Free Strawberry Plants - From Runners

Creating New Strawberry Plants from Runners Is Easier Than You Think!

Is your strawberry patch starting to look a little tired? If your plants are three years old, it's time to give them a fresh start - and the best part? You don’t even need to buy new plants! The secret is strawberry runners. Let’s get you growing new strawberries with a simple, sustainable method that will keep your garden juicy for years to come.

Strawberries are ready for harvest. Image is Copyright

So, What’s the Deal with Runners?

If you've got mature strawberry plants, they’re probably sending out these long, horizontal stems called runners. Think of them as nature’s way of making new plants. These runners stretch across the soil, sprouting new roots and eventually growing into baby plants. Once those baby plants have roots of their own, you can dig them up or pin them and give them a home in your garden.

How to Make New Strawberry Plants from Runners

This part is the easy bit, we are grunting up the roots before transplant. By pinning the runners into the ground to form more roots before planting into a pot, or leaving them in the ground to stay there, pinning; the best way for new gardeners to create new plants successfully.

1. Select your Runner:

   If you are a beginner runner find the biggest possible on the stem, chances are there are 2 or 3, we don't have time for weaklings, pick the best one. You will see brown roots coming from the green underside of the green leaf, which will indicate its a goodie!

   
   

   

   Brown roots show on the strawberry runner. Image is Copyright

   
   

2. Pin your Runner:

   Grab some garden wire. Now, cut into 10cm lengths and bend into 'U' shapes to create a tiny “bridge.” This lets you press the runner down gently into the soil without squishing it and keeps it in contact.

   
   

3. Press the Runner Into the Soil:

   Make sure your runner is in contact with the soil with the roots pointing down and the leaves facing up (yep, obvious but let's get it right the first time). Place your little “bridge” over the runner to keep it in place. Press it firmly into the soil so it stays put. Sometimes, places a little bit of soil around the roots but ensure you don't cover any leaves.

   
   

4. Trim Any Extra Runners:

   Remember, if you spot any little runners growing from the stem, snip them off - we are only keeping the best. You want all the energy going into rooting the main runner, not sprouting more runners! The quicker they form roots, the quicker we can transplant into pots or new areas.

   
   

   

   Strawberry runners pushed into the soil, which is still connected to the stem of the larger plant. Image is Copyright

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When to Move the Runners

Timing is key:

• Autumn: This is the best time to dig up and replant runners. After the strawberry plant is done fruiting, those new baby plants can be transplanted to their forever homes, giving them time to settle in before spring. But if you forgot to do this in autumn, that's fine, proceed in spring or summer- just water a bit more.

• Spring: If you spot runners in spring, it’s best to remove them. Spring is for fruiting, not new baby plants! Sorry.

Planting the Runners

Now that you’ve got some rooted runners ready to dig up and go, here’s how to plant them:

1. Pick a Sunny Spot: Strawberries love sunlight. Aim for at least six hours of sunshine daily to get those plants thriving, so know where you're planting.

2. Prep the Soil: Make sure the soil drains well. If the garden bed is dry and tough, mix in some compost and incorporate it into your existing soil. Strawberries don’t like soggy feet, so good drainage is key.

3. Plant Your Runners: Remove the metal bridge from the runners and tuck them away for next season. Cut the runner away from the main plant at the same time you're planting to plant. Create a hole in the soil and space your new strawberry plants about 15 cm apart. The crown (where the leaves and roots meet) should sit just above the soil level. You can plant them in mounded rows to improve drainage and give the roots some warmth.

   
   

   

   Gardener lifts a runner from the soil, trims a strawberry runner from the stem that's connected to the larger plant. Image is Copyright

   
   

4. Growing in pots is awesome too: Use a strawberry potting mix such as Tui Strawberry Mix or a container mix. Keep hydrated and use a decent size planters such as the self watering pots from Wicking Bed NZ. Back away from strawberry planters - they are not great!

Care for Your New Strawberry Plants

• Watering: Keep the soil moist but not soggy. You want the new plants to get established, so a little love and water go a long way. Always water out of the sunshine, morning is best to prevent leaf burn, making the leaves brown. If you find you are getting brown leaves on or after transplanting, that is normal, but if it's excessive, it may be due to rotting. head to your garden centre to ask questions and with a plant sample, and images, as they cant help without visuals.

• Feeding: In spring, give your strawberry plants some extra TLC with a strawberry-specific fertiliser to boost growth and encourage fruiting and start putting down your mulch such as Strawberry Straw or pea straw. Once the strawberries start to come through, cut back on the watering as the fruit gets filled with too much water and become tasteless.

  Product Images from Tui Products

Ready to Enjoy Fresh Strawberries?

Using strawberry runners to create new plants is an easy way to keep your strawberry patch full and fresh. No need to replace them every few years! Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll be harvesting juicy strawberries in no time.

Glossary:

Fertiliser: A substance added to soil or plants to provide essential nutrients that promote growth and enhance crop yield.

Compost: A soil conditioner. With a mixture of decayed plant matter, such as food scraps and yard waste, or animal waste, used to enrich soil and improve its structure which is often purchased in bags or you can make your own. This is incorporated into your existing soil.

Straw: Used for plants to retain moisture in the soil and is also excellent for strawberries as it prevents soil from getting on them.

Soil: Often referred to as 'dirt' by some, it is a natural resource composed of minerals, organic matter, water, and air that supports plant life which is found in the garden beds or you can buy in bags which is called 'potting mix'. We never plant into straight 'top soil' which is for lawns.