what to do now with my strawberries

[KayJay]

We have had a bumper crop of strawberries this summer, and the runners are crowded on the strawberry patch. Do I remove all the older ones- they are now about 4 years old - after such a bumper crop? i hate throwing things out! Will they not crop as well again? when is the best time to replant and space out the new runners?
Hope you can advise
Thanks
Kath

[Capsid]

Yes, you should replace the plants after about 3 or 4 years. I have just dug up my 4 year old plants which was hard to do but I took plenty of runners to replace them with. I potted the first plant on the runner into 3" pots and they will overwinter in my cold frame for planting out next spring. Some of the stronger plants I have just planted directly in to the bed now.

[Florence Fennel]

I've just cleared out my strawberry bed as the plants were at least 6 years old (I too can't bear throwing things out!) and the yield was less this year. I grew about a dozen runners in 3 inch pots from my old plants. I will be fertilising the bed as I have nowhere else to put them and will put the new plants in about the middle of September.

[bramble]

I also spent the afternoon potting up strawberry runners.
Although my plants are 3 year old I have decided to give them one more year and see how they go.

[BUFFS]

Yes, you should replace the plants after about 3 or 4 years. I have just dug up my 4 year old plants which was hard to do but I took plenty of runners to replace them with. I potted the first plant on the runner into 3" pots and they will overwinter in my cold frame for planting out next spring. Some of the stronger plants I have just planted directly in to the bed now.

capsid has it spot on....

[KayJay]

Thanks

Thanks for the replies folks, I dont like throwing them away, but I have lots of runners to replace them with

[jigsawged]

I read somewhere that the leafy growth on strawberry plants should be cut back now, would you recommend this action?
jigsawged

[Alison]

I read somewhere that the leafy growth on strawberry plants should be cut back now, would you recommend this action?
jigsawged

I cut mine back after fruiting and then any dead stuff in the spring but leave them pretty much to their own devices at this time of year apart from cutting off runners and checking out the ones I've already potted on.

[SarahStrawberry]

I cut off any dead leaves on my "mother" plants to freshen them up and just keep them in the polytunnel all winter (unheated). I've had loads of runners this year so they are all individual small pots and will stay there until spring then I will plant them where I want them.