Although it's a sad sight when your strawberry plants are finally done with producing fruit, there's still the matter of cutting them back for next year's growth. A post shared by Simon Akeroyd (@simonakeroydgardenwriter) A photo posted by onAs one of the best edible plants to grow in pots, strawberry plants are a popular choice when it comes to growing your own produce. "It might look harsh, but trimming back excess strawberry foliage at this time of year will improve your crop for next year. "Between now and autumn is when strawberry plants are deciding how many flowers and fruit they will produce next summer. "If strawberry plants are in dense shade now and covered in excess foliage, then they won’t fruit much next year," he continues.