Strawberry plants, how do I keep them for next year ?

lovinmykids

Hi could anyone tell me the best way to keep my strawberry plants for next year ?
They have almost come to the end of fruiting, the strawberries were delicious & I would love them to grow another crop next year.
I have never used the same plants again, so wondered if anybody had any tips ?
Also this years crop was very small.

Thanks

RAS

Are they in the ground or in pots?

lovinmykids

Oh Sorry I forgot to mention that bit They are in pots have 10 plants

RAS

Well, they will do much better in the ground or in one big pot rather than pots. They like a lot of moisture.

Cut the leaves off when they cease fruiting and they will grow new shiny ones. Leave them and they will fruit again next year, but they will need watering unless you put them in the ground.

Foxy0810

Mine have only just started fruiting "/ I just leave mine and tidy them up in spring

lovinmykids

Thank you for your help, The plants are in two large pots so I will leave them in there over winter & cut the leaves off after fruiting is finished.
Also do I need to cut off the "runners" ? (think thats what they are called) long thin shoots coming off the plant.

torbrex

Pot up the runners, that is what I did last year and I have more than doubled the number of fruit producing plants.

I started the runners in pots and left them connected to the mother plant until they were established, I then planted the pots into the ground so that the plants could draw from the ground water.

lovinmykids

I have no ground to put the pots into but I will plant the runners into separate pots & keep them attached to the mother plant, I'm hoping to keep them in the mini greenhouse over winter, do you think they will survive ?

torbrex

lovinmykids wrote: »

I have no ground to put the pots into but I will plant the runners into separate pots & keep them attached to the mother plant, I'm hoping to keep them in the mini greenhouse over winter, do you think they will survive ?

In pots will do, I just put mine in the ground as I have a terrible memory for watering plants

Moist only through the winter though and they will need hardened off in the spring.

lovinmykids

Brilliant thanks for your help, I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for more fruit from them next year !!

glasgowdan

Yes they will do great. Runners can be potted if there are roots, no need to keep it attached to the parent plant. Cut off all growth after fruiting, and I actually cut all topgrowth again in very early spring.

Here in Glasgow my strawberries are in flower with some green fruit, must be colder up here!