Propagation of strawberry plants

My strawberries have stopped producing berries and now have started send runners all over the place. During the berry growing season I would pinch them off to let the plants use their energy creating delicious berries. Now those runners are not really doing any harm I have decided to let some of them live and propagate them into some small plant trays.

I grow my strawberries in the open end of cinder blocks and the rest of my vegetable garden is surrounded by gravel so not really any place for them to go, with the exception of taking over my vegetable garden. Given they will not grow in gravel and I like vegetables in my vegetable garden I have redirected them into some plant trays (ironically the same ones I brought the plants parents home in) filled with potting mix. All you do is simply put the end of the runner in the soil and it will do the rest. To keep the runner from popping out of the soil, the normal convention is to create a U-shape with a paperclip to hold the runner in place underground, for whatever strange reason I couldn’t find any of these anywhere in my house I opted for bent bamboo skewers. After about a week you should have your very own baby strawberry plants at this time you can cut the “umbilical” cord from the mother plant. Now the next question is where I am going to put these new plants…guess I need to make a new garden bed or find some friends that want some strawberries next year.

10 Responses to “Propagation of strawberry plants”

  1. Compostings Says:

    Thank you for this post! While I do grow a lot of veggies, this is the first year I’ve grown any strawberries. They were not in the garden, but they were in a container on my deck. I didn’t know what to do with the runners. If I keep the runners alive over winter, will I be able to plant them next spring?


  2. Eve Says:

    This was my first year to plant strawberries too. This was an interesting post. I am glad I found you.


  3. The Cheap Vegetable Gardener Says:

    compostings,As long as you give them about a month before the first frost you should be able to plant them for next year right now. If you have some harsh winters and no real place to plant them you could plant the pots to help them stay a little warmer from the elements. If it gets too bad there is alway the $20 PC Grow Box 🙂


  4. Keri-Ann Says:

    Great post! Spencer is building me one of these: http://www.runnerduck.com/garden.htm (scroll down most of the way until you get to Strawberry Planter Tree… it gives detailed instructions!)I’ve seen kits for as much as $300 but we’re going to build it out of leftover fence wood. 🙂


  5. OsmoJoe Says:

    Your strawberry plants look great! Have you grown alpine strawberries? The produce little berries about 1/4 of the size of a regular strawberry, but they must have 500 times the flavor. Truly awesome.Great blog!


  6. The Cheap Vegetable Gardener Says:

    Keri-ann,That is awesome unfortunately my tools only allows for 90/45 degree cuts so might have to do some construction next time I make it up to my parents, the propagation has gone a little too well got many plants that need a home.osmojoe,I have definitely heard of the alpines here in the Pacific Northwest we have some native plants that have some similar qualities. Takes a while to pick enough for some strawberry shortcake but might need add a couple for garden snacking.


  7. Paul Says:

    I’ve been experimenting with different varieties of strawberries for a few years now and agree with OsmoJoe; alpines do have the best taste.


  8. DICK GARY Says:

    I AM SHORT OF ROOM AND NEED TO REPLANT MY STRAWBERRYS. AM TOLD NOT TO PLANT IN SAME SPOT. WHAT CAN I DO TO REPLANT THERE.


  9. The Cheap Vegetable Gardener Says:

    Been planting strawberries in the same spot for years…typically strawberries will go through 3 year life cycle, send off runners and start again…that’s how nature does sounds like a good plan to follow to me…


  10. Picking strawberries in the garden - The Cheap Vegetable Gardener Says:

    […] for strawberries is just as great though with the plant maturing as well as the additional plant we propagated last year she has been easily getting her fill with plenty more ripe strawberries on the plants.  Not wanted […]


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