9 Best Mulch Types for Your Strawberry Patch
Mulch is quintessential for healthy strawberry patches. There are plenty of types on the market, and each one has its pros and cons for gardeners. In this article, plant expert Matt Dursum covers the best mulch types for your strawberry patch and why they work.
Contents
Mulch is any piece of material that covers your garden soil, and it’s crucial for a healthy strawberry patch. It serves plenty of uses, from controlling weeds to sealing in moisture in the soil. The coverage helps block out the sun’s rays from dehydrating the topsoil. It also protects beneficial insects from predators and promotes microbial growth under the surface.
Without it, many gardeners may struggle to get a thriving ecosystem under their soil. Fortunately, most mulch is inexpensive and easy to use. Some types are even free!
Strawberry plants are a species that benefits the most from mulch. Mulch protects them from rotting by suspending the delicious fruits off the ground. It insulates them from summer heat and winter cold and protects them during their dormant phase.
As beneficial as mulch is, some types are better for your strawberries than others. Each one has its benefits and its problems. Let’s dive into the nine best mulch types for your strawberry patch.
Straw Mulch
Straw mulch is made from dried stalks of multiple species of grain plants. It can be made from oats, rice, wheat, or even barley. Sometimes it contains hay and other wild grains. The straw you buy from specialty garden stores like this one is weed and seed-free and specifically made for your garden.
Strawberries love straw mulch because it’s light and aerated. It holds in moisture well without becoming soggy. Strawberries are especially prone to rot when they’re growing in overly saturated conditions. Straw mulch dries quickly and maintains the soil temperature at a constant level.
Straw decomposes quickly, adding valuable nutrients to your soil. Throughout the summer, straw acts as insulation for your strawberry plants’ roots. The soil underneath stays cool, even when outside temperatures rise above 80°F (27°C). In the winter, the straw heats the soil underneath and protects your plants from the winter cold.
When your berries form, they’ll rest comfortably on the light bed of straw. This will keep them from decomposing and help protect them from predatory insects that could destroy your crop.
The best time to apply straw mulch is in the fall, once the soil temperatures are consistently below 40°F (4°C), but you can apply mulch at any time. For optimal timing, wait until a cold snap is scheduled and spread the straw in layers of 2 to 3 inches. Carefully remove most of the straw in spring so your plants can produce new foliage as the weather warms.
Compost
Compost is one of the best mulches for your strawberry patch. First, it’s free if you make it yourself. It’s easy to build DIY compost bins in your home garden or yard. Kitchen scraps, yard waste, and other organic material will break down easily, providing you with plenty of nutrient-dense mulch.
Compost adds macro- and micronutrients to the soil as it decomposes. Microbes and beneficial insects will flourish in compost. It will help seal in moisture in the soil and insulate your plants during their winter dormant phase.
Make sure the compost has plenty of brown waste. This includes leaves, twigs, bark, and other carbon-rich material. It helps improve soil drainage and protects your strawberries from the intense rays of the sun in the summer.
Add an inch or half-inch of compost around your plants. Leave the crowns exposed and evenly distribute the compost around your garden beds. Keep applying the compost mulch as it breaks down for the best results.
Chopped Plants
If you have an abundance of weeds, leafy green vegetables, or small shrubs in your garden, try chopping them up and using them as mulch for your strawberry plants.
Chopped leaves and plants break down over time. They insulate your soil from the sun and hold in water. They also work well to absorb heat and insulate your soil.
The best part about this mulch, other than its effectiveness, is that it’s free! All you need is a wood chopper and yard waste.
Although it has plenty of benefits, it can spread seeds around your garden. Make sure to use weeds and perennials that are not in their seeding phase. Choose weeds that can’t re-root from small sections. Evenly spread an inch over your garden beds. As the chopped leaf mulch decomposes, you can keep adding more layers.
Pine Needles
Pine needles work magically for strawberries for many reasons. First, pine needles keep the soil slightly acidic as they decompose. Strawberry plants grow best in soil that’s between 5.5 and 7 in pH.
Pine needles are usually free to use. They make a soft pillow for your fruit to lie on. As the berries ripen, the needles keep them suspended above the soil surface. Fungi and other critters will have less of a chance to consume the sweet fruits before you do.
Pine needles can help prevent nasty insects from infesting your soil. They provide a great habitat underneath by sealing in moisture and blocking the sun.
Apply an inch to 2 inches of pine needle mulch around your plants in the late spring. Apply another layer in the fall for extra protection from the cold.
Pine needles give your garden beds a lovely natural look. They last a long time and release valuable nutrients into the soil as they decompose.
