Strawberry cold injury: the effect of weather

Understand how the weather influences the type of damage to strawberry crops, specifically the difference between 'frost' and 'freeze' as separate types of cold weather event.

Freezing

• Windborne freezing occurs when a large amount of cold air moves into the area and brings freezing temperatures for days and weeks without a break.
• Significant wind occurs as a cold front moves in, bringing deep penetrating freezing to plant and substrate.
• This can be a prolonged event.
• It is difficult to protect crops from injury when these conditions occur unless a heat source is available.
• Bag crops situated on the ground rather than on a tabletop are less at risk as are those protected by a mulch, snow or any form of wind protection.
• Crops are commonly mulched with straw in North America, where winters are colder and drier than those in the UK.
• However, a typical wet British winter would greatly increase the risk of crown rotting under a straw mulch.

Frost

• A radiation frost occurs during still conditions when skies are clear at night, allowing ground and near-ground temperatures to drop below freezing.
• This can be a short-lived event lasting several days at the most.
• A protective mulch can successfully prevent damage.