Question: Should I Cut Off Runner Plants from My Strawberries?
Stephanie asked:
I planted June-bearing and everbearing strawberries this spring. I have notes from a Master Gardener class that says to cut off the granddaughters and leave the daughters, but other sources say to cut all runners the first year. I was thinking the mother plant might be stronger and produce better fruit if she doesn’t have to send nutrition to the off-spring. I’m not sure what to do this year. I really liked your method of transplanting from bed to bed in the fall, but should I plan to do that the first year of the mother plants?
Answer to: Should I Cut Off Runner Plants from My Strawberries?
Stephanie,
If you plant in the spring, it is generally best to remove the blossoms for the entire growing season. Also removing the runners will help the plant devote its full energy to becoming a strong, well-established plant. However, if you want to see the number of actual strawberry plants grow, you can allow some of the runners to root and transplant them to increase the number of plants you have that will produce the following year. The initial plants begin losing their vitality after a few years, so allowing a moderate number of runners to be established each year keeps your beds fresh for the long term. Also, I wouldn’t transplant the mother plants. Each year, the plants that should be moved to a new bed are the runners. The runners then become the established “mother” plants for the new bed, and the process can be repeated indefinitely (at least in theory!).
Most home gardeners use a system called the matted row to grow their berries. This system allows you to maximize the space you have allocated for strawberry cultivation while most effectively harnessing the strawberry’s natural inclination to propagate itself. You can’t fill out a matted row without letting runners root. However, after you have filled it out with the first-year runner plants, subsequent runners will overcrowd and choke out all the plants so that the harvest declines precipitously and the strawberries become much smaller. That is probably what the Master Gardener class was conveying. Use the runners to fill your bed (so you don’t have to buy umpteen more plants to begin with), then keep the beds managed so that too many plants don’t root. Hopefully that helps, and good luck!
This is a question submitted to StrawberryPlants.org by a reader. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions and answers.
Lisa
I have not cut back any runners from my strawberry plants this year and my raised bed, everbearing strawberries are extremely crowded. What is the best way to get my strawberry bed back into better shape. Do I need to pull out weaker plants to make more room for the stronger? How much space should I leave between plants? Should I cut back all runners at this point? It is also mid September and I am still getting strawberries. Should the plants be cut back in the fall and at what point should I do this. I am in zone 6.
Romie Schwieterman
What if i don’t cut off any runners from my first year strawberries? I planted 20 plants this spring in an 8′ X 4′ raised bed. They spread out and grew thick in this box. Can I just cover the plants when the tops die off with some good wheat straw mulch for the winter ?
Mary Ward
Yes let them spread the first year. Remove runners that are overgrowing the box to keep the patch manageable.
Sarah
My plant is well-established in a grow bag now, I have tonnes of runners that are super long but no flowers yet. Should I trim back the long runners to give the rest a chance to flower?
Mary Ward
It sounds like you have a new June-bearing plant. They set blossoms in the fall for the next spring’s harvest. So you probably won’t see blossoms or a harvest this year. You could start another bag with an everbearing variety, and you can probably get some berries late summer or fall. At any rate, it would be smart to take those runners off and pot them up, which will give you more plants.
Martin Wood
I planted some strawberry bare rooted plants in February in 12cm pots. They quickly established in the greenhouse & all put out flowers in March. I thought that this may be too early so I cut off all the flowers. I planted the plants into a raised bed & they have put on lots of leaves & now in June they have been sending out lots of runners but alas no sign of any more flowers. The variety is Cambridge!? will they fruit this year? should I have cut off the runners?
Grandma
Will cutting off the runners allow the plants to produce more berries?
Danny dick
Yep
Lori Steel
I have a strawberry patch which is about 15 x 4 feet and this will be the 3rd summer for the patch. Most of the plants sit about 10 inches apart. Basically I have just left them to mother nature to grow runners and root where ever they wanted – meaning I really have never removed any runners. We are in zone 6 and this spring the bed has a lot of green plant growth but also a lot of dead brown leaves, and dead twig like runners throughout. Should I cut these twigs/runners at both ends and remove them or just leave it and hope it composts back into the bed at this point? Thanks Lori
Dan dick
Remove.
Elise
Hi, just wondering if I should pinch off flowering strawberries? as this is my first year of growing them.
Thanks!
Elise <3
Eagle cook
I usually leave 2 or 3 flowers per plant even the first year you will get a taste of what’s to come next year. The plant really needs to have the runners cut off only leaving 2 per plant as they take away the strength of the plant.
Dan
No. They are blooming. That’s where your berrys come from
Christine bailey
I started this spring with one plant it only produced a few strawberry shortcake but I potted it into a large pot and a few runners have rooted. I want as many plants as possible by next spring so I’m leaving runners. My question is in spring I want to transplant into a mound? Is this going to work?
Dan dick
Yes. More plants. More berrys.
Irene
I have potted my June bearing runners. I am aware that June bearing strawberries should be mowed down after harvest. Should I cut off the leaves on these runners after I transplant it?
