Strawberry Plant Runners

[chokkie]

For the last couple of years, our next door neighbour has been growing strawberries in his raised bed, which is just on the other side of our garden fence. And, of course, all the runners from said plants are finding themselves in our garden and completely overrunning our own small flower bed. We have just had to have a gardener in to sort out the gardens for the autumn/winter and he very kindly got rid of all these flippin' runners. I have no doubt that, unless we do something, we're going to have the same problem next year. I am sure that all the roots are now in the ground and it's going to be a bit of a job keeping them out of our garden. Can anyone suggest any way of keeping these strawberry runners at bay .... thanks. Chox.

[Tilly2]

Don't you like strawberries, Chokkie?

[rsvp]

the runners (babies) come from the mother plant on the other side of the fence - as long as you remove these there will be no problem and if you are (hopefully) on good terms with your neighbour then just ask for any runners going towards your property are removed.

[Tilly2]

I'll swap your strawberries for my passion flower, Chokkie. :-)

[woofgang]

If you don’t want to ask your neighbour to keep the runners under control, get some plant membrane and dig down along the fenceline and install it.

[chokkie]

I love strawberries, but just don't want our garden invaded with next door's plants! We aren't on good terms with our neighbours, and they don't care a jot about what goes on over the fence .... where do I get plant membrane from and how deep do I have to dig it in?

RSVP - do you mean as long as I remove the runners there should be no problem? Thankfully, they aren't growing now, so it should be fine during the winter months.

Many thanks, Chox.

[rsvp]

Yes chokkie - keep an eye out for and runners getting under the fence and remove them - or put something along the bottom of the fence to stop them coming through.

[murraymints]

membrane is available in any garden centre ..put a double layer down where the runners are appearing then a layer of gravel then your top soil etc..will keep the worst at bay...don't put too deep as they will creep in over it..as deep as you have experienced their appearance or slightly higher !!