Do you cut strawberries back in the fall? Experts reveal the potential dangers of trimming ahead of winter
You can trim them, but be careful not to get too carried away
Strawberry plants can start looking ragged come fall. After a prosperous summer of producing fruit and growing foliage, a strawberry bed can be covered in old, tatty leaves and a mass of runners.
Whether you grow strawberries in the ground, raised beds, or containers, it may be tempting to head out with the trimmers and give the plants a little cutback. The plants will undoubtedly look neater with a little haircut, but should you actually cut strawberries back in the fall?
Fall may be a good time to divide strawberries by removing runners to propagate new plants, but excessively cutting back strawberries in the fall can risk the health of plants and jeopardize future harvests.
Do you trim strawberry plants for winter?
To answer this question, we hear from some experts about what you should and shouldn’t cut back on established strawberry plants in the fall. Early to mid-fall may be an ideal time to plant strawberries - but it would be foolish to cut back those new plants ahead of winter.
Do you cut strawberries back in the fall?
Strawberries are hardy in US hardiness zones 6 and above but may benefit from protection courtesy of horticultural fleece or a mulching layer of straw in colder climates. One of the main pitfalls of cutting strawberries back in the fall is that the crown of the plants will be exposed to colds and frosts during winter. Excessively trimming strawberry plants ahead of winter poses a particular risk in colder US hardiness zones.
‘We do not recommend pruning these plants right before winter,’ warns Lotte Berendsen, a certified botanist from the PlantIn app. ‘If frosts occur right after pruning, the cold can cause serious harm to the plant tissue.
‘Also, healthy leaves can act as a protective barrier for new, fresh growth in early spring.’
There are different types of strawberry plants, namely summer-fruiting and fall-bearing varieties. Summer-fruiting types want to be cut back to around three inches tall after they finish fruiting in late summer while fall-bearing types will benefit from being trimmed after cropping - but more lightly than the summer plants.
‘Fall-bearing strawberries should be pruned only to remove the dead and diseased leaves around September or October to prevent diseases,’ advises Lotte Berendsen. ‘Don’t cut your fall-bearing plants down to the crown; you’ll sacrifice potential fruits.’
Pruning summer-fruiting strawberries in fall would be a pruning mistake as it risks next year’s crop and leaves the tender crown at risk of freezing. Trimming fall-fruiting types too early robs them of an opportunity to grow late fruits.
Leaving the foliage in place for winter can protect any strawberry crown from freezing or rotting. Indeed, cutting back any types of strawberries hard in the fall only increases the risk of the plants succumbing to the cold winter weather, even with the added protection of mulch. All healthy, green leaves are best left and all focus should be on removing dead, brown leaves.
The gentle cutting back of dead or diseased leaves in the fall helps keep fungal and bacterial strawberry diseases at bay and ensures the plants are healthy to start growing again come spring. Lindsey Chastain, CEO of the Waddle and Cluck, adds that gently removing such foliage can combat strawberry pests too. She says: ‘Removing dead leaves reduces areas where these pests might decide to hunker down for the winter.’
Any cutting back of strawberry plants in fall must be done carefully, to avoid causing damage to the plant’s central crown. A pair of clean and sharp pruning shears is the best garden tool for the job as you can target infected or dead leaves and collect them away from the strawberry bed. Diseased leaves should be bagged and binned, not used to make compost.
Lindsey Chastain, a dedicated homesteader and skilled writer, is the driving force behind The Waddle and Cluck, a platform that celebrates sustainable living, gardening, and responsible farming
Lotte is a gardening enthusiast, writer, and plant expert at PlantIn, where she provides customers with detailed care and treatment plans
A pair of comfortable and lightweight professional pruning shears featuring high-quality hardened steel blades and sturdy aluminium alloy handles. An ideal tool for a range of pruning tasks.
FAQs
Do you cut back everbearing strawberries in the fall?
Everbearing strawberries crop in late spring and late summer or early fall. The optimal time to prune them is in spring, cutting back everbearing strawberries in fall is not recommended.
Any mulching to help overwinter strawberry plants should be done ahead of the first ground frosts. Lindsey Chastain advises to ‘avoid any heavy, dense materials’ as it risks retaining too much moisture around the crowns. Straw or pine needles are preferable to compost or leaf mulch.
Sign up to the Homes & Gardens newsletter
Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.
Drew’s passion for gardening started with growing vegetables and salad in raised beds in a small urban terrace garden. He has gone on to work as a professional gardener in historic gardens across the UK and also specialise as a kitchen gardener growing vegetables, fruit, herbs, and cut flowers. That passion for growing extends to being an allotmenteer, garden blogger, and producing how-to gardening guides for websites. Drew was shortlisted in the New Talent of the Year award at the 2023 Garden Media Guild Awards.
-
The Pottery Barn holiday collection puts a fresh spin on old classics – it's vintage with a 2024 twist
Between the red berry wreaths and gingerbread serveware, the Pottery Barn Christmas collection looks good enough to eat – these are my favorite finds
By Emilia Hitching Published
-
Pro gardeners reveal the only pruners you should ever use
Good pruners are a garden essential. Thankfully, it's easy to find the best pruners – all pro gardeners agree that the Felco F2 are the only pair to use
By Alex David Published
-
What to do with viburnums in the fall – expert tips for healthy shrubs
Whether you have a snowball bush or a nannyberry shrub in your yard, our fall care guide has all the information you need
By Thomas Rutter Published
-
When to divide plants – for new perennials that establish fast and flower abundantly
Our experts explain the best times to divide perennials and populate your yard for free
By Drew Swainston Published
-
How to overwinter a Boston fern – 5 easy steps to keeping your fern happy through the coldest season
These beautiful plants aren't frost-hardy, so it's best to take some simple steps to help them during winter
By Tenielle Jordison Published
-
What to do with wisteria in the fall – to ensure your climbers bloom better than ever next year
Everything you need to know about caring for wisteria plants in the fall to prepare for the colder months
By Thomas Rutter Published
-
Native alternatives to Japanese maples – 5 North American trees for a spectacular fall display
These native species are sure to add seasonal joy to any yard, and they will prove a hit with wildlife too
By Thomas Rutter Published
-
How to cure pumpkins successfully to give them the longest life
If you cure pumpkins, they can store for months – here is where and how to do it
By Drew Swainston Published
-
What to do with bougainvillea in the fall – expert tips to prepare your flowering climbers for the colder months
Our seasonal guide has all the information you need to know to best care for these tropical climbing plants in October and November
By Thomas Rutter Published
-
How to take mulberry tree cuttings – expert tips for successful plant propagation
Learning how to take mulberry tree cuttings is a cost-effective way to grow your tree collection
By Thomas Rutter Published