Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN

Re: Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN

Re: Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN

Re: Mulching strawberries in Mel's Mix - Nashville TN


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