God's Growing Garden: Separating Strawberry Plants from Runners

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Separating Strawberry Plants from Runners

Separating Strawberry Plants from Runners

About every three years strawberry plants will send out "runners" and stop producing fruit. These "runners" will become new plants when separated correctly. If you continue separating every three years then you should have a never ending supply of strawberry plants and strawberries!

(click HERE to view "DIY 3-Tier Strawberry Patch)

In the picture below you will notice that many strawberry plants have appeared outside my actual strawberry patch. These are the plants that we will separate and transplant into a new spot or to replace the older/less productive plants.

Visually decide where you think a new plant is in order to cut around in the dirt (about 2 inches around the crown or center of the new plant. See in the picture below the cluster in the middle is the plant that I will be separating)

I cut around the plant with my garden tool called a "Hori Hori".

I gently lift out the plant with my garden tool and then tug with my hands. It will come out of the soil quite easily at this point (see picture below).

See the healthy root system in the picture below:

Continue separating as many runner plants as you can and place in a bucket or wheel barrow. (see pictures below)

Now we will plant each strawberry runner plant in a temporary pot until new growth appears before planting outside in their new permanent location (keeping the temporary potted plant inside. Also, don't forget to water it from time to time).

I was able to get 12 new plants from my runners!!

See the new growth in the pictures below! Now I can plant them outside.

(NOTE: My dad advised me that when your runner plants are this healthy and if it's warm enough outside, then you can plant them directly outside instead of bringing them inside for a few weeks)