Pruning Strawberries by Mowing - Renovating our Strawberry Patch

When it came time to prune our strawberry patch, we decided on a quick, easy, and effective way to rejuvenate our patch in under 30 minutes.

Why do you need to prune and renovate your strawberry plants?
* Regenerate new growth
*Removes dead and diseased leaves
*Opens up airflow for next year's plants
*Takes the energy from this year's plants and puts it towards the development of next year's plant (and fruit!) growth.

When NOT to mow strawberries:
*If your strawberries are ever-bearing or day-neutral - these are not typically mowed
*If it's several weeks past your june-bearers last harvest. You may run the risk of damaging next year's plants. For most places, it's suggested you don't mow past August 1st.
*If your plants are thinly spaced. You can still mow, but be careful to raise the deck of your mower so you don't damage the runners, and they will be able to take root.

Important Notes:
*Set your mower to cut at least an inch above the crown of the strawberry plants.
*If you're experiencing a hot dry summer, it's a good idea to water your plants a few days before mowing to reduce stress.
*After mowing, rake up the debris. This helps air circulate and removes a hospitable environment for fungi and other strawberry plant pathogens. In our case, we used a bag on the mower to collect the debris while mowing.

Happy growing!

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