Growing strawberry plants from a runner is the easiest and quickest way to propagate strawberries plants. Most of the strawberry varieties produce runners, and wherever these runners touch the soil, they will continue to grow into that soil and establish a new clone plant that genetically identical to the plant that originally sent forth the runner. It’s the perfect time to raise some new plants from their runners.
Strawberry runners are the long shoots sent out from the base of the main plant. At the end of these long shoots, roots will form, and a new strawberry plant will be created.
Strawberry runners are properly called (stolons) The word (stolon) comes from the Latin word (stolo) meaning a shoot, branch, or twig springing from the root.
Propagating Strawberries
- Choose a healthy runner which has produced one or more leaves.
- Remove any stems emerging from the new leaves, while keeping it still attached to the parent plant.
- Fill small pots with multi-purpose compost.
- Place the strawberry runner on the surface and hold it in place using a piece of wire, and water.
- Once the new plant is well-rooted and established, you can separate the plant from the mother strawberry plant by snipping the runner. If it has been established for a while, the runners will eventually shrivel and snap on their own.
- While the new plants develops their own roots. Always make sure that soil is kept moist in the pots. Do not over water as this causes the roots to rot, and try not to get water on the leaves of the plants. This can cause a fungal disease on the leaves. Rather, water at the base of your plants.
- Sometimes you can find a smaller strawberry plant with roots in the ground that is still attached to its mother plant, you can pull it up gently, and plant it in a small pot filled with soil and water it soon this will be a new strawberry plant.
Strawberry propagation by runner is usually the easiest and most successful means of acquiring new plants from existing ones. So grow and enjoy propagating strawberries, it's so easy.
Strawberries make a great addition to any garden. From its beautiful fan-shaped leaves and stunning pink or white flowers to its juicy fruit, that's why I always love to grow!
Propagating Strawberries from Runners Video
Happy gardening
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