Late with everything this year, so bought some strawberry plants.

2 Sequoia ever-bearing (I think) - standard here in So. Calif.

2 .June bearing. Nursery guy said not limited to June in this climate.

The Junies have runners galore. I was taught that one should cut off the runners for plant to retain "strength", and that runners could be planted to get new plant.Or should I plant them far apart so runners can root themselves?

Nursery guy thought don't cut off runners. Does he know what he's talking about?

Been a few years since I grew strawberries. Rusty as to best practices.

EHow says: Strawberry growers often plant June-bearing strawberries in a matted row system with about 4 feet of space between each row to allow runners to develop. Everbearing strawberries can grow effectively in a hill system with plants growing closer together with runners removed as they appear.

Whathethell is a "matted row system"??

TIA for any info.

HB

Higgs Boson wrote:
Late with everything this year, so bought some strawberry plants.

2 Sequoia ever-bearing (I think) - standard here in So. Calif.

2 .June bearing. Nursery guy said not limited to June in this
climate.

The Junies have runners galore. I was taught that one should cut off
the runners for plant to retain "strength", and that runners could be
planted to get new plant.Or should I plant them far apart so runners
can root themselves?

Nursery guy thought don't cut off runners. Does he know what he's
talking about?

Yes. Allow space for them to expand, spread the runners outwards from the
crowns and after a year or two you will have 3-4 times as many plants.

D

On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 10:59:05 PM UTC-7, David Hare-Scott wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:

Late with everything this year, so bought some strawberry plants.



2 Sequoia ever-bearing (I think) - standard here in So. Calif.



2 .June bearing. Nursery guy said not limited to June in this

climate.



The Junies have runners galore. I was taught that one should cut off

the runners for plant to retain "strength", and that runners could be

planted to get new plant.Or should I plant them far apart so runners

can root themselves?



Nursery guy thought don't cut off runners. Does he know what he's

talking about?



Yes. Allow space for them to expand, spread the runners outwards from the

crowns and after a year or two you will have 3-4 times as many plants.

Makes sense. Ta'

HB

On Thursday, May 29, 2014 12:18:39 PM UTC-7, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 10:59:05 PM UTC-7, David Hare-Scott wrote:

Higgs Boson wrote:



Late with everything this year, so bought some strawberry plants.







2 Sequoia ever-bearing (I think) - standard here in So. Calif.


2 .June bearing. Nursery guy said not limited to June in this

climate.
The Junies have runners galore. I was taught that one should cut off
the runners for plant to retain "strength", and that runners could be
planted to get new plant.Or should I plant them far apart so runners can root themselves?

Nursery guy thought don't cut off runners. Does he know what he's
talking about?

Yes. Allow space for them to expand, spread the runners outwards from the

crowns and after a year or two you will have 3-4 times as many plants.

Makes sense. Ta'

In the interests of saving time, here's a (possibly naive) question:

I spread small bark ground cover between plants. Usual reason: conserve water.
With the drought that CA is facing, and with our horrendous water prices, this become even more important.

BUT: Will that stop runners from rooting? Or will they find their way through the ground cover? I don't want to find out months later that they can't root.
Should I "engineer" bare ground patches where runner is heading? Anybody dealt with this dilemma?

TIA

HB

it will be an easier start for them if
they are pinned down gently to be in
contact with the soil under the mulch, but
if the mulch is moist enough they'll root
into that as well. i usually use a few
small rocks (that won't crush the runner,
but hold it down), some folks use pieces
of wire or sticks, whatever works to keep
the runner stable.

i recently pulled a few dozen rooted runners
from last year that were growing in crushed
limestone. not much of what you would call
dirt for them to use, but they had roots down
and were growing/flowering, they didn't miss
a beat when put into the pots with soil. i'll
see them this weekend and be able to tell how
my brother is treating them at their new home.

today was the first day of ripe strawberries
here. surprised me, as in many places they are
still forming. it was out back in the unfenced
strawberry patch on the plants that were most
exposed to the sun and not crowded by other
plants. some were ate right there after wiping
the dirt mostly off (a little minerals in the
diet...).

i'm trying to get everything weeded and planted
this week so i won't have to do that and keep up
with the strawberry harvest at the same time.
today's remaining task is to get the squash
seedlings out of the onion patch. i hate to do
it as they look so healthy and green, but when i
don't keep the onions bare they don't do much at
all... so *snip* *snip* for them.


songbird

On Tuesday, June 3, 2014 12:05:01 PM UTC-4, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Thursday, May 29, 2014 12:18:39 PM UTC-7, Higgs Boson wrote:

On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 10:59:05 PM UTC-7, David Hare-Scott wrote:



Higgs Boson wrote:







Late with everything this year, so bought some strawberry plants.















