I'd give it a try. If it fails, you can just start over in the spring, it if works, you'll have spring berries.

They should be fine. I'm transplanting many runners this fall to a new bed. I do not want to wait till spring as that will disrupt berry production. Having them settle in now makes a lot more sense.

I had emailed a couple of experts (one in MA, one in ME) and got no reply, haven't renovated my bed yet (!) and runners are growing into the lawn and the vegetable garden on either side. Think I can move some plants to the new (extended) bed DH prepped for me last month? Mow the old plants after thinning? Or just don't mow anything since it's so late (first frost could be any day, though next 10 days look good after tonight's low of 40 or so)?

You can move strawberry runners anytime, and can plant new starts anytime, provided the ground is not frozen.

Scott

Thanks Scott, but this isn't just placing the runners where I want them (though I can do that with some where the end of the old bed meets the other end of the new bed - just have about a foot in the middle to dig out after I move wire hoops).

Can I dig out mother plants with runners and transplant them all this late in the year, or is that going to stress them too much? Maybe if I transplant at all, remove the runners so the transplant can establish itself?

I guess I can let runners root in old carrot and squash beds they're creeping into and just move them in the spring but DH wants me to move or cut the ones starting to hang into the lawn ;-)

September is the month recommended for setting out new plugs for plasticulture here in IL. My plants here don't go dormant until late November, so they have plenty of time to settle in.

In fact, my problem this fall has been the unseasonable heat.

This post was edited by ltilton on Mon, Sep 9, 13 at 15:16