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hobbes_in_dobbs

Strawberries in containers-- advise this novice!

Hobbes_in_Dobbs
18 years ago

Hi there,

I am an avid gardener but never grew strawberries as I have limited sun. Then voila! I realized our deck gets at least 8 hours of sun. So I'd like to know how people recommend growing strawberries in containers. What kind of containers do people use? I always wondered whether those "strawberry pots" are really ideal or if they just look cute? Any particular soil mix? My daughter is crazy for strawberries and I thought this would be a great 5th birthday gift for her!

-- Hobbes

Comments (37)

  • kayjones
    18 years ago

    IMHO, the strawberry jars are just 'cute' as far as growing anything requiring regular water is concerned. The hens-and-chicks succulents do very well in them, however.

    I grow my strawberries in raised beds and regular clay pots. They do just fine and are kept clean. My potting mix for nearly everything is: one part peat moss, one part sand, one part chicken grit and an eighth teaspoon of moisture crystals (measure before hydrating), mixed well and moistened before and after planting.

  • alcina
    18 years ago

    They are pretty though! :) I put 11 in a blue glazed strawberry pot last year and they grew and fruited, but getting an even watering is difficult - one plant died. This year I also have 13 plantlets grown from runners from the original 11. These I'm growing in 4" teracotta pots. Admittedly the strawberry pot ones will be in thier 2nd year so it's not a fair comparison, but it's an interesting experiment. :)

    I used ordinary multi-purpose compost and fed them with MG eracacious food last year. This year I'm trying to be more organic so I'm providing diluted cider vinegar acid baths and potash and bone meal. The moisture crystals are probably a good idea, I'm wishing I'd put them in the 4" pots now :(

    Alcina

  • nuthatch_mo
    18 years ago

    I saw in a book on container gardening how to fill a strawberry pot so it gets water. They took a bottle of water and froze it, then poked it full of holes. let it unfreeze poured the water out and planted it into the middle of the strawberry jar. I think the trick is getting it to stay upright until you get the pot planted. They filled it with soil just up to each set of holes at at time and wrapped the strawberry plant roots with newspaper to get them in the holes without all the mess. So when it needs water just fill up the bottle. Hope I explained this so you can understand its a little long winded.

  • Amino_X
    18 years ago

    For pure ease of planting and maintaining I like the Stack-A-Pots. I've had problems getting old fashioned Strawberry Pots planted up because I tend to bury the crown, but the Stack-A-Pots are planted one layer at a time (nothing to push through a hole) so it's easier to control.

    Best Wishes
    Amino-X

  • leighmac
    18 years ago

    Are these stack-a-pots only available through mail order? I would love to get some for my herbs, which spread and take up space in the flower beds. I couldn't find a price, which is scary(grin). I live in the Memphis area. Thanks.

  • drasaid
    18 years ago

    My best looking arrangement is in an old colonder. The roots fill the entire space of the basket (I took one apart this morning.)
    I begin to think baskets are the way to go especially for shallow rooted plants; it seems the shallow roots are so the plant can get oxygen (the basket allows air to get in.)
    I do water a lot.

  • Amino_X
    18 years ago

    Leighmac >> Yes, I got mine from QVC.com

    Best Wishes
    Amino-X

  • allrawpaul
    18 years ago

    The larger the pots, the better. White is best, cause strawberries dont like hot roots. Mulch liberally, maybe with straw, or woodchips, or dried grass and leaves shredded and mixed, keep the leaves clean. Promix is excellent and add some extra perlite and sand to encourage drainage. Dont overdo the nitrogen, or berries can be soft. I added aged composted horse manure and compost from the pile also. Plant enough so the squirrels and birds and sneaky neighbors can pig out without making a noticable dent in the harvest. Surround each plant with human hair or diatomatious earth to discourage slugs. This is my first year of seriously growing strawberries, so that was mostly hearsay, but it makes sence to me and its how I'm doing it. Paul.

  • tinarb
    18 years ago

    I either read this in a book or on this forum that to effectively water a strawberry jar, take a length of PVC pipe, drill several holes along the entire length, stop up the bottom of it, and insert into the jar. FIll with soil around the pipe and plant your desired transplants. When you water, you fill up the pipe and it'll seep out into the entire pot. I have never done this but it seems like one of those ingenious ideas I wish I had thought of but never would have!

  • leighmac
    18 years ago

    Thank you for the link Amino-X!