2 Sequoia ever-bearing (I think) - standard here in So. Calif.





2 .June bearing. Nursery guy said not limited to June in this



climate.

The Junies have runners galore. I was taught that one should cut off

the runners for plant to retain "strength", and that runners could be

planted to get new plant.Or should I plant them far apart so runners can root themselves?



Nursery guy thought don't cut off runners. Does he know what he's

talking about?



Yes. Allow space for them to expand, spread the runners outwards from the



crowns and after a year or two you will have 3-4 times as many plants.



Makes sense. Ta'



In the interests of saving time, here's a (possibly naive) question:



I spread small bark ground cover between plants. Usual reason: conserve water.

With the drought that CA is facing, and with our horrendous water prices, this become even more important.



BUT: Will that stop runners from rooting? Or will they find their way through the ground cover? I don't want to find out months later that they can't root.

Should I "engineer" bare ground patches where runner is heading? Anybody dealt with this dilemma?



TIA



HB

Why don't you "catch " the runners? Simply fill a small pot with soil, place it under the runner and pin the runner in place. Within a month or so it should be well rooted and can be clipped and planted where ever you want.
Steve

Higgs Boson wrote:
On Thursday, May 29, 2014 12:18:39 PM UTC-7, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 10:59:05 PM UTC-7, David Hare-Scott wrote:

Higgs Boson wrote:



Late with everything this year, so bought some strawberry plants.







2 Sequoia ever-bearing (I think) - standard here in So. Calif.


2 .June bearing. Nursery guy said not limited to June in this

climate.
The Junies have runners galore. I was taught that one should cut
off
the runners for plant to retain "strength", and that runners could be
planted to get new plant.Or should I plant them far apart so
runners can root themselves?

Nursery guy thought don't cut off runners. Does he know what he's
talking about?

Yes. Allow space for them to expand, spread the runners outwards
from the

crowns and after a year or two you will have 3-4 times as many
plants.

Makes sense. Ta'

In the interests of saving time, here's a (possibly naive) question:

I spread small bark ground cover between plants. Usual reason:
conserve water.
With the drought that CA is facing, and with our horrendous water
prices, this become even more important.

BUT: Will that stop runners from rooting? Or will they find their
way through the ground cover? I don't want to find out months later
that they can't root. Should I "engineer" bare ground patches where
runner is heading? Anybody dealt with this dilemma?

TIA


The runners will probably get through and root themselves unless your bark
is very thick. If you want to help them every few weeks go around and bury
any that are running on the surface.

D

On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 9:44:21 PM UTC-7, Higgs Boson wrote:
Late with everything this year, so bought some strawberry plants.



2 Sequoia ever-bearing (I think) - standard here in So. Calif.



2 .June bearing. Nursery guy said not limited to June in this climate.



The Junies have runners galore. I was taught that one should cut off the runners for plant to retain "strength", and that runners could be planted to get new plant.Or should I plant them far apart so runners can root themselves?



Nursery guy thought don't cut off runners. Does he know what he's talking about?



Been a few years since I grew strawberries. Rusty as to best practices.



EHow says: Strawberry growers often plant June-bearing strawberries in a matted row system with about 4 feet of space between each row to allow runners to develop. Everbearing strawberries can grow effectively in a hill system with plants growing closer together with runners removed as they appear.

On Tuesday, June 3, 2014 10:49:23 PM UTC-7, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 9:44:21 PM UTC-7, Higgs Boson wrote:

Late with everything this year, so bought some strawberry plants.

2 Sequoia ever-bearing (I think) - standard here in So. Calif.


2 June bearing. Nursery guy said not limited to June in this climate.

The Junies have runners galore. I was taught that one should cut off the runners for plant to retain "strength", and that runners could be planted to get new plant.Or should I plant them far apart so runners can root themselves?



Nursery guy thought don't cut off runners. Does he know what he's talking about?


Been a few years since I grew strawberries. Rusty as to best practices..

EHow says: Strawberry growers often plant June-bearing strawberries in a matted row system with about 4 feet of space between each row to allow runners to develop. Everbearing strawberries can grow effectively in a hill system with plants growing closer together with runners removed as they appear.


Whathethell is a "matted row system"??

TIA for any info.

Thanks to all for useful suggestions!



HB

Followup:

Concerned because beaucoup runners but zip strawberries. Tried to ascertain on-line whether allowing runners inhibist fruit production, but no clear reply. One sites suggested cutting off runners first year.

I guess I could set up an experiment, cutting off runners in Group A and allowing them in Group B.

But I planted the damn things to get fruit NOW!

Any comment on runners vs. fruit?

HB