Pruning Strawberry plants

[robin dearde]

When is the best time to do the late winter pruning of summer fruiting Strawberrys? How do you tell when its the right time? Do you cut off ALL the leaves that saw the plant through Autumn and Winter - or do you leave a few on to help perspiration?
After late winter pruning, the new leaves should come through in the spring and next pruning is after fruiting -(unless they are perpetuals) - so its easy to see when the second pruning takes place - but not too sure about the late winter pruning....

[Clanad]

I take it, from your description, that the plants are in an established bed. If they are ever-bearing they are present in a bed of a determined width... say 2 feet wide. No pruning is necessary of any of the leaves, however, when new "runners" are sent out, any that extend beyond the established width of the row should be cut back to their source on the mother plant. If the bed is well established, perhaps three years old or so, the first fruit sets can also be pruned away to help in a heavier final setting of fruit, both in quantity and size of berries.
Having said all that, strawberry plants are disease prone. I find it easier (lazier?) to not prune and simply replace the bed after three years maximum...

[Genuisscuffy]

I agree - I never keep my strawberrys for longer than 3 years - the amount you get goes down - use the runners that have baby strawberry plants to make new ones each year. Then by year 3 you will have enought to replace the year 1 ones!