Easy Method to Acquire Strawberry Plant Cuttings Without Spending a Dime
In a thriving strawberry garden, there's always room for more. Bonnie Ferrero, a dedicated advocate for service, growth, and well-being, shares a low-maintenance and natural method for propagating strawberry plants. This technique, inspired by Little Acre Homestead, allows you to effortlessly multiply your strawberry plants without the need for seeds.
- Identify runners with baby plants
Strawberry plants send out long stems called runners, which have tiny baby plants (called plantlets) attached at their ends. These baby plants are the future of your strawberry garden.
- Allow rooting in soil or pots
Position these runners so that the baby plant touches the soil, or place the baby plant in small pots filled with nutrient-rich, well-draining soil. It's essential to keep the baby plant attached to the mother plant during the rooting process.
- Wait for roots to establish
Let the runners root into the soil or pots for about 3 to 4 weeks. During this time, the baby plants develop their own root systems while still receiving nutrients from the mother plant.
- Sever the runner
After roots are well established, cut the runner stem connecting the new plantlet to the mother plant. This step signals the baby plant to rely solely on its own root system for nutrients.
- Transplant or continue growth
You can then transplant the newly rooted baby plant to a desired growing location or keep it growing in the pot. Using multiple pots at once can help maximise strawberry yield.
- Secure the baby plant
To ensure good contact with the soil, secure the baby plant with half of an unfolded paperclip. This simple step helps the baby plant establish strong roots and adequate nutrient intake before separation.
This method of strawberry propagation speeds up the natural process of strawberry plants propagating through runners. It's an easy and cost-effective way to expand a strawberry patch without purchasing new plants.
Bonnie Ferrero, an avid hiker, cook, gardener, and home decorator, encourages everyone to give this method a try. With a little patience and care, you'll be enjoying fresh, homegrown strawberries year after year.
[1] Little Acre Homestead. (n.d.). Propagating Strawberries. Retrieved from https://littleacrehomestead.com/propagating-strawberries/
[3] Little Acre Homestead. (n.d.). How to Propagate Strawberries. Retrieved from https://littleacrehomestead.com/how-to-propagate-strawberries/
[5] Little Acre Homestead. (n.d.). Strawberry Propagation. Retrieved from https://littleacrehomestead.com/strawberry-propagation/
- If you'd like to increase your strawberry garden, pay attention to strawberry runners – they have baby plants at their ends.
- To propagate strawberries, set the runners onto the soil or place the baby plants in pots filled with enriched soil, keeping the baby plant connected to the mother plant during rooting.
- Allow the runners to root for about 3 to 4 weeks, after which you can cut the runner and transplant the rooted baby plant to a new spot or continue its growth in the same pot, establishing multiple pots for better yield.
