Over run with strawberry plants.

[MI Brandon]

In the spring, my wife and I purchased 6 small strawberry plants for our garden. Within the first week the critters completely dug up 2 of them, leaving us 4.
Those 4 plants have been growing quite well, flowering and producing plenty of small berries (everbearing variety), unfortunately the ants and other critters have gotten to the berries before we can, no matter what we try. Next year we are going to move the plants to a hanging location and see how things go from there... and here is where my dilemma begins.

We "had" 4 beautiful plants, and thanks to the ants, rabbits, etc spreading the seeds of the berries they are stealing from me, we now have over 20 healthy strawberry plants scattered everywhere! In the broccoli, between the blueberry bushes, in the old spinach bed, the garden walk ways, in the carrots, and a few popping up in the yard! I counted 20 and know there are more, and some of them are quite large now, one is even flowering. What do I do? I'd like to keep all of them, but don't know what to do with them or how to winter them. I can't just leave them scattered about, especially with my fall crop going into the ground soon. Can I just transplant them all to one place now and wait for them to go into hibernation and then move them indoors for the winter? If so, how do I keep them over winter?

I'm at a loss here. With our half-dozen plants (that we planned) we were just going to leave them in the ground and cover them with leaves over the winter, but obviously those plans have changed.

[microcollie]

Since strawberries are perennial, they'll be happier left in one place. And I doubt that they would like to come indoors for the winter. If you can't make a permanent home this year, you might be able to pot them for now and then heel them in somewhere in the fall. Then you can move them to a permanent place next spring. Or, share with friends!

[soil]

if you don't mind where they are popping up. leave them. if not simply dig them up and transplant where you want, or pot them up until you have a space ready. have your new bed ready for the plants when you dig them up to make less stress in the transplant. if you don't mind a wait, winter time when they are dormant is best. but you can do it whenever as long as you baby them a little until established.

[garden5]

What you could do is mark their locations with a stick and just wait until early spring to transplant them to their permanent home. I think it would be better to let them overwinter in the ground and then transplant them when they are coming out of dormancy.

[Ozark Lady]

I am amazed that the strawberry plants grew from seeds and are scattered. Mine only spread by runners.
I remember ordered Strawberry seeds and I couldn't get them to germinate.
Hey, save seeds of those guys... not the usual way to get strawberries.

[LindsayArthurRTR]

I just saw seeds in one othe the catalogs that was suggested to me from this site. I was gonna get some, but I too have only seen them spread by runners.

What a great predicament to be in! I would just dig them up and plant them in with their like.

[rkunsaw]

Build a bigger bed if you need to.You just can't have too many strawberries.I too have only seen strawberries spread by runners.

[garden5]

I, too, have only seen strawberries spread by runners. This makes me think, are you sure the plants that are popping up all over are of the variety of the original plants? They could be wild strawberries.

You can tell by the fruit. Wild strawberries have very small fruits.

[url=https://www.gardenguides.com/77356-stages-strawberry-seed-germination.html]This article[/url] makes me think that you don't have plants that spread by seed. It says the seeds need a period of freezing temperatures followed by a cold period in order to germinate.

[MI Brandon]

The area they are growing has been a covered in grass for at least the past decade. And there are no other strawberry plants growing anywhere else, not even in my second gardening bed. And none of my neighbors have any type of strawberries, or gardens for that matter.

I am almost positive that these plants are coming from seeds spread by critters stealing my berries.

[jal_ut]

I would prepare a bed for them, then transplant them now. I moved about 35 plants a year ago into a new bed. They sent out runners and multiplied. This year they have been producing like crazy. Even the new plants from runners produced berries.

When you move them, dig a hole to put the plant in first, then go dig it up and keep as much of a root ball as you can intact so the roots don't go bare. Take it over and put it in the hole and firm the soil around it. Keep the plant at the same depth as it is growing. Strawberries don't like the crown buried. Water. Evening is the best time to transplant them.
Strawberries are perennial. Mulch them in the fall. Good luck!

[garden5]

The area they are growing has been a covered in grass for at least the past decade. And there are no other strawberry plants growing anywhere else, not even in my second gardening bed. And none of my neighbors have any type of strawberries, or gardens for that matter.

I am almost positive that these plants are coming from seeds spread by critters stealing my berries.

Well, stranger things in the garden have happened, so you may be right. I do like Jal's suggestion, move 'em now, pot in spring.

Hope you enjoy the berries .

[Beaty]

Hi, I'm a new member and just wanted to offer my suggestion. Plant your shoots into hanging baskets and cover for winter with plastic or terracotta pots for protection. Feed up next Spring to encourage growth. You can keep them in check this way. Mine were eaten by pests earlier on this year and I moved them to hanging baskets. They are blooming and cant wait to see what kind of a crop I get.
Good luck.
Beaty