  • redblossom40
    18 years ago

    Here's what my DH did to this old wood stove. It's great because it's a good height for kids and It's different
    {{gwi:20177}}
    We also did one for my sister with a whole wine barrel. We cut holes in the sides all the way around at different levels and placed strawberries in the holes and on top. Now her four year old loves it, easy to reach and easy to see the bright red strawberries.
    Good luck Tamara

  • watergal
    18 years ago

    I tried the Stack-a-pots last year for strawberries. They were lots easier to plant than a strawberry jar, but they were hard to keep watered on my sunny deck. The top layer especially dried out very fast. We went on vacation for a week in June and I had no one to water them, so they died. :(

    I'm going to try again this spring - I have a new job and no vacation time, so I'll be able to water every day!

  • karen_in_memphis
    18 years ago

    Alcina, when you said you had Strawberries in 4" pots, were you using the pots temporarily or is that what you will grow them in. I have a set of three blue pots in which I would like to plant the same and am considering planting Strawberries. My pots are 7", 9" and 11". I was concerned that the pots would be too small.
    Allrawpaul, you mentioned the bigger the better as far as the container.
    Can anyone give me an opinion about growing Strawberries in pots the size of mine.

    Thanks So Much,
    Karen

  • pkock
    18 years ago

    Park Seeds is selling a kit with 2 "growin' bags" and 25 bare root Ozark Beauty plants - fill the bags and hang them. I bought a kit and have them hanging from hooks on my gazebo. That seems like an excellent, easy way to grow them - time will tell!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Grow Bags @ Park's

  • alcina
    18 years ago

    Weell...truth time...I intended to buy 5" pots...but the store only had 6" or 4". Mutter...mumble. I was feeling a little overcome by my debt at the time of purchase and I decided that 13 6" pots would be too expensive, so I bought the 4" pots. I'm not sure that they *are* big enough to grow all season in..but time will tell. They look fine so far :) If they start to look ailing as it warms up, I'll pot them up. Your 7" pots will be ok I'd have thought. Remember though that I'm in England and you're in Memphis..the temperature of our strawberry roots may be rather different!

    Alcina

  • rosesforme
    18 years ago

    I grew some very nice strawberries last season . I used the standard roses I had in containers and placed the strawberries on top of the pot.
    They were very successful.They provided groundcover for the rose and they grew over the side of the container which was very pretty.
    I wish I could post a pic but I cant ATM
    I will be doing the same next spring. Endless supply!!
    Good Luck.

  • Camelotshadow
    18 years ago

    Anyone know how deep of a container
    Been reading they have a shallow root system and
    I suppose too deep might not be good

    I have a 11" pot round bell shaped 10 inches deep
    Should I put 1, 2 or 3 plants in each?

    Thanks

  • jenny_in_se_pa
    18 years ago

    Hey Shadow! How's things going? :-D

    I have mine in a trough that is 9" deep, although the soil doesn't go all the way to the top so I'd say it's probably about 6" of soil. Basically they can grow in a windowbox if you want.

    For the container you have, if the strawberry doesn't produce runners, you could probably put 3 in that size. If it produces runners, then you may need to consider cutting those off as they grow and perhaps potting them separately.

  • Camelotshadow
    18 years ago

    wow,

    Hi Jenny
    Isn't that wonderful
    I have Eversweet and it says it sets in 100 degrees hoping its a everbearing
    looks a bit smaller
    I also have sequioa and think that one is big

    Wow I may just do 2 in a pot as it gets so hot and they need moisture

    I have Pretty in Pink Strwaverry everbearing
    pretty pink flowers and 1 in berries
    I ate one the other day
    my first
    mmmmm
    and I have 2 in a 24 inch window box so its about 7 inches deep and 8 wide

    {{gwi:20178}}

    Thanks Jenny
    I'm loving herbs now
    and trying the toamtoes again
    this time I got to use some land and they are going well
    Got the herald Marriannas Peace and shes about 4 foot tall in a 15 gal

    LOL

  • jenny_in_se_pa
    18 years ago

    Wow!! I like those pink flowering strawberries!!!!!!!!!! And lol about the Sequoia. Goin' for the gusto, eh? :-P

    Good luck on the Marianna's Peace. Hopefully you got the good ones 'cause what I grew last year were.... ehh... Not bad but not stellar. They think it's not yet stable and the ridged ones (which mine apparently were) seem to be blah. I like my Cherokee Purples.

