Thin out and replanting strawberry plants shouldn’t happen until late spring, but I haven’t done it yet. Is that just because I’m lazy? Regardless, I walked outside in March, and realized my strawberry patch was out of control. Runners were everywhere, and I could barely see the ground between the plants. I had contemplated thinning the strawberry patch last fall, but frankly was unsure how to do it. I didn’t do anything because I was afraid that making any changes would affect our harvest this year. Solid plan.
Thankfully, mother nature was determined to force my hand. I recently saw a lot of dried runners or dead parts of berry plants and decided to do something to save this year’s crop. We are big fans of fruit and berries around here, and my family would be mad at me if I let the plants die.
We bought 25 bare root strawberry plants and some mini drawf apple trees from Raintree Nursery in 2014 and put them in. Awww, they were just little baby plants back then.
One year later, and they had gone insane with growth. I also think that the chickens ate almost half of the first 25 plants that year, if I remember correctly. Most types of strawberries produce what are called “runners” throughout the growing season. A plant’s desire is to produce offspring. The runners allow plants to send off shoots to become new plants. If left alone, you’ll have new plants. If directed with intention, you’ll have new plants where you want them.
I started by clearing out the easy to yank and most obvious weeds. That showed there were big empty spots, which meant there was a chance to thin out some of the plants and move others to better spots. Once I got the easy to remove weeds, well, the real “fun” began. I pulled out all the dried out runners and little weeds, as well as the red clover that is tied to the morning glory out of my garden out of anger. When I was cleaning up the dried leaves and grass around the plants, the plants would often just pop out of the ground. After freaking out the first two times it happened, I decided to take advantage of the chance to renew the patch. Each time a plant came up from the earth, I set it aside.
After pulling out all the weeds, I took a break to try to stop sweating and get a better look at the strawberries as a whole. I saw places where the ground was almost completely bare and places where there were so many plants that it would be hard for me to pick all the fruit when it was ready. Starting with the barest areas, I replanted the ones that had come up during my weeding. I dug a short hole with my hands because the soil is pretty loose, and then I put the strawberries in the hole. I covered the roots with soil, and went and planted another within about six inches. I continued on until the bare sections looked like they were filling out. I wanted to be smart about where I put those plants because I knew that in a few months, they would also be sending out runners.
There is no hard or fast rule for where the new “starts” should go once the plants start sending them out. I wait until the runner has a set of green leaves and is almost still in a closed bud. Then I just stick it about an inch deep in the ground where I want a new strawberry plant to grow. Within a few weeks, it will have established itself as a whole new plant.
For the same reason, moving runners to a different part of the garden is also very easy. Take a plastic cup, and punch a drainage hole in the bottom. Fill it with dirt. Cover the end of the runner with dirt and put it in the cup. Make sure to water it often. Cut off the runner from the first strawberry plant after a few weeks and move the new start to a different spot in the garden.
After all the orphaned plants were re-homed, I gritted my teeth, and heavily watered the newly planted sections. I’ve been interested in low-water gardening for a long time, but new plants and hot weather didn’t help me succeed. You can ignore established plants, but you have to do some watering to earn that “established” label. I’ve been watering these new plants every day for a week and probably will for a few more days as well.
I had a realization while pulling up weeds. Weeding inspires deep thinking. One, red clover has little seeds that like to pop up and get stuck on my face. Also, the soil in the strawberry patch was very dry, even though this was the wettest spring on record. The rest of my garden has lovely, lush soil, in part because I keep adding composted chicken manure. It could have been because the plants were so close together before, but I hadn’t been fertilizing this part of the garden. I use old chicken manure, but I don’t put any plants that are already making food on the ground. Thank you very much. Please remind me to fertilize the strawberry patch in the middle of July, when the strawberries are done. I’m holding you to that.
Could thinning and replanting strawberry plants have changed my harvest this year? Maybe, but I know that if I hadn’t done anything, more parts of the strawberry patch would have kept dying back. By being (finally) proactive and purposeful in replenishing my plants, I think we’ll see huge dividends next year.
Do you clean out your strawberry patch every few years, or just let it go wild?
If left unchecked, strawberry plants can quickly take over your garden beds, becoming a tangled, unproductive mess. That’s why properly thinning overgrown strawberry patches is essential for maintaining plant health and maximizing your berry harvest each season.
Thinning improves airflow and light exposure, allows you to remove diseased or unproductive plants, and gives the most robust crowns room to send out runners and daughter plants. Follow this complete guide to thinning strawberry plants for optimal fruit production year after year.
When to Thin Strawberry Plants
Timing is important when it comes to thinning strawberries. The best time is late summer or early fall after the plants have finished fruiting for the season. At this point, the crowns are dormant but will have time to recover before winter arrives.
Some key signs your strawberry patch is ready for thinning:
- Plants appear crowded, with poor airflow between them
- Fruit production has declined
- Leaves seem small and spindly
- Evidence of disease like leaf spot, powdery mildew, or botrytis
- Runners are growing between rows (for beds planted in rows)
Thinning in late summer allows the remaining plants to soak up sunlight and nutrients to establish strong roots before going dormant for winter.