Martina
Hi there, I’m a little confused… I purchased bare root plants this spring and they all flourished. I didn’t know anything about pinching back buds or flowers, so I enjoyed my first homegrown berries. I’m currently battling some caterpillars, but everything’s on the mend. Now I’m not seeing much flowering action ABD have found two runners already. Does that mean my plants have finished for the year? I thought I got everbearing, so I’m confused. Should I clip them back this early? Are they affecting their ability to fruit? Or should I let them root and see what happens? I don’t know what to do! Thanks in advance, Martina in Tampa, Florida
Elaine
Following.
I was curious too. Does the STRAWBERRY Plant produce more berries if you clip the runner off ? I move pots up to plant later in the season ,my babies of the runners.
Mary Ward
An abundance of runners can decrease size and yield of berries, especially if the plants are struggling for water and nutrients. SO yes, clipping can help improve berry production. These articles might also help: https://strawberryplants.org/what-are-strawberry-runners-stolons/
https://strawberryplants.org/strawberry-plants-producing-runners-but-no-strawberries/
Dan dick
Only cut runner off after, going a good root, getting ready for winter, remove dead leaves , cover 3 inches in straw. , not hay. Straw,
Shawn
So I am growing strawberries in a garden area but I down like them where they are. I am letting the mother plants stay where they are for now so they can shoot out runners and then transplant those. Once I have enough I am planning on either moving the mother plants or just get rid of them seeing as they are about 4-5 years old. My question is with the runners should I let them root into the ground or should I use little pots and let them root in there. And with the mother plants can you keep them for the runners. Thanks for the time.
Mr. Strawberry
Shawn,
If you are going to move them, it is easiest to do it in little pots or plastic cups or some other easily-moved container. Additionally, it is easier for the plant to be removed from a container and planted in a hole instead of being dug up from the ground and re-planted (although either way can work). At 4-5 years old, the vigor of plants really starts to decline, so berry production usually drops substantially. You can keep the mother plants for runners, but they will diminish production of those also. You’ll get more from the newer plants you plant. Good luck!
SHARON HUTCHISON
I have just potted runners round the mother plant have i left it too late and how do i look after plants in winter ☺
Mr. Strawberry
SHARON HUTCHISON,
If your plants are potted, it isn’t too late to go ahead and transplant them wherever you wish. As for what to do when it is cold, see this for winter strawberry plant care. Good luck!
Kim
One of my strawberry has two runners and one of the runners is producing another runner! Should I keep the ‘grand daughter’?
Mr. Strawberry
Kim,
You can if you wish to do so. Sometimes runners with have 3, 4, 5, or even 6 nodes on them that can each become a healthy plant. Just make sure it has enough soil to root properly! Good luck!
Dan dick
Yep. More plants. More berries
Bill
I put five plants in pots this spring and they are nice big healthy plants now. The trouble is, They are putting out runners like crazy. I clipped them three or four times this summer and took off 80 to 100 each time. They were clipped just a week and a half ago (mid September)and there are a bunch coming out again. Is this many runners normal?
Mr. Strawberry
Bill,
It happens, but isn’t normal. They usually don’t put out quite that many. Good luck!
Dan
Yes
Sandi
I live in western Washington state. Can I replant the babies that have taken root now and cut the rest of the runners off now this late in the year ?
Mr. Strawberry
Sandi,
Yes, as long as the baby plants are truly established, the runner back to the mother plant can be severed. Good luck!
Ken Wolf
Finally someone answered the actual questions..ty
Dan dick
Yes. As long as the root is strong
budi
Hi Mr strawberry,
My strawberry plant have runner and the first runner have another runner and so on until 3 to 4 runners in daisy chain, is this bad or should i just keep the 1st runner only? is the quality of the runners in this daisy chain keep decreasing? it look still about the same visually
Mr. Strawberry
budi,
Each runner plant that sprouts up from a node is capable of growing independently if its roots are provided enough soil and nutrients to thrive. So, if you have the space, or if you are rooting them in pots or other moveable containers, go ahead and root all of them! The more the merrier! If you are space limited or need just one or two, take the ones closest to the mother plant and sever the runner after the last one you are going to root. The nodes downstream from the cut will all die, and you’ll be able to use what you have left to transplant or root into a matted row. Good luck!
John Cocktoestone
I bought Evie, everbearing strawberry roots from amazon, planted em, now they are growing like wildfire and rooting awesome in the same year. They are in pretty fertile soil that i try to keep nice and moist. I am going to let em grow and see what happens. I DO try to clip the actual flowering strawberries though, at least most of them, as I like to eat a few of em.. lol
Debbie Y
Hi,
I’m a little confused. I have just one square foot of strawberries that I bought 2 years ago (I transferred them after first year because I hadn’t put them in a great spot). This year they are greener and larger than ever before and sending runners out for the first time. I have the space for more plants and would like to devote a few more square feet to strawberries. Can I allow one or two runnersto set roots down and if so, can I just leave them to grow where they placed themselves (it happens to be an empty area of the garden)? Should I cut the runner or leave it connected to the mother plant?
