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Strawberry growing

#1 · 25th July 2023, 12:09 pm

Hi, this feels like a silly question to ask, however I am very much a novice, certainly with strawberries. I have a strawberry plant growing in a pot. We've only had a handful of strawberries, however it is still growing well and has put out runners that are now trailing all over the block paving that the pot is sat on. My question is... will these runners eventually produce flowers/fruit and is the plant ok to stay in the pot, or should it ideally be in the ground? Any advice appreciated.

#2 · 28th July 2023, 6:29 pm

Quote from Lee Garden Ninja on 28th July 2023, 6:29 pm
Hi @my-tiny-garden
Fantastic news that your strawberries are sending out runners.
Propagating strawberries from runners is an easy and effective way to expand your strawberry patch and grow new plants as you've mentioned. I always use runners to split and divide strawberry plants.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to propagate strawberries from runners:
Identify healthy runners: Runners are long, thin stems that grow out from the main strawberry plant. Look for healthy, disease-free runners that have formed their own roots or are in the process of developing roots.
Choose a suitable runner: Select a strawberry runner that has good root development or has a few visible roots emerging from the nodes (the points where the leaves meet the stem). These runners are more likely to establish themselves successfully as new plants.
Prepare a new planting site: Before removing the runner from the parent plant, prepare the new planting site. Clear the area of any weeds and work the soil to make it loose and fertile. Strawberries prefer well-draining soil, so if your soil tends to retain water, consider planting in raised beds or mounds.
Potting option: Alternatively, you can choose to propagate the runners in pots rather than directly in the ground. Fill small pots with a well-draining potting mix suitable for strawberries.
Position the runner: If propagating in the ground, position the runner's rooted nodes in contact with the soil where you want the new plant to grow. You can secure the nodes in place using small rocks or pins to ensure good contact with the soil.
Bury the nodes: If the nodes are not already in contact with the soil, you can carefully bury them under a thin layer of soil, leaving the tip of the runner above ground.
Provide adequate water: Keep the newly planted runner well-watered to ensure successful root establishment. Regular watering is essential during the initial weeks until the new plant is well established.
Maintain the new plant: As the new plant grows, remove any flowers that develop in the first year. This will help the plant focus its energy on establishing strong roots and foliage rather than fruit production. This creates a healthier root stock.
Transplant your strawberry: After a few weeks or months (depending on your climate and growing conditions), the new plant should be well-rooted and ready for transplanting. Carefully dig up the new plant and transplant it to its final location, whether it's in the ground or a larger pot.
Care for the new plants: Continue to care for the new strawberry plants as you would with mature plants. Regularly water, mulch, and fertilize them with a high potash feed to promote healthy growth and fruit production.
It may help to read my guide to seed sowing to see what else you can grow as plant propagation is highly addictive! Growing tomatoes from seed for example is super easy too!
https://youtu.be/5_Tfj2Eqi_U
Happy gardening!
Lee

Hi @my-tiny-garden

Fantastic news that your strawberries are sending out runners.

Propagating strawberries from runners is an easy and effective way to expand your strawberry patch and grow new plants as you've mentioned. I always use runners to split and divide strawberry plants.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to propagate strawberries from runners:

Identify healthy runners: Runners are long, thin stems that grow out from the main strawberry plant. Look for healthy, disease-free runners that have formed their own roots or are in the process of developing roots.
Choose a suitable runner: Select a strawberry runner that has good root development or has a few visible roots emerging from the nodes (the points where the leaves meet the stem). These runners are more likely to establish themselves successfully as new plants.
Prepare a new planting site: Before removing the runner from the parent plant, prepare the new planting site. Clear the area of any weeds and work the soil to make it loose and fertile. Strawberries prefer well-draining soil, so if your soil tends to retain water, consider planting in raised beds or mounds.
Potting option: Alternatively, you can choose to propagate the runners in pots rather than directly in the ground. Fill small pots with a well-draining potting mix suitable for strawberries.
Position the runner: If propagating in the ground, position the runner's rooted nodes in contact with the soil where you want the new plant to grow. You can secure the nodes in place using small rocks or pins to ensure good contact with the soil.
Bury the nodes: If the nodes are not already in contact with the soil, you can carefully bury them under a thin layer of soil, leaving the tip of the runner above ground.
Provide adequate water: Keep the newly planted runner well-watered to ensure successful root establishment. Regular watering is essential during the initial weeks until the new plant is well established.
Maintain the new plant: As the new plant grows, remove any flowers that develop in the first year. This will help the plant focus its energy on establishing strong roots and foliage rather than fruit production. This creates a healthier root stock.
Transplant your strawberry: After a few weeks or months (depending on your climate and growing conditions), the new plant should be well-rooted and ready for transplanting. Carefully dig up the new plant and transplant it to its final location, whether it's in the ground or a larger pot.
Care for the new plants: Continue to care for the new strawberry plants as you would with mature plants. Regularly water, mulch, and fertilize them with a high potash feed to promote healthy growth and fruit production.

It may help to read my guide to seed sowing to see what else you can grow as plant propagation is highly addictive! Growing tomatoes from seed for example is super easy too!