Q&A for How to Prune Strawberries

You are right, you mustn't remove all the flowers. Do not remove flowers on varieties that produce fruits only once a year. Remove flowers only before June. Remove small flower clusters. If you do this way, your strawberry plant will produce more fruit and keep its strength.

Yes, you should keep the plants watered to help them grow the next year.

These are likely weeds. Root them up do they don't sap nutrition from your strawberry plant.

They might be too young, or they might not be getting pollinated. You might be using the wrong fertilizer (nitrogen fertilizer).

Pruning brown leaves can prevent disease and decay from spreading and should not affect new growth.

It's best not to prune the large leaves on your newly propagated strawberry plants in early fall if they are thriving. The leaves are crucial for photosynthesis and help the plant store energy for growth and fruit production. Wait until late winter or early spring to prune, focusing on removing any dead or damaged leaves and shaping the plant.

It’s unlikely to produce strawberries again by August. Most strawberry plants fruit during their specific growing season, typically in spring and early summer. After fruiting, they focus on sending out runners or storing energy for the next season. To encourage future fruiting, continue caring for the plant by watering regularly, removing weeds, and applying a balanced fertilizer. If it’s a day-neutral or everbearing variety, it may produce a smaller crop later, but June-bearing varieties will fruit the following year.

If you didn't mow your strawberries last fall, it's not ideal to mow them now, especially if they've started growing. Mowing late can damage new growth and reduce fruit production. Instead, remove dead leaves and debris by hand, and trim back any old, damaged foliage without cutting into new growth. Ensure the plants are well-watered and fertilized, and after fruiting, you can mow or trim them to encourage better growth next year.