Strawberry plants finished fruiting. What to do.

[RedArsedBaboon]

Can i cut them back. i.e to just the stalks or will that damage them for next year. There are so many of them and they need a tidy as i could put something else next to them. I need the space.

And also, how many years do they last? Second year now, should i be throwing them and keeping the runners or are they good for a 3rd year?

I thought strawberries fruited all year ?

Well, all summer anyway!

Some strawberries fruit all season some fruit for only part of the season so it depends on the variety.

Baboon - I'm in the same position as my Cambridge Favourites seem to be dead set on world domination.

Once you've picked the last fruit you can clip back the leaves to leave a plant around 6 inches/15 cm. Be careful not to damage the 'crown' (the heart of the plant). Water the plants to encourage them to develop new growth which will gather more energy.

My understanding is that plants should be replaced in a new location after 3 seasons to avoid the build up of disease.

How have your strawberries done? Mine have had a bumper crop. I think that I will end up with a greater weight of strawberries than I have had of potatoes!

thanks for replies. I had quite a large crop this year. Think i will leave them without cutting back incase i damage them. Not sure what variety they are but have been eating them for around a month and no new flowers or anythng now.

My potatoes are ok, but like you have had more strawbs, but still got various potatoes to dig up, i have just been digging up a meals worth at a time. delicious, but think because of the weather earlier this year, they could have been left in the ground a bit longer.