  • Camelotshadow
    18 years ago

    I have 4 Mariannas (eace from Goto Nursery
    Not sure where he got his seeds from

    I posted a pic on the tomato forum
    my baby tomato has ridges
    but I have 2 in 15 gal containers and 2 in ground

    Well, I hope it tastes great and at least like a tomato
    Maybe soem of the others will be the round shoulder

    Ate 2 strawberries today from the pink
    they are only 1 in but tasty fir a ornemental

    Still haven't potted up the strawberries yet
    But did do most of the herbs today

    Only thing is I had to pair french tarragon with rosemary
    It was a loner and didn't want to pot it seperate
    I know rosemay likes alot of sun and to dry out
    Tarragon likes to dry out too but lets see how it takes the sun

    The guy at HDtold me I could put 3 strawberries in a 11 inch pot
    I know they would probably be good for a season but not sure if I want to do 2 per
    Still debating. I read strawberry roots will reach down a foot..maybe not on all plants but main root system is near the surface so I think I will be ok with a 10 inch deep pot
    and it will really be like 8 or 9" as it won;t be filled to the top

    I grew Cherokee Purple one year
    It was very good but want to try these.
    If I had oodles of room CP wpuld have a spot

    Yeah I have a strawberry farm here...
    8 EverSweet and 8 Sequoia as its suppose to be the closest to tating like a heirloom so I had to try it and Armstrong
    had a sale 4 pack for $1.50
    so I took 2.....LOL

  • jenny_in_se_pa
    18 years ago

    You're going to be busy this year! I'm going to have to mailorder some of those strawberries next year I think. All of those sound good! One of my sisters has one of those plastic pyramid planters with 25 plants in it on her deck. That should be interesting. LOL She's afraid to plant them out as all the critters like bunnies, chipmunks, racoons, groundhogs, etc., would have a field day. As it is, she's starting to fence all sorts of things because of the deer. Oh well.

    Funny you mention the rosemary and tarragon as my BIL recently bought and planted some rosemary outside next to the house in a protected spot (some lavender stayed evergreen there) and my sister told me yesterday that she bought some tarragon. She already has her tricolor sage, basil, oregano, and lemon thyme. They really use it for cooking. Pretty decent!

    Well... we'll see what this season will bring!

  • Camelotshadow
    18 years ago

    tarragon i more sensitive to cold or so I think
    but it looks nice with the rosemary and they took today and yestredays 100

    OOo I anm busy
    ooooh

    I planted the 8 sequioa strawberries in the ground
    only spce I could get
    had to dog out mass of weeds and crabgrass but got all 8 nicely planted and they look fine which is amazing since they were just transplanted and it was very hot
    so maybe they will like it there
    Sequioa is a June bearer
    didn't know that when I bought them but it was only $3 for 8 olants so what the heck
    they look better than weeds

    I potted 2 pots of Eversweet straw today
    3 in each as I'm just runnuing out of room and it is a deep container well another 4 in deeper than currently so figure the 3 could strtch down
    they would have to as there is only an inch to the edge of the pot in some areas with a bit more around the edges
    They should be fine for a while
    I don't know if Eversweet gets runners but it did say to space 18 inches
    No room for an extra pot as I already have more that I should so 3 will have to be happy...

    I got a Cherokee purple plant today
    wasn't sure of its health thats why I didn;t get it last time but all this talk of the Cherokee and I wanted to give it a try

    woooo I'm tir4ed just from watering
    may have bit off too much but heck the strawberries weren't that expensive and its fun
    Actually that pink flowered one tastes lovely and its getting loaded with berries
    I saw oine today over 1 inch so its not only ornamental

    It's called Pretty In Pink and only saw it offered on one site and said its a trial amount

    Here is a link that might be useful: Peoria Gardens strawberry Pretty in pink

  • jenny_in_se_pa
    18 years ago

    Thanks for the link! Hope they can get more of those Pretty in Pink out next year to regular retailers. Scanning around, there's another pink-flowering strawberry called "Pink Panda" that looks interesting too... Hmmm.... :-D

  • Camelotshadow
    18 years ago

    Yea but PP has fruit that really from what I've heard is not much
    this one is good med size fruit and tastes wonderful...
    even better than ones I've pulled off the big everbearing in the nursery...yuck they weren't worth growing

    {{gwi:20179}}

  • jenny_in_se_pa
    18 years ago

    Thanks for the recommendation. Hopefully they will get on with releasing them at more spots (eg., Edible Landscaping, etc).

