Would you want to know if you can mow wild strawberries? Yes. Drawing on my background, I would say that Apart from their assistance of animals, wild strawberries help the gardener in ways not related to mowing or watering after the plants are grown.
That is indeed exactly what it implies. Ideally, this post will give you the knowledge and confidence to start mowing strawberry plants in your yard.
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Now, let’s get started
Why Do You Need To Mow Strawberries
One uses mowing strawberry plants for numerous purposes.
Mowing helps boost the following year’s strawberry harvest, extend the vitality of the strawberry plants and the planting area, and ease the remainder of the repair process.
The growth season for the next year starts when flower buds and runners develop after the harvest.
Following harvest, the strawberry plant starts developing the buds that will bloom in the crown next year.
Late summer sees the beginning of these buds, which develop until early October. Cutting strawberry plants promotes the growth of new buds following harvest.
More flower stalks the next spring will result from this, and so will a more significant crop. (The development of flower buds also depends on water.
One inch of water has to be given to the strawberry plants weekly until the first frost to guarantee the maximum output of strawberries in the next year.
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When To Mow Strawberries
Usually, the only kind of strawberries to mow are June-bearing ones. Usually not mowed are day-neutral and everbearing types.
For the June-bearers, one week following the last harvest is the time to mow strawberry beds.
Mowing Strawberries
Although it seems extreme, mowing strawberries is simple. Set the deck with your selected rotary mower so it cuts a full inch above the strawberry plant tops.
Then, go over the vegetation. Simple enough as pie.
Watering the plants before mowing is good since some strawberries are more susceptible to hot, dry conditions.
Especially vulnerable are jewel strawberry plants; some may perish following mowing a strawberry patch under hot and dry conditions.
Rake up the trash and leaves after mowing, then clear them from the yard. This promotes air flow and eliminates a friendly habitat for other strawberry plant illnesses, including fungus.
Rake promptly after mowing; the damp or rotting leaves and crowded spots are a refuge for creatures that damage strawberries.
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When Should You NOT Mow Your Strawberries
One thing that should be remembered is that when we talk about mowing strawberry plants, we refer to kinds that yield fruit in June.
What is a strawberry that bears fruit in June? These types produce a single massive crop during the summer, particularly in June.
It is unnecessary to mow everbearing or day-neutral cultivars since they will continue to produce fruit throughout the summer.
It would help if you did not mow your strawberries for several reasons, including the following:
• The strawberries you have are either day-neutral or everbearing; neither of these varieties is routinely mowed.
• If it has been many weeks since the last harvest of your June-bearing plants. You run the danger of causing damage to the plants that will be grown the following year.
It is recommended that you mow your lawn after August 1st for most locations.
• If the distance between your plants is so little. It is still possible to mow, but while you are doing so, you should be careful to lift your mower’s deck so that you do not damage the runners. This will allow the runners to take root.
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How To Properly Mow Your Wild Strawberry Plants
When done promptly, mowing your strawberries has the potential to be both quick and easy. Make sure you keep in mind that the optimal time to mow them is within a week of your most recent harvest.
Observe these straightforward steps:
• Make sure the mower is at least an inch taller than the strawberry plants’ tallest point by adjusting its height.
• Use a push or riding mower to cut across your plants as you mow them carefully.
Rake up the debris when you have finished mowing. This promotes air circulation and eliminates an environment conducive to fungus growth and other infections that might affect strawberry plants.
When we were mowing, we used a bag attached to the mower to collect the debris.
• If you are having a hot and dry summer, it is a good idea to water your plants a few days before you mow them to mitigate the stress they are facing.
• Ensure that your plants receive one inch of rain every week and continue to water them as necessary throughout the summer.
This will allow for optimal growth and development in preparation for the harvest the following year.
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What Are The Benefits Of Mowing Wild Strawberries
1. The initial stage in the remodeling process, which is to mow the strawberry plants, simplifies the other steps of the procedure. In addition to this, the beds will seem more organized.
2. Increase the production of flower buds and the yield for the following year
3. Younger runner plants that have not yet established roots will be mowed off, which will assist in minimizing congestion.
4. Increases the average size of the strawberries that are harvested the next year during the harvest
5. Reduces the number of possibilities for strawberry pathogens to develop due to the removal of redundant or dead foliage. It is also possible to stop the disease cycle for certain viruses by mowing.
6. After mowing a strawberry crop, performing a mushing is simpler.
If necessary, planting additional strawberry plants or transferring runner plants is made simpler after the lawn has been mowed.
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Final Thought
Now that we have established that you can mow wild strawberries, Cutting strawberries is not very difficult or time-consuming either. Still, two last things should be remembered.
First, one should pay attention to and find relevance in crown placement. Should the crowns be too high or improperly positioned at planting, the mower deck must be elevated to fit.
Moreover, after mowing, the top section of the plants might appear horrible. Not fearing is great!
The roots and crowns will remain whole and joyful, and they will keep generating mouthwatering strawberries!
Remember that you may always hand-prune strawberry plants even if you have a raised bed or other challenging-to-mow spot.