Strawberry runners.

[Shirley Sherriffs]

Just finished potting up 36 strawberry runners for my future berry supply. Yes I know I should have read the 'manual' first, but women dont do manuals. So my question is was I right to trim off all the top foliage and only leave an inch of the runner stem right and left of the roots ? with about 3 inches vertical ? I have loads more if I have made a huge mistake but sometimes enthusiasm and energy carries you away rather than a quick look in the book or on line. Here in Newmachar it has rained pretty much all week and yesterday and today was a waterfall. 6" of rain in a bucket outside over the last 24 hours. The allotment looks well watered !!

[rustylady]

I normally peg my runners down either into the ground or into pots and leave them well alone until they are rooted. I then cut the "runner stem" as close as I can to the plant and move the new plants to where they are needed. Are you growing yours in the ground or in pots?

[NOG]

I do that too...then dig up the runners and bung them in the greenhouse over winter. THen cut back the old plants a bit.

[Two_Sheds]

was I right to trim off all the top foliage and only leave an inch of the runner stem right and left of the roots ?

Um.
I leave them to root themselves into the soil, and when they are well-rooted, pot them up, then sever the runner.

[gojiberry]

If the plants have rooted then you don't need to leave any of the runner stem on the new plant. As you have severed them from the parent plant you will need to give them some TLC till spring. As some have said usually you would leave them attached to the main plant till spring. Just keep them in a sheltered spot and protect from the worst of the winter weather.

Ian

[Sprocket*]

Shirley I did the same thing last year then put them back in the ground late autumn, much to the disgust of the busy body next door who said they would die. Little did he know as out of 15 plants I had 6kg of big red strawberries! If it doesn't work then you have time to take some more...