strawberrys

[darkcrystal]

this maby a silly question but how do i know when the strawberrys are ready to be picked......i have three that are red but im not sure if they are ready. the seeds were green yesturday but not as much now.

and also i have these long stems growing out of the pots too with new leaves do i keep them on them?

[Capsid]

If they are red all over with no hint of green then they are ready. Try one! The deeper the red colour the sweeter they should be.

The long stems are called runners and you can propagate new plants from them by burying the end in the soil. A new plant will root from it. If you don't want more plants then just cut them off.

[Alison]

And even if you do want new plants only let a max of 2 (peferably 1) grow from each plant as you'll end up with weakened plants if you're not careful.

[jase]

On your suggestion I just cut one of the runners off a strawberry plant i have in a hanging basket .I left one runner in a small pot that i buried next to the main plant,so i just snip the runner and lift it out when ready.got one small plant there now with good roots forming.

Thanks for the tip.

[Maddie106]

Eat them when they are red all over. Do it on your own in the garden and don't tell your OH!
I grew some straws called "Christine" and had a handful of WONDERFUL fruits from them last month.( only 3 plants)...I intend to get some more plants from runners for next year.

I've just got back from a short holiday in Poland. Bought nice cherries and strawberries at less than £1 a KG.....thats 50p a llb!

[darkcrystal]

what a great name christine ha ha ha (its mine) me and the kids went out and found that 6 had gone red, they were really nice me and my partner were lucky to get one, the kids scoffed them with smiles on there face, that was the best thing ever.

so these runners what do i do, cut them off and put them in the ground or put them in the ground while they are still attached to the plant......if its the second one then i wont be able to as they are in a plant pot and there is no room to put the runner in.

[Two_Sheds]

so these runners what do i do

STRAWBERRY PLANTS FROM RUNNERS

[kerryp]

christine, what we did last year was put the runner into a plant pot next to the one the original plant is in.... so problems then

[darkcrystal]

thanks two sheds and thank you kerryp

[Two_Sheds]

christine, what we did last year was put the runner into a plant pot next to the one the original plant is in...

I find they dry out too quickly like that. You could sink the pot into the soil, but I still have more success just letting them root into the soil, then detaching them a few weeks (or months) later.

[kerryp]

im only a beginner so maybe what twosheds said it better... although i have a tendancy to overwater plants so i had no problems with anything drying out )

[SlugLobber]

this maby a silly question but how do i know when the strawberrys are ready to be picked?

When you walk past and think "OOHH STRAWBERRY!!", they're about right.

The runners will root if you plant them. I would leave them attached until you think they've rooted, just in case!