Autumn strawberry care takes an hour and you will be rewarded with plants laden with fruit with just three steps

After summer fruiting, strawberries need thorough autumn care so they come through winter without problems and put on strong growth again in spring. October in particular is the time when you can significantly influence their condition. If you give the plants the right attention, they will repay you next season with more large, delicious berries. Autumn tasks are not complicated, but it is important to do them on time and gently.

Removing old leaves gives strawberries relief

One of the most important steps is cutting back strawberry plants. The right time is late September into early October, as the growing season draws to a close. Old, damaged or tired leaves no longer help the plant, and instead weaken it unnecessarily. By removing them, you give strawberries room to regenerate and they can direct more energy into the root system and renewal.

When trimming, you need to proceed carefully. Remove mainly the oldest leaves, while healthy young growth should be left in place. Pay particular attention to the centre of the plant, the crown, from which new leaves emerge. If the crown is damaged, the plant may overwinter poorly or grow more weakly in spring.

Autumn feeding follows different rules than spring

In autumn, strawberries do not need a boost for lush leaf growth, but nutrition that strengthens roots and prepares the plants for the cold months. That is why it is best to choose fertilisers with a higher potassium and phosphorus content. These nutrients help firm up tissues, encourage rooting, and increase resistance to winter conditions.

By contrast, nitrogen should be kept low at this time of year. Too much nitrogen would stimulate fresh green growth, which is generally undesirable before winter. The plant could then go into the cold period weakened and more sensitive to frost.

A natural fertiliser from banana peels

A simple homemade option is a banana-peel infusion topped up with wood ash. Banana peels contain valuable minerals, especially potassium, which strawberries appreciate in autumn. The ash then adds further useful elements and supports the plants’ overall vitality.

To prepare it, you only need three peels from ripe bananas, 1 litre of water, and two tablespoons of wood ash. Chop the peels into smaller pieces and cover with water. Leave to steep for two to three days so the nutrients leach into the liquid. Then strain the mixture, add the ash, and dilute the finished solution with clean water at a 1:1 ratio.

How to use the fertiliser correctly

Apply the prepared solution around the roots of the strawberry plants. There is no need to repeat feeding many times; at this point in the season a single application is usually enough. The aim is to give the plants a useful reserve of nutrients for winter, not to overload them. The soil should be slightly moist so the feed can be taken up well by the roots.

Mulching as protection for winter

After trimming and feeding, it is also worth thinking about mulch. A layer of mulch helps keep soil temperatures more stable, reduces drying out, and protects roots from sharp swings in weather. Thanks to this, strawberries go into winter in much better condition. Mulch also suppresses weeds that would otherwise drain the plants’ strength.

Careful autumn care is one of the surest ways to support a heavy strawberry harvest the following year.

Small steps now make a big difference in summer

Strawberry plants do not require anything complicated in autumn, but they do need good timing and a gentle touch. If you remove old leaves in October, provide the right nutrients, and protect plants with mulch, you create good conditions for overwintering. It is often this care that decides whether the plants will be laden next year with sweet, large berries.

Source: To je nápad, Gardeners World, Pestrazahrada.cz