is my strawberry plant dead or dormant

Is My Strawberry Plant Dead or Dormant? How to Tell the Difference

As a strawberry gardener, it can be confusing to determine whether your plants are dead or just dormant during the winter or early spring. The leaves die back and the crowns and roots shrivel and brown over cold weather dormancy. But is the plant still alive or has it perished?

Knowing the signs of true death versus temporary dormancy in strawberry plants is crucial. It affects whether you should replace seemingly dead plants or simply care for them as they reawaken.

This article covers identifying dormant versus dead strawberries, overwintering tips, and what to do if plants don’t recover in spring.

Signs of Dormant Strawberry Plants

During cold temperatures, strawberry plants enter dormancy as an adaptive survival mechanism. Growth halts as the plant directs its energy reserves into the roots and crown.

Here are key signs your strawberries are alive but dormant

• Leaves wither, dry up, and turn reddish-brown but remain loosely attached to crowns

• Crown, roots, and stolons persist but appear shriveled and dried

• Pulling lightly on leaves/stolons meets resistance from anchored but dormant roots

• Inner crown tissue still shows faint white or green when cut, not dark brown decay

• New leaves start emerging after 1-2 weeks of warm weather

The overall plant will look dead and brittle above ground but key underground structures survive. Dormant strawberries just need proper care as temperatures warm.

Dead Strawberry Plant Characteristics

If plants don’t rebound as spring starts, they likely perished over winter. Look for these signs of dead strawberries:

• Leaves are completely shriveled or gone, leaving bare crowns

• Stems pull away easily from the base with no root resistance

• Inner crown is very dark brown or blackened when cut

• Decaying odor from rotting crown tissue

• No new growth after 2-3 weeks of temperatures above 60°F

• Evidence of gray mold on old leaves or plant base

Sometimes lack of winter protection for roots or disease contributes to plant death. But older strawberry plants can simply die off after a couple years.

Overwintering Tips for Dormant Plants

To ensure strawberries survive winter, provide care before and during dormancy:

• Stop fertilizing and avoid excess nitrogen in fall so plants harden off properly.

• Remove old leaves/debris where pests or disease can lurk.

• Apply a 4-6 inch protective mulch layer before hard freezes.

• Maintain soil moisture. Water plants if winter is dry without heavy snow cover.

• Cover crowns with straw or row cover if temperatures drop below 5°F for extended periods.

• Remove mulch promptly in spring so plants wake up with warmer soil exposure.

Caring for Dormant Plants in Spring

Be patient in early spring for new growth. Wait 2-3 weeks after warm weather returns before taking any action. Here are tips for reviving dormant strawberries:

• Gently scratch away mulch from crowns if present.

• Water thoroughly if soil is dry. Avoid fertilizing until plants are actively growing.

• Examine crowns for signs of life like white inner tissue.

• Allow time for warm sun and air to penetrate.

• Look for new leaves emerging from crowns which indicates dormancy is ending.

• Resist urge to dig up plants that seem dead. Often they are just slow to break dormancy.

What to Do if Strawberry Plants Don’t Recover

If plants remain totally shriveled without new shoots after spring weather warms, they likely perished over winter. Here are options if strawberries don’t rebound:

• Pull back mulch and gently dig up one plant to check roots and crown for rot or decay.

• Consider disease or winter injury caused the death. Test soil pH which can prevent future issues.

• Remove and discard any dead plants to prevent disease spread.

• Replace dead strawberries with new young bare root or plug plants.

• Use cold-hardy varieties suitable for your zone if winter damage occurred.

• Protect new plantings better if winter weather was a factor.

Common Causes of Winter Strawberry Death

Why might strawberry plants fail to survive winter dormancy? Here are some potential causes:

• Insufficient Winter Mulching: Exposed crowns and roots can easily desiccate, freeze, or rot over winter. Apply loose straw or pine needle mulch after the ground freezes.

• Heavy Saturated Soil: Excess fall rain or irrigation that prevents drainage can suffocate roots and lead to crown rot. Improve drainage for healthier plants.

• Freeze Damage: In very cold climates, prolonged sub-zero temperatures with no protective snow cover may injure or kill the strawberry crowns.

• Gray Mold (Botrytis cinerea): This fungal pathogen thrives on dead leaves and can spread to crowns, killing plants. Remove debris and avoid overhead watering.

• Old Age: June-bearing strawberry plants tend to decline and die after 2-3 years. Consider replanting older beds with new young bare root plants.

• Improper Fall Care: Too much nitrogen fertilizer in fall prevents proper hardening off for winter. Stop feeding by September.

Summing Up Dormancy vs. Death in Strawberries

It can be difficult to discern if strawberry plants are truly dead or just in temporary dormancy during winter and early spring. Look for residual white tissue at the crown base, remnants of anchored roots, and eventual new leaf growth to determine if plants are still alive.

With proper care going into winter and patience in spring, most established strawberry plants will return to life from dormancy. But those that remain shriveled without any signs of new shoots won’t survive. Replace any that died and take steps to prevent winter loss going forward.