Roy, As Fairygirl mentions, if your patch is getting crowded you can identify the oldest plants as those will have developed woody stems about as thick as a finger and a few inches long. Once they reach that size they are past their best and you should dig that whole plant out and could replace it with one grown from a runner.
When grown in a patch like this, strawberries will naturally colonise the area by sending out runners which will root where they touch the ground. Because of this, the patch can get a bit overcrowded so if that has happened to yours just remove some of the oldest plants and dig a bit of well rotted manure into the spot where it was and this will feed the surrounding plants and give them a bit of room to grow.
It's also best to move the whole patch every few years as the plants will exhaust the soil and pests and diseases will build up, making it less and less productive each year.
Last edited: 24 September 2016 10:20:29
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Hi Fairygirl and Bob, sorry I changed my name between you posting. Thanks for you advice, I think the patch is a bit overgrown, it's also affected by bind weed.
My main concern was that Monty said in the three week old program that you should cut your strawberry plants right back, August bank holiday was the right time to do this so the plants can recover before winter. But if you do that then of course you will be cutting back runners n'all.
Maybe it's time to move the patch. Should we do this now or in spring?
If you've got a lot of bindweed, I'd address that. If you have new runners on the strawbs, I'd peg those down into pots, and when they're rooting, you can remove them from the parent. You could then use those to start off a new patch. If you have nowhere suitable right now, plants will be fine over winter in pots. You can create a new bed at any time really, unless the soil's too wet or frozen to work with.
Discard the oldest plants, dig up any healthy looking younger ones to help with the new area, then dig over the existing bed, removing the bindweed. You could plant that up with something else temporarily depending on what you want in your garden.
Monty's advice was for the older plants. Removing dead or damaged foliage allows the plants to freshen up. Runners wouldn't be cut back.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Well about a month ago however after tidy up give away to friends I still had a few runners and trimmings approx 100 so planted up in the lottie.
I will lift and transplant into pots in spring and decide what to do next year so I have plenty of options
They are really one of the easiest plants to grow and multiply
You don't need to buy plants just ask around your friends or the lottie there are plenty for free. I have even given some lottie pals permission to take the runners they are so abundant.
Time now to put some manure around my plants so the work of the worms
Very impressive strawberry patch Chris! I may even create one in my own allotment You'll definately have plenty of juicy fruits next year, I'm sure they'd make a gorgeous strawb trifle in the summer
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Roy, As Fairygirl mentions, if your patch is getting crowded you can identify the oldest plants as those will have developed woody stems about as thick as a finger and a few inches long. Once they reach that size they are past their best and you should dig that whole plant out and could replace it with one grown from a runner.
When grown in a patch like this, strawberries will naturally colonise the area by sending out runners which will root where they touch the ground. Because of this, the patch can get a bit overcrowded so if that has happened to yours just remove some of the oldest plants and dig a bit of well rotted manure into the spot where it was and this will feed the surrounding plants and give them a bit of room to grow.
It's also best to move the whole patch every few years as the plants will exhaust the soil and pests and diseases will build up, making it less and less productive each year.
Last edited: 24 September 2016 10:20:29
Hi Fairygirl and Bob, sorry I changed my name between you posting. Thanks for you advice, I think the patch is a bit overgrown, it's also affected by bind weed.
My main concern was that Monty said in the three week old program that you should cut your strawberry plants right back, August bank holiday was the right time to do this so the plants can recover before winter. But if you do that then of course you will be cutting back runners n'all.
Maybe it's time to move the patch. Should we do this now or in spring?
If you've got a lot of bindweed, I'd address that. If you have new runners on the strawbs, I'd peg those down into pots, and when they're rooting, you can remove them from the parent. You could then use those to start off a new patch. If you have nowhere suitable right now, plants will be fine over winter in pots. You can create a new bed at any time really, unless the soil's too wet or frozen to work with.
Discard the oldest plants, dig up any healthy looking younger ones to help with the new area, then dig over the existing bed, removing the bindweed. You could plant that up with something else temporarily depending on what you want in your garden.
Monty's advice was for the older plants. Removing dead or damaged foliage allows the plants to freshen up. Runners wouldn't be cut back.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi all
just got the strawbs ready for next year
Well about a month ago however after tidy up give away to friends I still had a few runners and trimmings approx 100 so planted up in the lottie.
I will lift and transplant into pots in spring and decide what to do next year so I have plenty of options
They are really one of the easiest plants to grow and multiply
You don't need to buy plants just ask around your friends or the lottie there are plenty for free. I have even given some lottie pals permission to take the runners they are so abundant.
Time now to put some manure around my plants so the work of the worms
can do their work ahead of next years harvest
Happy gardening
Very impressive strawberry patch Chris!
I may even create one in my own allotment 
You'll definately have plenty of juicy fruits next year, I'm sure they'd make a gorgeous strawb trifle in the summer 