strawberry help

[flopsy]

am growing strawberries for the first time and i read some info about plants on a thread but cannot find it so hope someone can help.
it mentioned plants getting runners on , are these like a long stalk with a leaf growing on end. if so what do you do with them.as i think i have some on my plants

[veggiechicken]

Hi Flopsy, yes, that's a runner. Let it root and you'll have a new strawberry plant for next year!
Is this the thread you were thinking of http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ons_65863.html

[donnakebab]

If you want your strawberries to produce fruit you should cut the runners off as they use up the plants energy. However, if you want to increase your stock of plants you can let the runners grow after your plants have finished fruiting. Most growers recommend that strawberry plant stock should be replaced after 3 or 4 years as they become less productive.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Runners(proper name stolons) are the best way to propagate new plants. Pin the end down to the ground or onto a pot of compost with a stone/piece of bent wire/whatever. When rooted, sever with a knife/scissors and plant in new position. As Donna says, the plants have a limited lifespan and it is best to take on a new row every year at one end of the bed whilst disposing of a row of three year old(or older) plants at the other end.