The effect of cultivation practices on the overwintering and yield of strawberry

Planting materials, heights of raised beds covered with black plastic mulch and cultivars of strawberry were tested after severe damage occurred in the winters 1991/1992 and 1992/1993. Plants on narrow 25-cm-high beds were more severely damaged than those on 10-cm-high beds. Senga Sengana, the main cultivar in Finland, was severely damaged whereas 'Jonsok' showed only minor damage. Plots planted in 1990 with micropropagated 'Senga Sengana' overwintered better and yielded more in 1992 and 1993 than those planted with material produced from runners. In the following winter (1993/1994), row coverings of polypropylene and straw were compared for winter protection. All cultivars (Senga Sengana, Jonsok and Mari), showed the highest numbers of damaged plants and the lowest yields in plots which overwintered under a straw cover. The use of winter covers has to be examined carefully before being recommended for strawberry in Finland.