Strawberries: Winton-grown

At Ironstone, we are growing Tioga Strawberries from runners. A strawberry runner is a long, slender stem that grows from the main strawberry plant. These runners spread along the ground and produce new plants, called "daughter plants," at their nodes. These daughter plants root into the soil and become independent, helping the strawberry plant spread and produce more fruit over time. We picked Tioga strawberry runners because they thrive in warm climates and produce lots of tasty, high-quality berries. Here’s how we grow them:

First, we soak the runners in water for an hour. This hydrates them and helps them root faster.

Next, we trim the runners to remove any damaged foliage and roots or overly long stems. This helps the plants focus on growing strong roots.

Then, we plant the trimmed runners on mounds of well-prepared soil, ensuring the nodes where the daughter plants develop are in good contact with the soil.

Potting out in late autumn gives the runners time to establish during cooler months.

It takes about 2 to 4 weeks for the runners to establish strong roots. With consistent watering and mulching, the plants start to grow robustly.

Tioga Strawberries were developed by the University of California in the 1960s. The fruit is large, firm, bright red with a sweet flavour. They're an early-season variety, perfect for our semi-arid climate and short winters! They start fruiting in late winter to early spring. In warm climates, they can continue to produce into early summer.

After 2 to 3 months, the established plants begin to flower. Regular feeding and pest management keep them healthy and ready for fruit production.

We’re thrilled to announce that our Tioga strawberry plants will be available for sale in July, just as they start to flower. This is the perfect time to get these easy-to-grow, early-fruiting plants for your home garden.

By using runners and selecting the best varieties like Tioga, we are helping you build the most productive and rewarding strawberry garden. Happy gardening from us at Ironstone!

When deciding between plants grown from seed or runners, runners are generally better. Here’s why:

1. Head Start: Plants from runners are already partially grown, so they produce fruit sooner.

2. Genetic Consistency: Runners are clones of the parent plant, so you get the same great fruit every time.

3. Time-Saving: Seeds can take months to become mature plants. Runners cut down this time significantly.

4. Robust: Runners bypass the vulnerable seedling stage, meaning robust growth and hardy plants with high yields.