![]() You can allow the runners of the remaining plants to root and then cut the runner from the mother plant (sort of like an umbilical cord) to allow it to fully establish its roots. If you want to propagate your own strawberries without risking fruit loss, I recommend pruning the runners of all but a few plants. However, because plants put so much energy into producing new plants from runners, they typically yield less fruit. This is how strawberries become “matted” into a ground cover in the wild. If left to grow, these runners can root and grow into new plants. ![]() Runners are simply long stems from a mother plant that grow into new baby plants. What are Runners? These long stems that seem to be running away from the plant are called runners. Though I recommend pruning for the best yields, you can also leave some runners to propagate your own strawberry crowns. If you don’t prune your strawberries, you’ll end up with new strawberry plants all over the place. One cool thing about strawberries is that, once you plant them, they tend to multiply quite easily. How to Propagate Strawberries There are several ways to propagate strawberries effectively. They give gardeners a head start in the spring and quickly begin growing into happy large plants. Strawberry crowns are young rooted plants that have been harvested, cleaned, stored, and shipped for replanting. This is because strawberry seeds take a long time to mature and are less reliable than crowns. Strawberries are typically vegetatively propagated (by division or crown) rather than sexually propagated (by seed). No matter where your garden is, you can probably grow your own strawberries as long as you plant at the right time. Summer and fall strawberries come from other regions in the northwest, midwest, and northeast. Winter and early spring strawberries in grocery stores typically come from southern California. Strawberries love the mild temperate climates of coastal California, the Pacific Northwest, northern Florida, and parts of the Carolinas. So how do you get the best of both worlds? By growing your own, of course! Where are Most Strawberries Grown? Most strawberries in grocery stores are grown on the west coast. They may be large, but they have no remnants of the rich aroma and antioxidant profile of wild strawberries. The result is often bland, watery strawberries harvested unripe and shipped across the country. But industrial strawberry farming has become increasingly reliant on toxic fumigants and transport-friendly cultivars at the detriment of flavor and nutrition. Over the centuries, strawberries have been traditionally bred to produce larger and greater quantities of fruit than their wild counterparts. These tiny wild jewels are highly coveted amongst foraging enthusiasts, but it takes at least 5 or 10 wild strawberries to match the size of a single cultivated one! Yet their flavor is unmatched by any name-brand clamshell in the grocery store. ![]() You can find wild strawberries growing in the meadows of Montana, mountains of Oregon, and lush forests of the northeast. From Wild to Tame Strawberries Wild strawberries are much smaller than ones grown in gardens, but they still have a lovely flavor. virginiana and F. chiloensis lines to create modern strawberry cultivars grown on farms and in gardens, which belong to the species Fragaria × ananassa. Plant breeders went to work hybridizing the F. ![]() Later, another variety of wild strawberries ( Fragaria chiloensis) was discovered in South America and shipped back to Europe as well. The first records of cultivated strawberries date back to the 1600s when colonists shipped larger strawberry plants back to Europe. The wild North American strawberry Fragaria virginiana has been harvested by indigenous people for many centuries. Strawberries are one of the most popular fruits in the world that happen to have originated in the Americas. Where Does the Strawberry Come From? These sweet and delicious berries originated in North America. As long as they have plenty of space and rich slightly acidic soil, strawberries will eagerly fruit for years to come. They also continuously create new baby plants via runners. As perennials, they can be planted once and harvested repeatedly. Strawberry plants’ prolific yields and low-growing habit makes them a very rewarding crop that is easy to tend. The contrast of their bright berries against deep verdant green leaves is a beautiful sight in any garden. They are adapted to a wide range of growing conditions and can be grown in containers, hanging baskets, garden beds, or even as edible landscaping. Strawberries are perfect fruit plants for any beginner gardener.
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