Propagating Strawberry Plants from Runners
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You shouldn’t ever have to buy strawberry plants once you buy your first plant. They will multiply like rabbits. You should always clip off the runners or your fruit production will be reduced significantly. However, if you leave one runner per plant for propagation, you will end up with a significant patch within a year. I started with 75 plants in 2009 and currently have over 3,500 plants. Here’s a photo summary of how to propagate new plants from runners.
Wait for the Runner to develop visible roots. The Node at the base of the leaf growth is where the roots grow. Wait until you can see 1/4" minimum of roots protruding from the node.
We all have Coir Disks with seeds that didn’t grow in those Jiffy Trays, or you can buy Coir Starter Disks at your local Garden Center. I buy Coir Starting Pellets in bulk. I wet them thoroughly until they expand, then poke a hole in the center with a pencil end or my finger, big enough for the root to fit. Then I add a tsp of potting soil to fill around the foot. Finally take a small rubber band and place it around the coir disk holding the root firmly in place.
The most important step is Don’t cut the runner from the parent plant. Place the potted root on the ground next to the plant and leave it connected for 7-10 days, until the runner has rooted. Until the root establishes, the runner plant needs to draw energy from the mother plant (think of it as an umbilical cord for baby plants). If you are growing in Hanging Baskets, just let the potted runner hang off the side of the planter, until it has established.
As an alternate method, I often use small pots or yogurt containers with potting soil. I plant the runner in the pot, and then take a large paper clip, straightening it out so than it looks like a long U-Shape Staple. I pin the runner in place with the U-shape paperclip staple.
After the 10-day period, the root has established, and the runner can be cut, Now you can replant it or give it away to friends. I like the Coir-disk potted roots because you can wet them down, cram a few hundred in a box and ship them, or give them away along the side of the road. People love Freebies.
.4 thumbs up!Posted over 2 years ago -
Great instructions! Thanks for posting. I wish I had known a few weeks earlier.
My strawberry plants were sending out runners all summer. I let them be and by the fall they were well rooted in the garden soil. I just worked on instinct though. I took that opportunity to dig up each rooted plantlet individually, cut them from the mother plant and pot them up, with several to a deep pot. The pots then went into the cold frame where they are now braving the winter with several other potted perennials. My plan is to give the little strawberry plants to my nephew and his mate for their new garden in the spring, and she is already very excited about it. So I really hope they make it! They look fine so far, still with green leaves and no new growth despite outside temperatures down in the teens for quite a few nights in a row. Now a bit of snow which will help insulate the cold frame.
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0 thumbs up!Posted over 2 years ago
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Strawberries are pretty resilient. You definitely want to cover them with straw for the winter, or in your case the cold frame will protect them fine. Everbearing & Day Neutral have a life of three years, while June Bearing have a life of seven years. After the Second year and sixth year, respectively, I renovate the plants, or cut them back just above the crown in the fall. This will extend the production life of the plants by an extra two to three years.
There are two factors that can significantly affect berry production – Runners and Ph.
Keep the runners clipped or the plant will divert energy from fruiting. I usually select one runner from a plant to propagate, and clip the rest off. Also make sure that the Ph of the soil is in the area of 4.8 to 5.2. Don’t use Aluminum Sulfate to lower Ph, use Sulfur. The aluminum is really bad for edibles. If the soil Ph goes above 5.5 or Runners go un-trimmed, you can rename your Everbearing to Neverbearing. Each plant should produce between 6 to 8 ounces of fruit per season if conditions are correct. There’s nothing like fresh strawberries.
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0 thumbs up!Posted over 2 years ago
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That’s a great way to keep the runner attached to the rooting medium! I purchased 25 Veestar strawberries last year and just trimmed all the runners and flowers off for the whole season. (Veestar is a June bearer) and I was thinking of buying more this year, but I think I’ll have a shot at propagating them myself. Thanks for posting your technique – it will save me $20!
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0 thumbs up!Posted over 2 years ago
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See thats not my problem. I can’t seem to even get strawberry plants to grow. I am not sure what I am doing wrong…..help.
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0 thumbs up!Posted over 2 years ago
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Strawberries need the proper Ph between 4.5 and 5.5. Strawberries start to struggle when the Ph gets above 6.0. Most of the soil around Central Southern NY is not acidic enough for strawberries. My soil in Ithaca is naturally around 6.8 – 7.0 and needs to be amended, even for tomatoes. If I recall, you’re from around the Poughkeepsie area and have similar soil. You should check your Ph levels and amend with sulfur. Don’t use Aluminum Sulfate on Strawberries.
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1 thumbs up!Posted over 2 years ago
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But my tomatoes were just fine last year. Hmmmm guess I will have to go a little more high tech and get a meter to check the ph levels.
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0 thumbs up!Posted over 2 years ago
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Tomatoes will do great at a very low acidity up to 7.0. I’ve found that Ph is the most critical factor in getting strawberry plants to flourish. At the risk of sounding like a salesman, I’d recommend Jack’s Classic Acid Special 17-6-6 to feed your strawberries. I feed with it weekly, and consistently get bumper crops. It will keep your Ph down to right around 5.0.
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1 thumbs up!Posted over 2 years ago
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Sounds good to me. I wouldn’t have known what to get. Last years crops were all grown with nothing but TLC, sun and water.
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0 thumbs up!Posted over 2 years ago
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I just cut off all the little extensions as soon as I bought the very cheap plant from the supermarket, shoved them into the soil with my thumb, then had to move them all, then had to move them all again, and now they are all luscious and leafy, established plants.
But yes, listen to the experts here. :D
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1 thumbs up!Posted almost 2 years ago
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