How to grow strawberries from mail-order runners

How to grow strawberries from mail-order runners

Learn how to grow delicious summer strawberries from runners, with the help of our step by step guide.

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
At its best
At its best

Plant is not at its best in January

Plant is not at its best in February

Plant is not at its best in March

Plant is not at its best in April

Plant is not at its best in May

Plant is at its best in June

Plant is at its best in July

Plant is not at its best in August

Plant is not at its best in September

Plant is not at its best in October

Plant is not at its best in November

Plant is not at its best in December

To do
To do

Do not To do in January

Do not To do in February

Do To do in March

Do To do in April

Do not To do in May

Do not To do in June

Do not To do in July

Do not To do in August

Do To do in September

Do To do in October

Do not To do in November

Do not To do in December

When buying strawberry plants, you can choose between pot-grown plants (available during summer at garden centres and nurseries) or mail-order runners.

Find out all you need to know about growing strawberries in our Strawberry Grow Guide.

Pot-grown plants have the advantage of being grown on and should fruit well in their first year. They are, however, more expensive, and fewer varieties are available.

Mail-order runners are the cheaper, more traditional way to buy strawberry plants and a good option if you are starting a new strawberry patch. They are available in spring and autumn and are sold in bundles of 10-15 plants, with long roots and a tiny tuft of leaves on top.

Find out how to propagate strawberries from home-propagated runners.

Strawberries need a cold spell to initiate flowers and fruit – ideally a fortnight below 7°C. So if you can, order and plant your runners in autumn. If you miss your chance, buy artificially chilled ‘cold-stored’ runners, available from mid-spring, which will fruit about 60 days after planting.

Discover how to grow strawberries from mail-order runners, below.

Runners are the cheaper, more traditional way to buy
strawberry plants.
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You Will Need

  • Strawberry runners
  • Garden compost or well-rotted farmyard manure
  • Garden rake
  • Trowel

Total time:

Step 1

Choose a site with sun for at least half the day. Fork in 3-4 shovels of well-rotted compost per square metre and rake the plot level.

Raking the soil level
Raking the soil level

Step 2

As soon as your runners arrive, unwrap and soak in tepid water for a few minutes before planting. If this is not possible, runners can be kept in the fridge for a few days; just keep the roots moist.

Unwrapping the strawberry runners
Unwrapping the strawberry runners

Step 3

Plant runners 30-38cm apart, with the crown at soil level – too deep and the plant will rot, too high and the crown will dry out. Use your fingers to firm the soil around the roots.

Planting the strawberry runners
Planting the strawberry runners

Step 4

Keep the plants well watered during dry weather. Remove flowers from summer varieties in their first year to allow plants to establish. Flowers can be left on perpetuals to fruit later in the season.

Watering young strawberry plants
Watering young strawberry plants
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