Help! Strawberry beds needs rejuvenation

[NativeOddity]

Hello all! I was wondering if I was able to take out all my strawberry plants from my raised bed to fill the bed with more soil/compost and then replant my plants. I have had the plants there going on it’s third year now. I made the mistake to allow the bed to run too much and didn’t pinch the new plants … so I have too much goin on and at this point the bed needs more soil.

All advice possible will be most appreciated. Thank you fellow gardeners!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

After three years strawberry plant production will start going downhill, though they may live another couple or three years.
I have three rows of strawberries that are producing and one more that is the new row. New strawberry plants it is worth pinching off all the flowers in the first year as you get more than twice as many strawberries in the second to make up for it.
I do it so that I plant on one side and take out the old plants the other side and the patch gradually moves across the garden into fresh ground. When the plants begin to throw out runners after flowering and fruiting I put a pot under the best runners from the best plants and peg them down, then pinch off the end so they don't carry on to make increasingly smaller plants. Those make my new plants for next year, all the other runners get pinched out.
When I moved and had to start from scratch in a new garden I took far more runners than I needed. Some I took all the flowers off and kept for fruit next year, the rest I allowed to fruit and then gave away. The given away ones won't be terrific, but they are okay. After a couple of years I am about back in the system.

 

[NativeOddity]

After three years strawberry plant production will start going downhill, though they may live another couple or three years.
I have three rows of strawberries that are producing and one more that is the new row. New strawberry plants it is worth pinching off all the flowers in the first year as you get more than twice as many strawberries in the second to make up for it.
I do it so that I plant on one side and take out the old plants the other side and the patch gradually moves across the garden into fresh ground. When the plants begin to throw out runners after flowering and fruiting I put a pot under the best runners from the best plants and peg them down, then pinch off the end so they don't carry on to make increasingly smaller plants. Those make my new plants for next year, all the other runners get pinched out.
When I moved and had to start from scratch in a new garden I took far more runners than I needed. Some I took all the flowers off and kept for fruit next year, the rest I allowed to fruit and then gave away. The given away ones won't be terrific, but they are okay. After a couple of years I am about back in the system.

Hello Oliver and thank you for sharing. I was wondering though if it was OK ato remove my plants from the bed and replant them, before winter again, in the same bed. I need to add soil to the bed

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Well, you can, strawberries are pretty tough when it comes to moving them about. But I would expect it to affect the number of berries you get next year, and like I say the number of berries is likely to drop anyway after three years, so don't expect much out of them next year. I am guessing, but I think they must be over by now and you are probably seeing the runners just starting to come. As soon as you see a little plant starting to develop peg it down, and as soon as it gets roots cut it off from the main plant. One runner will produce a whole row of plants, but the first one will be the strongest. I would leave them, or some of them, until you have taken your new plants, then add your new earth, and replant with the new runners doing what I said in my last paragraph about moving house, and maybe keeping a few of the old plants as well. as a 'belt and braces' move.

 

[Tincasteve]

After fruiting I remove all foliage and allow new growth to form and only then allow ant runners to form.
Can I suggest that you allow no more than two daughters from each plant.
If i wish to move plants it's when I have removed all foliage, before any new growth. Or better still in the late autumn when growth slows right down.
Don't forget to feed them though as then you will have much stronger plants, i use 1/2 strength feed.

 

[NativeOddity]

After fruiting I remove all foliage and allow new growth to form and only then allow ant runners to form.
Can I suggest that you allow no more than two daughters from each plant.
If i wish to move plants it's when I have removed all foliage, before any new growth. Or better still in the late autumn when growth slows right down.
Don't forget to feed them though as then you will have much stronger plants, i use 1/2 strength feed.

Hello and thank you both very much. What is the best thing to feed the plants with?

 

[Tincasteve]

Tomato feed when fruiting and general after.