Day neutral strawberries do have runners, although their runner production tends to be more sparse compared to other types of strawberries. Runners are long, thin stems that grow out from the base of the strawberry plant and produce new plants at the end. They are an important way for strawberries to propagate and spread, allowing them to reproduce and form new strawberry plants.
In the case of day neutral strawberries, their runner production is not as abundant as that of other types of strawberries, such as June-bearing varieties. Day neutrals are known for their ability to produce flowers and fruit continuously throughout the growing season, regardless of day length. This continuous flowering and fruiting behavior means that day neutral strawberries put more energy into producing flowers and fruit rather than runners.
The flowers of day neutral strawberries actually form on the runners themselves. This is different from other types of strawberries where flowers form on the crown of the plant. When a runner is produced by a day neutral strawberry plant, it will eventually develop small flower buds along its length. These buds will then open up into flowers, which can eventually turn into fruit if pollination occurs.
It’s worth noting that day neutral strawberries tend to have smaller plants with a moderate number of crowns. Crowns are the central part of the plant where the leaves emerge from. This smaller plant size is again related to the focus on flower and fruit production rather than runner production. The smaller size can also make day neutral strawberries more suitable for container gardening or smaller garden spaces.
In my own experience with day neutral strawberries, I have found that their runner production is indeed more limited compared to other types of strawberries. However, even with fewer runners, I have still been able to propagate new plants by allowing the runners that are produced to root and form new plants. It just requires a bit more patience and attention to ensure the runners successfully establish themselves.
Day neutral strawberries do have runners, but their production tends to be more sparse compared to other types of strawberries. This is because day neutrals prioritize continuous flower and fruit production throughout the growing season.
