Strawberry Question...

[Sarah_Mom2Four]

Our strawberries are growing sister shoots off of them, but I'm not completely sure on what to do. Do you wait until they are really long and stick the top of the shoot into the groud while it's attached to the plant or take it off the plant and plant it? So grateful for any advice from you genius gardeners out there!

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

We usually wait until the end of the season and cut off all runners and plant the ones that have rooted naturally. We miss a lot of them every year and some spring up naturally. Some people just leave them be and dig them up every couple of years and separate them.

 

[Tutter]

Or you can plant a row, leaving a row with nothing in it next to them. The tipped over little ones root in and start a new row. They cut the connection when the young ones start producing nice sized new leaves. That's what some of the strawberry growers do here.

 

[punkin]

This is what I do & it works really well. Find your best looking runners. Fill a 4" cup with compost, potting soil, etc. and bury them halfway in the ground under the runner. Weight the runner down with a small rock. Wait about 10 days and check to see if it has taken root. Make sure you don't let it dry out. You'll know when it won't come out when firmly but easily tugged. Cut the runner from the "mother" plant and place your new strawberry plant in the shade for a day or two and keep moist. Cut any runners from the new plant. I have started over 50 so far with about 40 more pots in the ground. I keep pots rooting in a rotation. Don't cut all the runners, but don't let them get in a tangled mess. I plan on selling my new plants for fall.

I hope this helps:tools