Did your berries die off due to neglect, or did the pests kill them completely?

I might recall you've told me you have deer that eat everything, and I know that can quickly kill of a patch of unprotected plants. I've seen the strawberry cages some people build, and those things are a hassle to build, work with, and they are ugly as hell. But it's really the only way people who live near deer and rodents to enjoy garden grown strawberries.

Mine are maintenance free, other than watering, and seem to be multiplying. I get to eat less than half of the berries that grow. The more plants that grow, the less of a problem I think that will be. I kind of like the idea of having a strawberry patch as a living mulch replacement for where our front lawn used to be.