[Headgardener22]

I have a couple of beds with strawberries on the allotment - I grow two types that I know what they are (Alice & Sarian) and then another bed with some which were there when I took over the allotment a few years ago.

I try to refresh the beds with runners every couple of years or so. However, this year, none of the plants have created runners. Anybody any idea as to why?

[Chrysalis]

No idea, sorry.  But if you want some plants, mine have had loads of babies and I could spare a few, if you want me to post them?
C

[Yorkie]

Could they just have been concentrating on growth rather than runners?  Did you have a decent crop of leaves and berries?

[azubah]

I bought some ever-bearing strawberries some years ago. I think they were calypso. They produced few runners, which was embarassing as they were so good that everyone kept asking for runners but there were not enough for me!

Other varieties produce loads of runners, so perhaps yours just don't produce many.

[Headgardener22]

azubah & Yorkie: They've always produced runners before and there was nothing special in the crop or leaves.

Chrysalis: Thanks for the offer. I might take you up on it when I've properly weeded out the bed. My plan originally was to dig them all up, compost the bed and plant new ones. The alternative might just be a thorough weeding.


The allotment has been quite dry this year. Long periods with little or no rain and then a few heavy storms so it could just be that its not been right for them.

[Nobbie]

I had the same this year with Honoye (sp?) plenty of fruit and leaves, but just didn't throw out any runners. Really annoying as last year I had to remove loads, but this year I was planning on potting some up

[bigben]

I have grown strawbs for the first time this year and had one bed with part of it in the shade of a tree which removes moisture and gives shade. Those grown there did not produce much fruit and almost no runners. I am planning on planting a bigger bed on my allotment from the runners I did get and some new ones I bought. I found this year to be very dry and underestimated how often I would have to water the strawbs - could this have been an issue for you?

[Kenilworth]

Not had many runners on mine but i've put that down to the fact we have had a second period of fruiting??? We had our first batch early to mid  June and then they have all come back into fruit again, they are  just starting  to redden up now.?

Not sure what variety they are as they all came from a few plants i got off a mate 5 years ago. Just to say that in past years they would fruit around June and we have never had a double fruiting season before!

[carlrmj]

How long have you been propagating runners from runners (if you know what i mean).
Is it that over a period of time the parent plants have gradually deterioted and this has been passed down the line.
I planted honeoye had hardly any fruit but must have about 70 runners

Carl   

[Headgardener22]

Hi Carl,

A range of different answers. Some are new plants this year (grown from seed), some are two year old plants from another plot and some (the ones I really wanted to replace) have been there since I took on the plot 3 years ago. None of them have got runners although the two type that were there last year had lots.

Never mind, chalk it up to experience. Never plan to do something on the allotment until you know you can.   

[operabunny]

My strawberries with the most runners are the ones in the dampest place (almost boggy), the ones with least runners in the driest place, the same as any other year. They all fruited twice this year, though, which is not normal!

So I think it was possibly just your dry conditions. If they get plenty of water now maybe they will send out some runners for you.

[snails2go]

I've had completely the opposite problem - loads of runners but no flowers or fruit.  The plants were runners from a friends allotment.  They were in pots so hopefully not too wet.  As no fruit, havent bothered to pot up the runners just in case they follow suit!

[Headgardener22]

So snails2go and operabunny may have given the answer which sounds a bit like the three bears. Too wet and you get no fruit, too dry and you get no runners, just right and you get both.
 

[crh75]

I find that if you do not have enough new runners then a good idea is to dig up the old plants and replant them.  When you dig them up each plant will split into two or three smaller plants.  I find replanting these smaller plants virtually as good as planting out last years runners in terms of production over the next few years.

Also, it is a good idea to feed them after fruiting (when they start producing most of the runners).