strawberry runners...which year!?

[cptncrackoff]

Hi everyone!

I have 16 strawberry plants, last year was my first year, (their second I'm guessing)..

I want to start using my own plants to produce runners and in theory not need to buy plants for a while.

An old boy in the allotments told me that as I'd only planted them last year, it was best to not let them send out runners and remove them to help the plants establish, seemed legit.. so I did that. The plants look good now.

This is their second year in the ground, should I let the runners root and grow this year, with a view to planting them next year, or wait until year three? ( next year) as I think they should produce the most fruit over the next two years and then start to slow down the year after!? (Year four).

Sorry of that's confusing, I've confused myself anyway!

[Potstubsdustbins]

If you bought them say spring last year it would be their first year.

This year their second year should be more productive and you could let the runners grown on if you wish.

Next year their third year should again be productive but it will go down hill after that so you will need to change them at the end of next year.

To give you an idea how fast they grow, these were runners I took at the back end of last year.

[cptncrackoff]

Thanks potty!

I was thinking to leave them this year, take the runners next year..

There were several established plants on the plot when I got it and the plan was to take runners from them but they didn't produce a single runner... I must admit I did move them in early spring!

I have a much larger bed that could potentially accommodate 30 + plants.
Would that be expecting too many runners!?

I've literally never done it before lol
I'm guessing I pinched out around 20-25 runners from the 16 plants last year.

[Chris11]

Can't see any reason not to let some runners establish this year.

What variety are your existing plants? Assuming they're standard varieties that produce fruit all at once over a 2-3 week period in late June/July, you could remove any runners early season to allow the plants to maximise fruit, then start selecting good runners to propagate in late summer when fruiting has finished. Let the best ones root and grow, until you've got as many as you want, then remove the rest.

I started off with 6 plants, then built them up to 18 this way. I propagate a few each year either to replace any aging or unproductive old plants, or to give away any spares.

[Bigmallly]

You can expect to get 3 or 4 runners per plant. If they are in a bed, they will root themselves then it's just a case of separating them from the parent plant once they get established.

[roitelet]

When you root runners use the first one that comes on the runner and pinch tip of the runner out to stop it producing more plants. Watch the rooted runners as they can produce runners which need to be pinched off.

[cptncrackoff]

Thanks for the replies!

The 16 plants are a mixture of three varieties which I believe are mid, late and ever bearing...

Flamenco
Florence
Cambridge favourite

I'm looking to grow more of the things we love, and I don't think we could ever grow too many strawberries!!

It looks like next year for the runners, I just wasn't sure if the plants were more or less likely to produce more runners as they got older!

[veggiechicken]

I don't do anything by the book so, if any plant (whatever age) produces runners, I let them.
You may be better listening to the others

[Alison]

I take runners every year and don't worry if they're first year plants, it really doesn't seem to make any difference. I do however ensure I replace a third if my plants every year so I've always got new plants coming through. Each year a third of my plants are first, second and third year with the third year ones being thrown out at the end of that season.

[KevinM67]

What Alison said.

[MarkPelican]

Alison,

When you replace your plants do you plant them somewhere else? I read on the RHS that you shouldn't plant strawberries in the same place but the implication of that is that you need (at least) 4 times the strawberry space. Three to be growing and one with something else in to give it a years rest.

[Alison]

Alison,

When you replace your plants do you plant them somewhere else? I read on the RHS that you shouldn't plant strawberries in the same place but the implication of that is that you need (at least) 4 times the strawberry space. Three to be growing and one with something else in to give it a years rest.

Yes, I have four areas, 3 No for each year of strawberries and 1 No for the rest year. It gets used for the likes of salad stuffs or spare squashes usually.