Strawberry Runners, why only two?

11 years ago

My new bed of strawberries made it through the ups and downs of spring just fine, even got some fruit before discovering the mockingbird discovering the strawberries (darn thing seemed to wonder if the red ones were so tasty, what about the white ones... No... What about the green ones... No... What about the ones on this next plant...). Now, post fruiting, they have been sending out runners like mad. I've read that you should only allow each plant to establish two new plants from runners, but I'm wondering why only two? Then, accepting that only two is the way to go, are there cultivars that produce fewer runners? Some of my plants have sent out at least 6 and show no signs of giving up the idea.

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Comments (4)

edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
11 years ago
Not sure why only 2. Maybe because it zaps the energy of the mother plant. If I had the room, I'd take all the runners I could get if I wouldn't mind waiting a couple of years for them to mature. I grew a few runners last year hoping for fruit this year, and there wasn't much. I should have snipped the blossoms and waited another year.
myk1
11 years ago
I never heard of that. I always allow all the runners I can get. But then I don't snip the flowers either.
sayhellonow
11 years ago
It is important to remove the strawberry runners as they develop so that the strength of the plant is producing strawberries rather than new plants. This needs to be done every week or two. If you don't keep the runners under control, the plants will get root bound, and the berries will be small. I found this out the hard way.
sunnibel7 Md 7
Original Author
11 years ago
Ok, have been removing the runners, but I'm still wondering about things. How the heck do they manage the strawberries at those Pick Your Own places, then? It seems like a ridiculous amount of work just for my little patch to keep up with all the runners every week. I also wonder about how they sap the mother plant. I mean within a week you'll have a new plant that is sending out roots, so wouldn't it be supporting itself and not sapping the mother? I'm not arguing, I just would really like to understand. Perhaps I haven't yet outgrown my Tewrrible Twos, am still always asking "why?" :)