What Should I Do with the Runners My Strawberry Plants Produce?

What Are Runners?

• Runners begin as long, leafless stems radiating out from the crown of an established strawberry plant. A new strawberry plant will form at the tip of each runner. Runners carry the exact genetic make-up of the parent plant, so new plants grown from runners will always be exactly like the parent variety.

Renovation

• Use runners to renovate your strawberry patch. As runners grow, place the growing tips in the rows where you want them to root. You can leave runners attached to the parent while they root, or you can snip them off and root them in prepared soil or in pots. Don't allow runner plants to produce berries during their first season of growth. If blossoms begin to form, remove them. Let the new plants develop strong root systems and healthy foliage, and they will be more productive the following year.

Rooting

• The baby plant at the tip of a runner first draws nourishment from the parent plant through the runner stem. When the new plant contacts the soil, it grows roots of its own. If you are growing strawberries in pots, the runners will hang over the sides where there is no soil. A baby plant will sap the parent's energy and continue to grow even if it does not contact soil. Trim off these runner plants and set them on a soil surface if you want them to grow roots.

Friends

• Your gardening friends will appreciate your offer of free strawberry plants. If you root most of the runners your plants produce, you should have plenty of baby plants to share. Clip the rooted runners to separate them from the parent, and lift them from the soil. Wrap the roots in damp paper towels or newspaper so they will stay moist on the way to their new home. Mold and fungi grow quickly in a closed plastic-bag, so transport the plants in an airy, moisture-proof container.

Too Many Runners

• Trim off runners and destroy them if your plants produce too many. Strawberry plants need proper air circulation, so don't overcrowd the bed. Closely-spaced plants are susceptible to rot and fungal diseases.