A lot of home gardeners grow their strawberries in pots and discard them like annuals, but did you know that you can save money and actually grow more and more strawberries every year?!
Avoiding pruning: Many gardeners suggest pruning in the fall or winter. You want as much foliage to protect the crown of the plant from the cold temperatures. If you want to prune back your plants, do so after they are finished fruiting in the summer and avoid any pruning past late summer.
Put the strawberry plantings in the ground: If you grew your strawberries as container plants, plant them in the ground in mid to late fall. If you want to take advantage of their runners to produce more plants, plant them in the ground mid to late summer to allow the runners to grow.
Fertilize: Apply a balanced, slow-release organic fertilizer. The goal is to provide the plants with the nutrients they need for the upcoming growing season that will release as the soil warms up in the spring.
Mulch the Strawberry Patch: Apply a layer of mulch using pine straw, straw, or other types of mulch. Spread a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch over the strawberry plants once the weather starts to cool.