Bare root strawberries

claire-broxton · November 2020

I bought bare roots this summer and have grown them in bags handing from my fence. They have produced beautiful greenery and as they were new from root I didn’t let them flower/fruit this year although they made a slight attempt. I’ve also got lots of lively runners from them trailing down the fence. I’m a total novice and have been googling but am stumped. I’ve put the bags in my summer house (no greenhouse) on the floor and have wrapped them in fleece. I also have potted five runners on the floor to take root. The bag plants still have leaves although some are red and browning off. Will my runner roots take hold this way (I’m very mate doing this) and do I need to keep my plants in this way over winter or should I put them back outside. If kept inside do I water them? Sorry very unsure here.

Skandi · November 2020

I would cut off all the runners first year plants shouldn't be producing them if you want the best yield next year (but if you want new plants then first year plants are the best to use for runner production)

I would take them out of the summerhouse strawberries are perfectly hardy and keeping them to warm may interfere with their dormancy. Cut off all of the leaves now and place them somewhere out of the way and make sure they do not get to wet or dry out over winter.

If you really want to root some of those runners cut them off the mothers and bring them inside they will root on a windowledge, they may be a bit confused as to season but if you put them back outside in early spring they will sort it out. Commercially strawberry runners are cut from the mothers and then rooted rather than rooting while attached so that part is not a problem.

claire-broxton · November 2020

Brilliant. Thank you so much.

Bare root strawberries

Posts