How to Cold Store Strawberry Plugs for Next Season

Strawberries overwinter well in most climates.

Growing strawberries is a rewarding experience, resulting in a sweet treat for your family. Strawberries are perennial plants, so whether you plant them in a pot or in the ground, they can overwinter and produce again the following year.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Bucket or pots
• Straw

Instructions

1. Dig up your strawberry plugs and place them in 6-inch plastic pots. Alternatively, you can fill a large bucket or bin with dirt and place multiple plugs in it.

2. Place the pots in an unheated garage or shed over the winter. Water them once before storing.

3. Bury your plants in the ground, in their individual plastic pots, if you have space in your garden. Bury them up to the rims of the pots and cover them with straw.

4. Revive your plants the following spring by digging them up, repotting them in fresh soil and watering thoroughly.

References

• Our Ohio: Overwintering Strawberry Plants
• University of Illinois Extension; Growing Strawberries in Pots; Jeff Rugg; March 3, 2010