How Often to Thin Strawberry Beds
Plan to thin strawberry beds every year. Even if you start with proper plant spacing, runners will quickly fill in areas. Allowing beds to become overgrown year after year leads to smaller berries and higher disease risk.
Some gardeners also do a quick mid-season thinning. This involves removing runners between rows and any leaves or plants showing disease.
Thinning Methods for Strawberry Beds in Rows
If your strawberries are planted neatly in rows, thinning them is straightforward:
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Use a rototiller or hoe to remove all plants and runners between rows. This clears out the aisles for easy picking access.
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Check the remaining plants in each row. Remove any that are diseased, damaged, or less productive older crowns.
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Space the healthiest crowns 12-18 inches apart in each row. Remove any excess plants and runners.
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Mow or shear the remaining plants, cutting the leaves back to 2-3 inches above the crowns. This is optional but promotes new growth.
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Water deeply and apply a balanced organic fertilizer. Mulch around plants.
Thinning Dense, Patchy Strawberry Beds
For strawberry beds planted more randomly in patches, try this thinning process:
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Mow down all foliage to 2-3 inches with a lawnmower set on its highest setting. Avoid damaging crowns.
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Dig out any weeds, identify, and remove diseased or aged plants. Look for large, misshapen crowns.
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Select the largest, healthiest crowns and remove any surrounding plants within 12-18 inches of each.
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Remove all daughter plants and runners emerging from the remaining mature crowns.
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Rake soil to break up thick matted patches. Follow up with fertilizer and deep watering.
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Mulch around your vigorous, widely spaced crowns.
What to Do with Thinned Strawberry Plants
As you thin your strawberry patch, you’ll end up with many extra plants. Here are some ways to use them:
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Transplant daughter plants to fill in a new strawberry bed or share with gardening friends.
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Add young crowns and runners to your compost pile. They’ll break down quickly.
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Use older crowns as mulch around other garden plants.
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Remove any diseased or virus-infected plants and discard in the trash to prevent spreading.
Improving Your Strawberry Bed After Thinning
Once your strawberry patch is thinned out, here are some tips for revitalizing the remaining plants:
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Fertilize with a balanced organic fertilizer or compost to replenish nutrients.
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Consider adding some worm castings or compost tea to boost microbial activity and nutrient absorption.
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Monitor soil moisture and water whenever the top few inches become dry.
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Apply 2-4 inches of fresh straw or compost as mulch around plants to retain moisture and reduce weeds.
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Continue removing runners and any new daughter plants to maintain proper spacing.
Signs Your Strawberries Need More Aggressive Renovation
In some cases, severely declining beds with many unproductive or diseased plants may need more extensive renewal beyond thinning. Signs that more aggressive renovation is needed:
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Major outbreaks of fungal disease that thinning alone can’t control
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Plants with stunted growth and pale leaves indicating poor soil nutrition
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White grubs or high weed pressure crowding out strawberry plants
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More than half of plants are three years or older with low vigor
For full strawberry patch renovation, consider removing and replacing all plants with disease-free bare root or plug plants. Then start fresh practicing annual thinning again.
The Benefits of Thinning Strawberry Plants
While it may seem counterproductive to remove plants from your strawberry patch, proper thinning provides multiple benefits:
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Allows each plant adequate space, sun, air, and nutrients to bear robust fruit
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Removes old, underperforming crowns so young daughter plants can take over
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Limits fungal disease issues by improving airflow and light penetration
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Makes picking easier and faster with aisles between rows
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Stimulates new growth and runner formation through pruning
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Optimizes your harvest season after season for maximum berry yield
By taking the time to properly thin your strawberry patch each year, you’ll enjoy tastier, healthier berries and vigorous, productive plants! The effort is well worth it.
Common Strawberry Plant Spacing Guidelines
Here are some general spacing guidelines to follow when thinning strawberries:
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June-bearing: 12-18 inches between plants
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Everbearing/day-neutral: 18-24 inches between plants
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Rows: 2-3 feet between rows
However, adjust spacing based on your specific strawberry variety and growth habits. Closely monitor thinned beds and continue removing runners as needed to maintain ideal spacing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Thinning Strawberries
Q: Can I thin strawberries in spring or summer?
A: It’s best to wait until late summer or early fall after harvest finishes. You can do some mid-season runner removal between rows to maintain aisles.
Q: How much should I thin an overgrown strawberry bed?
A: Remove enough plants to create 12-24 inches of space between vigorous crowns depending on type. Wider spacing promotes air circulation and berry production.
Q: Is it OK to use a lawn mower to cut back strawberry foliage when thinning?
A: Yes, you can carefully mow over the bed on the highest setting to cut back leaves to 2-3 inches above crowns. This promotes new growth. Avoid damaging the crowns.
Q: Can I replant thinned strawberry daughter plants?
A: Absolutely! Transplant healthy daughter plants to fill gaps in existing beds or start new beds. First-year plants often fruit best the following season.
Q: How long do strawberry plants live?
A: June-bearing types are most productive for 2-3 seasons. Everbearing may fruit well for 3-4 seasons. After that, replant beds for best results. Proper thinning maximizes each plant’s lifespan.