Overwintering Strawberries: How to Keep Your Plants Alive Through Winter
When you grow overwintering strawberries, the process of protecting strawberry plants through cold months to ensure they return strong in spring. Also known as winter strawberry protection, it’s not optional if you want a reliable harvest year after year. In the UK, winters can be harsh—even mild ones can freeze roots, kill leaves, and wipe out next season’s crop if you don’t take simple steps. Many gardeners think strawberries are hardy enough to handle frost on their own. They’re not. Left uncovered, even the toughest varieties like 'Cambridge Favourite' or 'Honeoye' can die back completely.
Strawberry plants, perennial plants that produce fruit for 3-4 years when properly cared for. Also known as perennial strawberries, they need more than just snow cover to survive. Their crowns—the central growing point where leaves and runners emerge—are especially vulnerable. A single hard frost can kill the crown, and once that’s gone, the whole plant is done. That’s why mulching with straw or pine needles isn’t just a nice idea—it’s your plant’s lifeline. And it’s not just about warmth. Wet soil in winter leads to root rot, which kills faster than cold. That’s why drainage matters as much as insulation. You’ll also need to think about strawberry care winter, the set of practices used to protect strawberry plants from freezing, drying out, and pests during cold months. This includes clearing away old leaves that harbor fungal spores, checking for slugs under mulch, and making sure your plants aren’t buried under too much snow. In raised beds or containers, the roots are even more exposed. Those need extra insulation—think bubble wrap around the sides or moving pots to a sheltered corner.
What you do in late autumn makes all the difference come May. The best time to start is after the first light frost, when the plants go dormant but before the ground freezes solid. That’s when you lay down your mulch—not too thick, not too thin. About 2-3 inches of straw lets air in while blocking wind. Avoid using leaves—they mat down and trap moisture. And don’t pull the mulch off too early in spring. Wait until the danger of hard frost is past, or you’ll shock the new growth. The plants you protect now will reward you with sweeter, bigger berries next summer.
What you’ll find in the posts below are real, tested methods from UK gardeners who’ve been there. You’ll see how to choose the right varieties for cold climates, how to use landscape fabric as a winter barrier, how to move container strawberries safely, and even how to fix plants that look dead but aren’t. No fluff. No guesswork. Just what works in British winters.