I guess the question is - do you have cloches or hot covers that you could put over your strawberries to keep the ground above freezing?

You'd want to prevent frost heave and frost droughting - as well as plant damage.

A possible might be to put a framework over - allowing about 24" of clearance between the frame and the surface of the soil - that you could drape with any or all of the following: frost fleece, glasshouse plastic, double-skin roofing plastic, an old window in its frame, old carpet.

You could also place a 'box' around the washing machine and pack that with, say, polystyrene to prevent the metal from chilling.

As you're planning on growing basil you might find that a similar arrangement over the top of your other raised beds will give you a growing advantage by letting the soil warm up more quickly - and extend the growing season.

If you have created your raised beds as 'table-top' grow spaces then adding extra protection could be relatively quick and easy - and certainly worth it.

Google on cloches, cold frames, table top gardening to see what's at offer that you could build/make from recycle very reasonably.

However, if you kept the washing machine for things such as asparagus peas, or beans or veg with deeper roots, and made another bed for the strawberries with that overhead protection - first for the frost and second for the bird netting -you'd probably get lovely summer feasts. And, if you set it up with automated trickle watering ... It's more affordable on a small scale.

Thanks Verti,

Good idea on using the tub for plants with longer roots than strawberries. I will use it for annual vegetables. I really can't see me putting eleborate protection over and around the berries every year. However, since I only want a smaller sized bed of strawberries, I can see me building another home for them and putting permanent insulation in between the walls with some sort of anchoring device for plastic protection during the winter. We live in a very windy area, so that would help insure their survival.

I hope I'm not too late!!

Please don't use plastic for covering anything, and definitely not for strawberries. If the plastic is touching the plant it will freeze harder than it will uncovered. When the sun is on it it will fry your plants. The same goes for glass.That is why you have to open cold frames. Strawberries can take freezing. What they can't take(the same for most plants) is freezing and thawing like they'd get in a raised bed. Lining the raised bed with thick styrofoam will prevent the thawing and that's what you want to do. If you cover them at all use a row cover or garden blanket or cloth. Mulching is good for protection too. More on that later.

Strawberries require a lot of work and bending, which is why I stopped growing them and now pick at a pick your own. Not as convenient as having your own but easier.

You need 2 beds. 1 for last years plants and 1 for the runners. You will get most of the berries off of second year plants. Much less the third year and less and less as the plants age and die. That is why I always pitched the plants after the second year. In the spring cut off the runners and plant them in their bed. Then mulch. The long Red or White pine needles make an excellent mulch. They actually make the berries sweeter as well as containing moisture in the soil, keeping the berries off the soil so they don't rot and protecting the plants in winter.

You know - I never thought of that!

I use portable hoop frames covered with agricultural film for getting a jump on the seasons. They're there over winter (May to September) - and some lucky strawberries get to camp under.

The frames stand about 24" high - and nothing under them gets sunburn, or frostburn - so I forgot about deep freezing and snowshine. The plastic is made for our very high UV situation, so I guess that helps, too.

For frosty nights I do just as oilpainter suggests - row covers and blankets. I also use plastic for one simple reason - a frosty night can easily follow rain, for me. I have water-plump plants and frost which equals mush and tears next day. So they get a double cover.

Between the two of us - I hope we've helped with your overwintering!

Well vertivert, I suppose gardening in zone 9 is much different than my zone 3. No matter how high or what kind of plastic you'd use would keep my strawberries from freezing.

I can see how your system would work for you though. It must be nice to be able to do some gardening year round

I did find the row covers protected the strawberry flowers from unexpected spring frosts but it had to be rolled back in the day to let the bees in. How do the bees get into your tunnels--are the open on the end?

Do try the pine needle mulch. It is wonderful for strawberries. It must be that it adds some acidity. I read about it in a book about Victorian gardening, so I tried it, and used them for many years. It worked like a charm

Well it is settled, I have been trying to figure out how to grow potatoes for some time now and the washer will be perfect.

I guess the correct way to grow potatoes is to use a bit of soil, place the tater seeds in and cover with 6 inches or so of soil. After that...I think... cover with straw each time the leaves appear, until the tub is filled. When all done, use the potatoes one layer at a time, leaving the remaining until frost. Then place in cool dry area... if any are left.

If this is not correct, please someone let me know.

You will need enough dirt in the bottom for the roots. The rest is fine, but understand you will only be able to grow about 4 plants and that's crowding them. You will not be able to use them one layer at a time because if you pull the plants that's it.

You could dig down with your hands and steal some from the plants but that involves leaning over the washer and getting dowm to the bottom of the straw layer--all this without disturbing the plants too much. I think that would be a pain.

If you fill the washer with soil then you could plant beets, carrots, onions, radish, parsnips or even lettuce.