Mr. Strawberry
Debbie Y,
Yes, you can let the runners root where they touch down as long as they aren’t slam crammed together with other rooting runner plants. For example, if you have a plant that puts out 4 runners, you’d expect them to go out in four different directions. If, for some crazy reason, they all end up rooting within 6 square inches of each other, they’d need to be helped a bit so that spacing is adequate. If you aren’t going to move the runner plants, it is best to leave the runner intact. When the runner plant doesn’t need it any more, it will whither up and become brittle, eventually snapping itself. Cutting the runner before the new plant is fully established will either stress or kill the plant. Good luck!
Doran
I want the runners will give me more plants do I need to cut off the strawberries to do that in full energy?
Mr. Strawberry
Doran,
It is possible that removing the berries will encourage the plants to produce more runners. However, the plants will typically produce a fair amount of runners regardless of whether or not strawberries are removed, so why not enjoy the fruits of your labor too?! Good luck!
Jody Senna
Thank you Mr. Strawberry for your help; I truly appreciate it! Last November I covered my strawberry plants with straw to protect them from the very cold weather and my established plants are already growing up and out of the straw.
Unfortunately, I lost about 3/4 of the runners I transplanted early last Fall – I pulled back the straw and they’re completely gone! The 1/4 of them that survived are looking happy.
This afternoon I dug up runners from last year’s plants that had gone over the sides of the beds and planted them in place of the lost plants.
Hopefully they’ll all grow and when they start flowering, should I pinch off the flowers this year?
Thank you again for all your help – sorry I’m such a novice at growing my favorite berry.
Mr. Strawberry
Jody Senna,
If they were rooted last fall, I would let them set their fruit. Good luck!
Jody Senna
My strawberry plants (raised beds) did very well for the past couple of years. I had some friends come over last August and they dug up and took as many established runners as they wanted and I replanted a few dozen into new beds. But I still have runners and overgrown beds. Will it harm my existing plants for me to cut out runners now that it’s almost Spring? Can I cut back some of the plants that are overgrown in the beds, or is it the wrong time of year? Thanks!
Mr. Strawberry
Jody Senna,
If you still have overgrown beds, it would be a good idea to go ahead and thin them to no more than 3-4 plants per square foot (maximum). Good luck!
Steve
I remove runners to produce a good crop, but when can I start allowing runners for propagation and how many runners to allow per mother plant please (removing all but the first “baby” from each runner)? Thank you
Mr. Strawberry
Steve,
If you have already harvested your strawberries, you can allow as many runner plants to root as are produced by each plant, if you can use them. Good luck!
Sean
Hi
When I re pot my runners when should I cut of the part attached to the mother plant
Mr. Strawberry
Sean,
Once the runner plant is established with its own roots well into the soil, you can snip the runner back to the mother plant. If you do it before then, the runner plant will likely perish. Good luck!
Darwin
Any way to grow a new plant from clipped runners that have the root nodules?
Mr. Strawberry
Darwin,
Yes, it is possible, but most will die. To attempt it, remove all the vegetation except for 1/2 of one leaflet. Then put the adventitious root node in a perlite, moist sand, or moistened sphagnum mix (or you can purchase some seed starting mix). Keep the soil moist and the relative humidity as high as you can. Mist the leaflet/green part regularly. If the plant doesn’t succumb to fungal infection and the adventitious root node can grow, you can propagate them from the clipped runners. Most, however, will die. Good luck!
Ruahui Brears
is it good for the plant when repotting to trim the roots down.
Mr. Strawberry
Ruahui Brears,
If you can identify any dead or brittle roots, it is ok to remove those. However, it is usually best to leave the roots as intact as possible. Good luck!
Suzy Bogguss
I planted strawberries in a large terra cotta pot. They are doing well and producing lots of runners. Should I cut them at the joint?
Thanks
Suzy Bogguss
Mr. Strawberry
Suzy Bogguss,
If you don’t want to root them, you should snip them as soon as they are identified at the crown (where they come out of the plant). Good luck!
LEE A TOMLINSON
I would like to know what herbicides can be used on strawberries ie fall/spring and etc i have way to many chandler berries to chop so i need a spray regement to help with grasses/ weeds something besides 24d as my berries are sort close to my tomatoes
Mary Ward
A lot depends on where you live and whether you grow organically, etc. Most herbicides are designed to target the plants they come in contact with, but no matter what you use you have to carefully follow label instructions and only apply on a calm day or the spray will drift and kill surrounding “good” plants. My personal choice is horticultural vinegar or one of the vinegar recipes, but I am one who restricts, myself to organic applications only. Horticultural vinegar is 20-30% acid, so much stronger than household and you should take precautions when using it. Also, realize that at least for the short term, it may impact your soil’s pH.