What size holes would you suggest? Thanks

I made a similar contraption to grow strawberries hydroponically using the "static" method and perlite as the growing medium.

I put a link to my Web-page presentation below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hydroponic Strawberry Tree

freeman, your stacked buckets (along with someone else using 8 inch PVC) is what inspired me to do this. I used 1 1/2 holes, but I'd probably use 1 inch holes next time.

rjinga that is a great idea! I ordered Sea Scape from Johnny's and they will ship next week. I was like.. now what am I going to do. :)

Now I know what I'm going to do!

Thanks for the post! ~Erin

Did you use landscape fabric to keep the soil contained? What type of Medium did you use? This looks really cool and I would like to put a few of these on the railing of my deck.

The mix was peat moss, soil conditioner (90% pine fines with other composted material) perlite, some miracle grow potting mix, I did not use landscape material for the holes, I would say that 3/4 or one inch holes would work better. As I plante each plant, I tampped the soil in around it...initially soil come out but now when I water it doesn't.

Thanks for sharing.
You've totally got me excited about planting strawberries.

Question: did you drill holes in the bottom of the bucket for drainage?

thanks,
Amanda

Yes! holes in bottom...and as an update to this post, the cute little white container (which came that way, I did not drill the holes) I just took all those plants out and planted them in my garden. I dont really understand it, but the soil just NEVER stayed moist. I could water it and the water would just run off. It was completely dried out.

With the buckets, they are doing much better. But I would STRONGLY suggest one thing that I did not do. I'd definitely put in a pvc tube down the middle. 1 inch maybe 2 inch PVC and drill holes all over it. I saw somewhere where they used some kind of mesh over the bottom of the tube, then filled it with pea gravel and it would stick up above the top of the soil at the top of the bucket a few inches.

Then water into this tube. The water also seems to run out quickly on the buckets, fortunately you can put a lot more water in, so everything gets watered. But water very slowly and let it seep in good. The PVC tube I think will make all the difference.

Do the strawberry plants come back every year when you plant in buckets. I live in Iowa, would I need to bring inside?

Bucket update...If given the chance to do it again, I would say not to plant them this way. At first they seemed to grow well and flowered and even fruited (very few), but they quickly declined (when all my in ground plants are thriving).

I will most likely take them out of the buckets and plant them in the ground soon.

Thats funny I'm having no problems at all and these have been planted and fruiting for two months.

Damon
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rjinga,
Do you have any guess about why the berries in the bucket did poorer than the berries in the ground? heat? water? nutrition? other?
Thanks

sprtsguy-

If i was near that bucket, i would eat all those red berries like Pac-Man...

Wow...lookin' nice! =) Mine are way behind...lol...

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rjinga- I would suggest trying A1's 5;1;1 mix in your bucket, thats what I'm using with great results. Using Foilage Pro + Pro TeKt for ferts.

Damon

I just started one of these. (Yeah, I know, coming late to the game.) How far apart should one drill the holes? I used one inch holes.

Also, any good sources for inexpensive strawberry plants? and how long should something like this last? Will they come back next year?

My plants also were at their peak at around 2 months (March 10th) and then when I posted the update that there were declining that was about May 29.

I am going to have to take pics of my in ground plants so that you can see the difference.

Sportsguy: My mix was pretty close to Mel's mix the only difference is that I used SOME potting mix and some composted material instead of JUST the composted material. I used perlite and peat moss, just as Mel's mix indicates.

Lsoh: I guess I'd say mainly it was watering, (like I mentioned earlier) was an issue, seemed the water just ran through, which was nearly impossible to prevent. I tried numerous approaches. But nutrition may have been a concern too. I did not do regular fertilizing. But for that matter, I did not fertilize my raised bed plants either!!! HMMMM and they are planted in Mel's mix material too.

Mousekabob: (cute name) I know that Lowes had strawberries, but they were FAR from inexpensive. Most of the online places will likely be sold out (and have been for some time now). I guess I'd try to find someone locally who might sell you some of their runner plants? Craigslist is a great place for that? Maybe even post an ad there under farm/garden. Or go to your states forum here and ask someone. Where are you located? I could probably sell you some of mine!!! I've got runners EVERYWHERE. or we could do a trade? let me know.

rjinga,
Thanks. I am hoping to learn from the experience of others.

Mousekabob,
I ordered several varieties of bare root strawberries from two different mail order places. I am not much of a gardener, yet almost all of those plants are thriving. Having a small space left, I picked up 20 plants at Lowes. 19 died. The remaining one is barely alive. Same conditions. You might have better luck. But I don't intend to buy from lowes again.

Hi everyone, thanks for the response. I'm having to use a borrowed computer right now because the power source on my ancient lap top died last night. If it's not one thing, it's another.

I picked up several strawberry plants at Home Depot yesterday. Want to add many more to the bucket, plus plant them in the top. Put the bucket up on an old pot so it's up off the ground too.

Rjinga, I'm located just north of Atlanta.

Going to check out some of my favorite gardening suppliers to see if they have any strawberries left.

Husband is convinced we'll never get enough strawberries to amount to anything, but he misses the point. Shoot, I've been known to stand in the garden and eat things right off the plants. I miss having a garden. Got started late this year. Wasn't going to do a garden at all but just can't not do one, so containers it is.

What a great idea. I already have buckets, tubs, and planter boxes on the patio, but I never thought of making my own hanging buckets for strawberries etc... !

Your idea has created a monster that will consume the patio next year!

I have had great success so far with a similar method:

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Beautiful y'all. I think mine are gonna go in a hanging basket.

It just saves so much space it's totally worth it.

By the way.. Whats the best tasting variety you've had? Mine grow big, but not a ton of flavor. sort of watery? my fault?