Should I thin out my Strawbs?

Swing Swang · « **on:** December 30, 2009, 16:56 »

The strawbs that I planted out in September are doing very nicely - they've even thrown out about 4 runners per plant that have all have rooted.

Question - Do I thin out these runners so that I'm left with only the parent plants to produce a maiden crop, or do I let the strawberry patch 'mat up' in the spring? I've got a dozen 'Cambridge Favourite' plants in a double row, spaced 24" apart.

Regards,

SS

azubah · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2009, 18:17 »

When I got my allotment some years ago I ordered some strawberry plants. When they arrived they were such sorry looking things that I crept up to the allotment and planted them when I thought that no-one would be looking.
They runnered all over the place and I just left them to it. I got such a wonderful crop that the other plot holders all wanted some of the runners and I did not have enough to supply them all.
So the answer is..just leave them to it for 3 years and then transplant the best runners to a new bed and start again.

noshed · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2009, 21:41 »

They're swines to keep tidy so I think it's easier to let them form a mat and just give them a tidy up in the autumn. Then shift to a new bed in 3 years.

viettaclark · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2009, 23:54 »

I planted mine last March and spent the year cutting off runners and loads of flowers after October as the fruit wouldn't ripen. I thought this would make the crowns stronger?
Should I just let them mat next year and save the effort?

Trillium · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2009, 23:57 »

Strawberries live to perpetuate so no matter what you do, they'll still send out runners to best, as already said, to just let them do their thing for now and tidy up after the final cropping which is when they should be cleaned, thinned and fed (never during or before cropping = watery berries)

viettaclark · « **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2009, 00:01 »

Thanks Trill

Swing Swang · « **Reply #6 on:** December 31, 2009, 07:04 »

Thnaks for the advice - SS

Jerusalem Artichoke seedlings: To thin or not to thin? Started by PickledPink on Grow Your Own	6 Replies 1505 Views	May 24, 2021, 20:01 by Mr Dog
Carrots - to thin or not to thin? Started by Vegpot on Grow Your Own	16 Replies 5478 Views	September 24, 2008, 14:14 by luckypurplebutterfly
strawbs Started by andy dewar on Grow Your Own	10 Replies 3578 Views	May 26, 2014, 19:37 by Lesleyk
strawbs Started by m1ckz on Grow Your Own	2 Replies 1217 Views	July 14, 2011, 20:45 by Trillium

Should I thin out my Strawbs?

Swing Swang

Should I thin out my Strawbs?

azubah

Re: Should I thin out my Strawbs?

noshed

Re: Should I thin out my Strawbs?

viettaclark

Re: Should I thin out my Strawbs?

Trillium

Re: Should I thin out my Strawbs?

viettaclark

Re: Should I thin out my Strawbs?

Swing Swang

Re: Should I thin out my Strawbs?

Similar Topics

Jerusalem Artichoke seedlings: To thin or not to thin?

Carrots - to thin or not to thin?

strawbs

strawbs