??? about Strawberrie plants

[Nubsmum]

I just planted strawberries this spring. I picked off all the blossoms to promote better plant growth and now the little buggers are sending out runners.

1) should I cut them off so that more energy goes to strengthen the plants for next year?

2) I wanted to save some of the runners to start more plants. Will they continue to make runners until frost?

2) I picked off a couple(runners) to root in water and they started to shrivel. I wanted runners to grow in a different place for next year. Where they are now is too small. Any better ways to start the new plants in a new local?

thanks!!!:coolsun

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

I just planted strawberries this spring. I picked off all the blossoms to promote better plant growth and now the little buggers are sending out runners.

1) should I cut them off so that more energy goes to strengthen the plants for next year?

We don't ever cut off the runner unless they're growing in places we don't want. They should have plenty of runners for you to choose from so don't worry about cutting some off.

2) I wanted to save some of the runners to start more plants. Will they continue to make runners until frost?

Usually ours send off runners through summer and slow down towards the end of the season.

2) I picked off a couple(runners) to root in water and they started to shrivel. I wanted runners to grow in a different place for next year. Where they are now is too small. Any better ways to start the new plants in a new local?

One of the best and easiest ways is to till a bit of soil underneath the runner or add some compost and push the runner into the soil a bit. Place a rock onto the runner stem to keep it in place and they should root. You can also do the same thing just using a small pot with growing medium to have them root in a pot to move them later.

Good luck!

 

[Nubsmum]

Thanks so much. You are the best. It seems so simple to just put a new pot under the runner and let it root-why didn't I think of that?

I will do that to start my new plants to transplant in the fall. I am going to free up a couple of my raised beds for strawberries.

Thanks again!:dance

 

[patandchickens]

since strawberries are practically biennials (tri-ennials? ) in that an individual plant does not necessarily live a long time (although it lives on in its runner offspring), I am not sure how worthwhile it is to pick off flowers or runners the first year. Me, I'd just let 'em reproduce

Pat