Grass Clippings
Do you have a yard and a lawn mower? If so, why not use grass clippings as mulch in your strawberry patch? Grass clippings are free and effective. They’re soft and provide great bedding for your berries as they mature.
As they decompose, they provide valuable macronutrients to the soil. They block the sun and insulate your plants during extreme heat and cold snaps.
Grass clippings are great natural barriers to keep weeds out of your beds. As they decompose, they form thick mats around your plants. Weeds will not be able to photosynthesize underneath.
For best results, let the clippings dry out before using them. Apply a 2 or 3-inch layer around your plants in late spring and once again in fall to prepare your plants for the winter.
Shredded Leaves
If you have tons of deciduous trees around your garden, why not use their leaves as mulch? They’re free and easy to shred by hand. As they decompose, they’ll add carbon and nitrogen to the soil.
Leaves are some of the best types of mulch for encouraging a thriving ecosystem in your soil. They break down slowly and form a thick mat above the soil surface. Beneficial insects thrive underneath while weeds are blocked from the sun.
Leaves are super soft and make excellent beds for your berries to rest on. Because they’re natural and often from native plants, many beneficial insects will make their homes inside them as they decompose. Earthworms are especially fond of leaves and will slowly convert them into nutrient-rich natural compost.
It’s important to shred the leaves well before applying. Ice can form between whole leaves and create a problem for your plants by freezing to the plant tissue. Apply a thick layer of shredded leaves in late spring and again in the fall. Try to use leaves from as many species as you can to diversify the nutrients.
Wood Chips
Wood chips are made from chopped-up Christmas trees, arborist cuts, and even building materials. They’re usually free and available throughout the year.
A strawberry patch grows well with wood chip mulch. The chips are large enough to improve aeration in the soil. They block out the sun for weeds and give beneficial insects room to hide from predators.
Apply a thick layer in late spring after planting and again in fall. As the chips decompose, they release lots of nitrogen into the soil. Depending on the species of tree, some woodchips lower the soil pH once they decompose.
Wood chips hold in moisture efficiently and regulate heat. They’re some of the most aesthetically pleasing forms of mulch out there. Make sure you only use organic and untreated chips for your strawberry plants and other edible plants and fruits. Keep the mulch away from the crown of your berry plants to prevent rot.
Shredded Bark
Strawberry plants grow well with shredded bark mulch. It’s lighter and fluffier than wood chips and holds in moisture efficiently. The bark is usually sourced from a huge variety of trees and sold in large bags or even given away for free by arborists.
Bark decomposes slowly, releasing large amounts of nutrients into the soil over time. The bark forms a thick mat over the soil, blocking out the sun for weeds. As your fruit forms, the bark provides a layer of soft bedding for the fruits to lie on. Critters will generally avoid the fruit because of the impermeable layer of bark above them.
Apply a thick layer of bark in the spring and again in the fall. Consider using pine or cedar bark for extra protection against pests. These plants release aromatic compounds that many pests find repulsive. For protecting your delicious strawberries, this is a good thing.
Besides its aesthetics and pest-controlling power, shredded bark is great for microorganisms and fungi living in your soil. Beneficial fungi break the bark down over time, releasing nutrients slowly over time. Your heavy-feeding strawberry plants will thank you.
Borage Mulch
Borage and strawberry plants go together like port wine and chocolate. They may not be the first companions you’d think of, but once you try them together, there’s no turning back.
First, borage is one of the best companion plants for strawberries. The plants produce bright blue flowers that attract beneficial pollinators, the same species that love your strawberry plants! They help protect your plants from diseases and actually improve the flavor of your fruits.
As your borage matures, it serves another purpose: being the ultimate mulch. Take mature borage plants and shred them. Collect the shredded plant tissue and let it dry for a few days. After it dries, apply it around your plants in a thick layer about 3 or 4 inches thick.
As it decomposes, it releases nitrogen and other nutrients into the soil. It forms a thick mat that lets air and water in but blocks the soil’s moisture from escaping. Its tiny plant fibers insulate the soil and provide a soft bedding for your berries. It also helps keep harmful insects from attacking your berries. Borage is edible too!
Key Takeaways
You may be wondering which of these mulches is best for your strawberry plants. The answer is, it depends. Personally, I love using shredded borage or organic straw. They’re cheap or free and have a lot of benefits for the soil.
Avoid using any mulch that’s treated with chemicals or toxic dyes. These substances can leach into the soil and harm the quality of your fruit. I avoid using plastic and inorganic mulches for my plants since they have no nutritional value for my plants.
Any of the nine types of mulch above will work fine in your garden. Choose the easiest and cheapest one you have access to or the one that looks the best in your garden. You can always mix them throughout the season to give your plants a variety.
