From: songbird@anthive.com   
      
   Paul Drahn wrote:   
   > On 3/19/2019 8:34 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:   
   >>    So I decided the easiest way to get mulch around the strawberries is   
   >> to use shredded paper - but I'm unsure about what paper is safe . Useta   
   >> be that glossy paper was not , but newsprint was . I *think* most modern   
   >> inks are soy based and safe , but I'm not sure . It'd sure be nice to   
   >> use all those spam mails for something productive instead of burning them .   
   >>   
   > We cover the strawberries with Ponderosa pine needles for the winter.   
   > Then remove most of them in the Spring(about now). And leave some   
   > needles to use as mulch when the new leaves begin to grow. Keeps   
   > irrigation water off the berries, too.   
   >   
   > Paul in Central Oregon   
      
     hi Paul,   
      
     i don't recall you posting here before so welcome.  :)   
      
     if the plants are established i don't always bother   
   mulching them for the winter at all.  this past winter   
   was as bad as they can get for plants with too many   
   times of bare ground and very cold chills down past   
   -20F.  frost heave can pop late season transplanted   
   crowns right out of the ground by spring.   
      
     this past fall i managed to get the strawberry patch   
   done earlier in the fall/late summer and it looks like   
   i have survivors enough.  just have to see how they   
   green up and hope the spring isn't too crazy with the   
   frosts when they are flowering.   
      
     some times i do put some pine needles on them but not   
   every year - it comes down to how busy i am with other   
   things and if i get to it.   
      
     i'm not sure what the irrigation water on the berries   
   would do as far as i can tell the berries are in good   
   shape here even with our normal rain falls.  as long as   
   i get them picked when they are ripe.   
      
     to prevent mold and bug issues i pick everything that   
   is ready even the berries that are partially eaten by   
   chipmunks or birds.  there are some berries that the   
   worms or wood lice will get after and i pick those too   
   if i notice them.  any scraps that i can't eat will get   
   fed to the worm bins (along with the tops/leaves).   
      
      
     songbird   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)