Explain strawberry mulching please

[sofasurfer]

Do I need to mulch my strawberry plants before winter gets here? Is straw nessessary or will leaves be ok? Anything else I need to know?
Thanks

[Rick]

I use leaves. My beds are beside the house so they are probably warmer than yours. We generally only have a couple of weeks below 0F.

[LowKey]

I use pine needles when I can get them. Chopped oak/maple leaves if I can't. In the spring I just check that none of the crowns are lifted and that the mulch isn't too heavy on top of them. The leaves can't break through if it is.

Straw around here is too expensive. IMO, the PYO places that use it, use it because it looks pretty to the customers. Don't use hay.