Q: I’m growing strawberries for the first time. What should I do to the plants for winter?

A: Strawberries are very tolerant of cold weather. Most strawberries will keep a few green leaves in winter and these leaves need sunlight to remain healthy. In addition, if the center of a plant stays wet, rot can occur. For that reason, some gardeners use wheat straw or grass clippings scattered around, but not on top of, their strawberries in winter. The mulch inhibits weeds from germinating and deters erosion but keeps winter wind from drying the plant leaves. More details about strawberry care and maintenance at bit.ly/georgiastrawberry.