Strawberries

[Elderflower]

I`m moving my strawberry bed to a new spot on the plot.
I potted the runners which a thriving and burgeoning in pots and the new bed is cleared and ready.
Do I put the new plants in now or keep them in the pots until spring?
If so, they`re growing away really well with big leaves around eight inches high. Do I trim the big leaves before I plant them.
Is there anything else I should do?
I`ll be grateful for advice.

[glallotments]

I always plant the new plants taken from runners in spring.

If any leaves have become reddened and old looking I would cut them out but otherwise I'd leave the leaves on so the plant builds up its reserves. In spring once new leaves start to form I'd cut off the old ones.

[FelixLeiter]

I'd plant them now. In pots, through the winter they're going to suffer with freezing and thawing, wetting and drying. If you plant now, it's into a soil which still has a little warmth in it to encourage some root establishment before winter. Planted into soil, the vicissitudes of the weather are somewhat tempered.

[glallotments]

I should have added I keep mine in a cold greenhouse so don't suffer the conditions described by Felix

[Elle's Garden]

Ah, thank you Gallotments, that was going to be my question - should I now detach my runners in their pots from parent plant and over winter them in my new greenhouse while waiting for the new bed to be ready - so yes is the answer! I will find 5 minutes to do that tomorrow...

[Elderflower]

Thanks for this! I`ll get them up the allotment before it gets colder!

[Primrose]

I've planted out my strawberry runners which were in pots into the ground as I don't have a greenhouse to protect them. As has been said, roots below ground have a better chance of protection from frost and establishing themselves than those in pots which are left out in the open. Having said that I find that strawberry plants do seem to be pretty hardy and a few runners that I forgot about in pots and left outdoors in a sheltered corner to overwinter last year all survived despite the frost and snow we had.