Strawberries from runners

[Nicky]

I got a whole laod of new strawberry plants by rooting the runners from some old plants last year. They're sat on my patio at the moment in little pots.
Question is; is it too late to plant them out before spring and if so what should I do with them, just leave them where they are as the patio is quite sheltered or take them down to my greenhouse on the allotment?

[pigletwillie]

Nicky,

Plant them out just as soon as the ground is workable on the allotment. They are very hardy critters and dont mind cold or frost. When you plant them, cut off any old leaves being careful not to dammage the new ones getting ready to grow out of the crown.

Plant them about 18" between plants to give them some air and prevent mould or mildew forming.

[rustylady]

Well done for rooting them, plant out as soon as possible, they are hardy plants.

[Sunbeam]

Mine are still in the ground from last year and I pegged down any runners which have taken root nicely - I have covered them to protect them from the frost, but wondered what I should feed them with - as I guess they could do with a bit of a boost..

[pigletwillie]

It never goes a miss. You can either feed with growmore or chicken manure pellets or give them a mulch and feed at the same time with good compost or very well rotted manure.

Take the fleece off as the cold is required for them to fruit well.

[Sunbeam]

will do that! thanksPW

[Peter]

Nicky I did mine in early March last year and got a good crop.
Take a bit of soil and as much root as you can and they'll be fine.

[supersam]

What to do with my runners?

Hi
I have at least 12 runners from last years strawbs, all in plant pots. As my original strawbs are still in their bed I was going to leave the runners in the pots. But having read the threads here can I do this? I have no more room in the ground and thought they would grow and produce as they are?
Advice anyone ?

Sam xx

[Alison]

You can get strawberries to fruit OK in pots but make sure the pots are big enough otherwise the plants won't get enough food and you'll be watering every 10 minutes. I grow mine in a large strawberry tub, makes picking easy and weeds aren't a problem.

[Poledragon]

Slight thread drift here, but still strawberry related...

I've just been out looking at my strawberry bed, and due to last autumn's neglect, it's very over crowded, a lot of runners rooted higgledy piggledy all over the place and it really needs sorting out. When is the best time to thin them out, replanting the removed runners?

[pigletwillie]

Do it now whilst they are still dormant(ish). Give a good feed with manure or compost or even chicken manure pellets at the same time.

[welsh veg grower]

I have loads of plants from last years, got a bit carried away planting up the runners. I dont have enough ground space and someone suggested I could put them in hanging baskets in the polytunnel, has anyone tried this, will it be ok, and will they need anything extra.