Strawberry Runners

[Hillwalker]

Like eriskanden, I haven't noticed any crop decline by allowing runners to grow from first year plants. As I grow my strawberries in baskets and containers I peg mine into small groups of cell pots. They soon root and feed themselves as well as by mum's umbilical cord until they're ready to be severed.

[purplekat]

I'm using cardboard under each lot of fruit this year, any reason this could not work? Apart from slugs hiding under there I suppose.

I've found blackbirds are attracted to a cardboard mulch - especially when it's wet - they like to rip it up to get to the bugs that live underneath