Dividing Strawberries ?

Hey all, I'm just wondering what's the best way to divide and transplant congested, low producing, strawberries. Do you keep the mother plants only, or do you just keep the biggest of the babies? Or a bit of both?
Thanks in advance.

 

I transplant only strongest rooted plantlets. I usually plant in springs, and transplants should have strong flower bud. I dispose young plants that have no flower bud already.

 

Thanks, And do you get a good yeild of berries in that same year?

 

Since strawberry plants don't have a long lifespan anyhow (2 -3 years), I always transplanted as many as I could, or had room for. Some transplants won't be successful anyhow. That way, you're always getting a new generation of plants regularly.

In the Autumn, when the mother plant has sent out several runners, or stolons, I used to put a rock at the end of the runner near the baby. The rock had to be just big enough to hold the new plant in place, maybe half the size of my fist. That would prevent the runner from blowing around in the wind, and it would encourage the baby to put down roots where I wanted it to. I even put a few of the baby plants in small pots with soil in them and put rocks on those too. In the Spring, I would cut the runners and the baby plants would become completely independent. And the new plants that put down roots in the pots with soil in them could be moved to a completely new location.

 

Thanks so much. Have you ever divided the mother plant? and if not, why not?

 

Of course, the yield is smaller on the first year. I usually get ca 5...6 large berries per plant on the year of planting. And because of plants are significantly thinner than later, these berries attract birds somewhat more than in later years, when leaves hide berries better from birds eyes.
I prefer propagating with runners because of these plants are productive longer than divided older plants. I keep my strawberry beds for ca 5 years, before replacing the spot. The productivity would drop significantly after 6...7 years.
I've tried propagating in late summer, then, if winter is favourable, the productivity is slightly better next year. But young plants are more sensitive to winter damage. Warm winters with frequent switching between thaws and frosts or very cold winters with thin snow cover may kill up to 25% of young plants here.

 

Thank you! That was really helpful :)