Small fruits are experiencing ever-growing popularity. And for good reason, besides being delicious, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and others are packed with vitamins and antioxidants that are very good for health. Since their cultivation is quite simple, they are found in abundance in gardens and vegetable patches. When fruit production is over, these plants need some care before winter. Here’s how to take care of your small fruits in the fall:
Strawberries
If you plant your strawberries in open ground, they can survive the Quebec winter even in colder regions. At the end of the season, cut off wilted or dried leaves, but leave healthy leaves in place; they will survive the winter and are necessary for the production of next season’s fruits. To protect them from the cold, cover them with a good layer of straw or mulch.
Blueberries
Pruning blueberries is done at the end of winter, when the plant is still dormant. For the first few years after planting, only do very light pruning by cutting only the longest branches. In the fall, you don't have any special care to give your blueberries, except for reducing watering: unless the soil is very dry, do not water. If your blueberries are planted where there is a lot of wind or if your land is a refuge for rabbits, hares, or even deer (!) it is best to protect them with fences.
Raspberries
Delicious raspberries require a bit more maintenance in the fall. You need to cut the branches that have borne fruit down to the ground with a sharp pruner. They are easy to identify: they are brown and dry. Take the opportunity to clean the soil and cut small weak branches. You should also keep only 4 healthy canes per square foot on the ground: choose the most beautiful and largest ones. Then prune in height, at mid-chest (about 1.2m). Be careful, raspberry canes are covered with small thorns: wear a good pair of gloves and a long-sleeved shirt.
By following these few tips, your small fruit plants should get through the winter without too much trouble and start producing their sweet little wonders again as soon as the nice weather returns!
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