I recently cut back my strawberry plants. They were planted in the spring. They are in a raised bed. There were a lot of "babies" still attached to the runners, laying on top of the ground not rooted. How can I take care of these during the winter months so they can be planted in the spring?

Your best bet is to just orient them with the crowns at soil level and cover them lightly with straw --and hope that they "take" before the soil freezes. They would not likely survive storage over the winter months.

Strawberries are the perfect fruit for the home gardener. They don’t take up too much space so they fit well into our typical suburban yards. They will produce the year after planting, and they are very productive—you should be able to harvest a quart of fruit for each foot of row.

Choose a sunny location for your strawberries with a well-drained soil. Eliminate all weeds during bed preparation, and maintain a weed free bed for the best production. Plants should be spaced a foot and a half apart in rows spaced four feet apart. It’s important to be sure that the crown of the plant-the area where the stems meets the roots is planted even with the ground.

Early spring is the best time to plant in Kentuckiana. Not coincidentally, it’s when you will find the best selection of plants. In March or April-just as soon as the ground is dry enough to work, you can plant your strawberries. Prune off the largest, oldest leaves and cut the roots back to about 5 inches in length. Keep the roots moist until planting. Make a v-shaped hole in the row and place the plant in, spreading out the root system and positioning the crown at ground level and firming in the soil around the plant. Use a water soluble starter solution to water in the plants.

Keep the plants well watered and keep the runners that form in the same row. The plants will start to bloom soon after planting, but these blossoms should be pinched off to encourage the plant to put its energy into producing vegetation, not fruit. You’ll eventually get a row 2-3 feet wide.

Mulch the plant rows with straw in fall for winter protection of the crowns. Mulch after the ground has frozen to insulate the soil and keep it cold. Pull back the mulch in the spring when the plants start their new growth, but leave the mulch between the rows to inhibit weeds and protect the fruit from rotting on the ground.

Don’t fertilize strawberries in the spring, this will actually reduce yields. The time to fertilize is between August 15 and September 1. Put the fertilizer on when the plants are dry, brushing off any that lands on the leaves to prevent burn. Small plants with yellowish leaves indicate the need for nitrogen fertilizer. Any complete fertilizer like 10-10-10 will do.

Strawberries are susceptible to Verticillium wilt, so avoid planting in areas where tomatoes, peppers or potatoes have been previously planted. Good sanitation in fall and weed control during the growing season will help to prevent disease and insect problems.

Slugs can be quite a problem with strawberries; traps are a good way to reduce adult populations. Birds that try to harvest your berries before you can get to them can be deterred by netting material placed over the plants. Diseases caused by fungi (like gray mold) will require fungicide sprays. Be sure to follow the label directions carefully regarding times to wait between application before harvest.

The University of Kentucky recommends the following varieties:
Earliglow, an early season producers with great flavor
Honeoye-a mid season variety with high production
Jewel-later season with big berries.