Strawberry patch
- Thread starter Surgery
- Start date
- Location
- Near Beeston Castle
You can produce your own misted tips very easily and cheaply.
All you need to do is snip off the ends of the runners, as long as it looks like roots are about to come out they are fine and it is preferable if they don't have roots going into the soil yet (redcore). Usually have one maybe two leaves but very small, leave a tail on the runner about 15-20mm long. Push this tail into compost to secure them with the bit that is going to throw roots out in contact with the compost. We used the cell trays the previous batch of misted tips came in.
All you do then is put fleece over them to keep them from drying out. Water them at least daily and within 2-3 weeks you should have new plants growing away. This time of year is ideal as they will likely be at their peak of runner production.
We propagated many thousand like this and never had any virus issues from doing so. We favoured the variety Symphony as it worked very well for us, not the "best" variety but suited our land, our production methods and our pockets best. It is silly expensive buying plants and all they have done is the above.
Don't skimp on compost quality for propagating.
All you need to do is snip off the ends of the runners, as long as it looks like roots are about to come out they are fine and it is preferable if they don't have roots going into the soil yet (redcore). Usually have one maybe two leaves but very small, leave a tail on the runner about 15-20mm long. Push this tail into compost to secure them with the bit that is going to throw roots out in contact with the compost. We used the cell trays the previous batch of misted tips came in.
All you do then is put fleece over them to keep them from drying out. Water them at least daily and within 2-3 weeks you should have new plants growing away. This time of year is ideal as they will likely be at their peak of runner production.
We propagated many thousand like this and never had any virus issues from doing so. We favoured the variety Symphony as it worked very well for us, not the "best" variety but suited our land, our production methods and our pockets best. It is silly expensive buying plants and all they have done is the above.
Don't skimp on compost quality for propagating.
- Location
- High Weald AONB
I would happily grow replacement plants from runners, but would probably put the new plants in a different bed after four years in the same spot. 🫤
Wouldn’t have a clue !
Oliveau
Member
- Location
- Indre et Loire, France
In my garden I propagate from runners every year - just dig rooted runners out, pot them up & put them in the poly tunnel to overwinter before planting out in the spring. I usually replace one row of 30 plants every year, so they are never in the ground for more than 4 years.
Ramrod
Member
- Location
- Skendleby Psalter, Lincolnshire
Many years ago, we always had 1.5 ac of strawberries, planted as maidens then usually 4 more years in full pull.
One year after planting new batch of maidens and then having first year pull, it was time to rotavate the old planted area.
Father decided to try and replace old plants by using runners that had planted themselves in the 'wheeling's' I put on the inter-row rotavator and drove along the top of the old rows.
This left a mixture of a few old plants and 'new' plants grown from runners, wasn't a scientific process so no figures per acre, but they produced well for at least a couple more years.
Problem was we now had 3 ac to pick, a job I detested, but a good income for a couple of quiet months.
One year after planting new batch of maidens and then having first year pull, it was time to rotavate the old planted area.
Father decided to try and replace old plants by using runners that had planted themselves in the 'wheeling's' I put on the inter-row rotavator and drove along the top of the old rows.
This left a mixture of a few old plants and 'new' plants grown from runners, wasn't a scientific process so no figures per acre, but they produced well for at least a couple more years.
Problem was we now had 3 ac to pick, a job I detested, but a good income for a couple of quiet months.