Strawberry leaves after harvest: cut or leave them?

Once strawberries have been harvested, gardeners often wonder whether the leaves should be cut back. Opinions on this differ, and the right approach depends on the condition of the particular planting.

Healthy plants are best left alone

If a planting is young and the plants appear healthy, with no visible signs of disease or pest damage, cutting the leaves is not recommended. Removing healthy leaves forces the plant to spend extra energy growing new foliage, energy that could otherwise go toward other development processes.

When cutting becomes necessary

The situation is different if a planting shows widespread leaf disease, if many berries rotted during harvest, or if mite damage has appeared. In such cases, it is advisable to cut the leaves and remove them from the garden, as this helps limit the further spread of disease and pests. It is important to do this as early as possible — right at the end of harvesting — so the foliage has time to regrow by autumn and the plants are well prepared for winter.

Runners are usually trimmed and weeds pulled at the same time as the leaves are cut. Leaves should be cut about 1–2 centimeters above the growth bud, taking care not to damage it.

Special care with mites

If strawberry mites are present in a planting, all the new, small leaves should also be cut off, since mites tend to concentrate on them the most. After cutting, it helps to spread compost around the plants, which retains moisture in the soil and also serves as additional fertilizer for further growth.