What to Do With Strawberry Plants Once They Finish Fruiting – 3 Simple Steps for a Bigger Yield Next Year
Don't neglect your strawberries once they're done for summer – it could sabotage next year's harvest
I've grown strawberries for the first time this year and it's now one of the most rewarding plants in my garden. Sweet homegrown harvests have been a joy through summer, but my plant is now starting to slow down and it's left me wondering to do with strawberry plants after fruiting.
If you're also new to growing strawberries, it's important to give your plant a bit of TLC after it's finished producing its red juicy berries. Some light pruning tidies it up, while potting up runners will give you brand new plants and guarantee great harvests for years to come.
Essentially, after fruiting, late-summer strawberry care is all about rejuvenating your plant and getting it ready for fall. Here's exactly what to do – you'll want some sharp gardening snips to hand (I like these Fiskars ones from Amazon).
1. Identify It's Finished Fruiting
Strawberries typically product fruit through summer, stopping in fall. There are a few signs you can look for to identify it's time to give them post-fruiting care.
It will be quite obvious as the plant won't put out anymore of its white or pink flowers that turn into berries once pollinated. But, this isn't the only sign.
New growth will predominantly go to runners (i.e. the long stems coming off the plant, which eventually produce new plants). Plus, older foliage will be looking tired, yellow and brown.
If your strawberries have experienced disease, excessive pest damage, or look worse for wear, it might be time to pick up some new plants. You can find strawberry starter plants at Walmart.
2. Tidy Up the Plant
After fruiting, the first thing you should do is prune your strawberry plant to tidy it up and rejuvenate it after a tiring, productive summer. Though, you should be wary not to fully cut your strawberry plants back.
'After the plants have finished fruiting, they benefit from a tidy. Work through the plants and remove any dead, diseased, or dying foliage with sharp pruning snips,' advises Drew Swainston, Gardens Content Editor at Homes & Gardens.
'Removing old, yellow or brown growth not only tidies up the patch but it gives new leaves the chance to come through impeded and keeps the strawberry plant healthy over winter,' he explains.
As Drew notes, it's important to use sharp pruning tools for this. This hori hori knife from Amazon is a good choice, offering multipurpose use around the yard.
When removing foliage, cut two inches above the plant's crown, as this is where new growth will emerge.
Drew has worked as a writer since 2008 and was also a professional gardener for many years. As a trained horticulturist, he worked in prestigious historic gardens, including Hanbury Hall and the world-famous Hidcote Manor Garden. He also spent time as a specialist kitchen gardener at Soho Farmhouse and Netherby Hall, where he grew vegetables, fruit, herbs, and cut flowers for restaurants. Drew has written for numerous print and online publications and is an allotment holder and garden blogger. He was shortlisted for the Digital Gardening Writer of the Year at the 2025 Garden Media Guild Awards.
3. Pot Up Runners
Although strawberry plants are perennial, Drew notes, 'Strawberry plants peak in years two and three, then the yield drops.' For this reason, you should use this year's runners to propagate your strawberry plant.
'During summer, the plants create lots of new runners. After fruiting, you should pot up some of these runners to create a new generation of plants,' Drew says.
The runners are the long, horizontal stems that grow out of the main plant. They produce plantlets that root into soil.
'Potting up runners each year helps you have a succession of plants at their peak productivity each season. You can either cut free runners and pot them up, or keep the runner connected to the mother plant and pin it into a pot of soil. Once the runner roots, then cut it from the plant,' Drew advises.
You'll want to use a pot of nutrient-rich, well-draining compost and pin the plantlet in place with a U-shaped garden staple (like these from Walmart). Keep the compost consistently watered and in a bright spot to encourage rooting, before using garden snips to cut off the stem once rooted.
If your strawberry plant has produced excess runners you don't want, you can also remove them now to redirect energy to the parent plant and encourage a greater yield next year.
What to Shop
FAQs
Do Strawberries Need Winter Protection?
Yes, strawberry plants benefit from winter protection in the coldest climes (USDA zone 7 and below). You can winterize strawberry plants before frost by mulching and bringing potted plants indoors to overwinter.
If you want to grow bigger strawberries next year, don't forget to fertilize your strawberry plants. You can use a high-potash feed like a tomato fertilizer, or use a specific strawberry plant fertilizer (which you can find on Amazon).
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