Am I Supposed to Trim Strawberries?

Season

• Plant all strawberries in late winter to early spring when the ground dries. The plants thrive with warm, sunny starts for establishment, and use the summer to grow and set buds for future harvests.

Planting and Maintenance

• Put strawberries in bright, sunny locations with quick year-round drainage and good air circulation. The plants fail in muddy soil or standing water and grow leggy and sparse in shade. Sparse growth in shade indicates a need for sun rather than a need for pruning; move the plants to sunnier locations for better growth. Water strawberries with 2 inches of water every week and use 2 inches of mulch to keep soil moist and warm. Trim all flowers off the plants in the first year to promote better foliage growth.

Renovation Cultivars

• Some strawberry cultivars produce long runners and require yearly pruning and renovation sessions. Everbearing and day-neutral strawberries maintain compact growth and don't require any pruning. June bearing cultivars produce long, numerous runners and do require end-of-season maintenance. Conduct this renovation at the end of the season, after last harvest and before winter dormancy.

Renovation Process

• Give June bearing strawberries 12-12-12 fertilizer at a rate of 4 to 6 lbs. per 100 feet of row in July, after their first growth stops. Trim the strawberries to just above their crowns to eliminate old foliage, and thin the plants to narrow the beds to a width of six to eight inches. Thin the plants further to leave five to six plants per square foot. Lay 1/2 inch of compost or topsoil over the site and water normally to encourage new runner growth. Runners will grow up through the soil to establish new beds. Feed the plants with 12-12-12 fertilizer again in August, then mulch for winter before the first frost.