first year strawberry runners

done a quick search and can't find an answer to this.  I think I read somewhere about reducing or removing strawberry runners in the first year.  Is this right?  My strawbs have loads of runners and I would love to plant them all up but not at the expense of existing new plants.  Is it best to leave them or remove them?

I've been out this morning and put about 16 runners into pots (max of two per any plant-some plants have no runners anyway), and have removed all the rest of the runners.  If I get any more then they'll only end up as freecycle gifts anyway as I only have space for 16 new plants next year.  Thanks anyway.  I did notice that the most prolific runner producer (5 runners) had produced no fruit so I removed all those, see if it produces any fruit later in the year, no point in cloning a non producing plant however strong the runner!

Runners are new baby plants the mother plant puts out by means of long thin shoots with a plant at the end. It's the strawberry's most effective way of reproducing. Seeds will work too but they're often not where you want them. runners are also a sign that the soil nutrients are almost used up by the mother plant which is why the young ones are a distance away from mom.

I have 1 runner so far from my plants which are in a low strawberry planter.  Can I place a plant pot under the runner so it will take in the pot, then when (if) it takes sever the umbilical and have a new plant.

Simply - yes!

Hi I have a strwb plant that is fruiting well have heard of runners before but how do I know which are which and how do I remove them dont want to hurt my plant  

Runners will look something like this....


Sharp pair of scissors will do the trick.

Ooops one more thing I forgot to ask do I have to wait till we have picked all the fruit, thanks.