    Also I like that container! Very stylish. :-D Looks like a good harvest coming too!

  • redblossom40
    18 years ago

    Here's another container we used
    {{gwi:20180}}
    as the vines grow down the side, I stuff them into the holes and they sprout and start going vines down the sides. This barrel is great if you have small kids, because they love just reaching up and grabing them.

    Tamara

  • jenny_in_se_pa
    18 years ago

    Tamara - That is interesting. Is that whole barrel filled with soil? Are you using that dried sphagnum moss in the holes along with soil to hold the plants in? I can imagine other things planted in there!

  • Camelotshadow
    18 years ago

    Thanks I'm glad I got them
    pretty pink blossoms caught my eye as well as the glossy leaves
    and the berries
    and I got the last 2 plants
    LOL
    look what it did
    then I was on a strawberry hunt
    tasty edibles that are manaeable siz
    LOL

    Thise are good
    I have the Eversweet everbearer and Sequioqa (jumebearer) too

    potted the eversweet
    3 in a 11 inch by 10 deep round (got 10 of those for my herbs as they were on sale for $1...lol) and the last 2 in a window box like the ones you saw

    {{gwi:20182}}

    Does it look like the 3 4 inch berries will do Ok in the pot?

    That box is from Armstrong
    $10 but it was the size I needed
    its big enough to frow things
    24 by 8 high by 7 wide any smaller and they bake in the hot sun...

    dries berries...LOL

  • jenny_in_se_pa
    18 years ago

    Wow. Those are nice urn containers! And for $1? I can never find stuff like that here - even at the $1 stores. :-p

    Do those berries form runners? I know alot of them don't and you should be okay with the number of plants in there. And even if they did, you could cut the babies off and plant them somewhere else to expand your orchard! :-D

    LOL about the dried berries. We need to send some of our chilly air over there and I'll take some of the heat. My tomatoes and peppers and squash are shivering :-p

  • franktank232
    18 years ago

    Seems i've done a similiar setup to others here...

    {{gwi:20184}}I planted these in this container about 2 weeks ago. Seem to be going well, even though the container is pretty small for 4 plants. These will come back again next year, right? There everbearing type.

  • Camelotshadow
    18 years ago

    they were nice
    I got 10 thought that was enough
    now I wish I got more
    Well they are reg $1.50 so I may see if they have more
    great size for herbs
    prob 2 gallon

    Don't know if they form runners
    I thin its a relatively new variety that does well in the heat ans is supposed to taste good

    mmmm got a small berry here n there
    hope to taste one soon
    and if they get too big guess I could pot up

    Wow nice sb plants in the planter...look very healhty
    berries look great
    4 is a bit much but they don't needs loads of room most inportant is to keep them moist and if its not too hot by you its ok but when its 100 a small window box can bake in a short time

  • franktank232
    18 years ago

    That whiskey barrel is awesome. I would really be interested in trying a setup such as that.

    Fertilizer...do strawberries need a lot?

  • sephira
    18 years ago

    I put mine in gallon milk jugs with the bottom cut out. I loosened the caps and cut a few other drain holes along the tapered part near the caps. Filled them with dirt, planted the strawberries. Then used plastic twine from the hay bales to tie the upside-down jugs in rows on the slats of a couple of pallets that I braced up so they not quite verticle.

    I wanted to put them where the cats could guard them from the birds, and I didn't want the cats digging around in them. I wasn't concerned about how it looked, and I didn't want to spend much $$$$ on doing it. That was the best idea I could come up with in the amount of time I had. Would not recommend it for anybody who expects their strawberry patch to serve a decorative function!
    So far, all 32 are surviving. Several have put out blossoms, which I'm told to pick off until the first of July (for everbearers), which I did, but it was painful! :-(

  • nancwilkes
    18 years ago

    Dear Watergal, when using the original stack a pots in direct sun, to prevent the top two layers from drying out so quickly, I found that using a teaspoon of soil moist crystals mixed into the soil will help prevent the soil from drying out. If you need to go away for a period of time, water well and move under a tree so the shade will also help protect them. But the really good news is that they have released a new Self Watering Stack A Pots I found recently through Jackson & Perkins which prevents the soil drying out so quickly.

  • Cricketm
    13 years ago

    I had strawberries this June and they were awesome....so sweet...I planted them in a Strawberry pot and it worked...I even like the flowers when they first bloomed. My question is how do I keep them over the winter....Should I cover the pot with burlap and protect them or should I treat it as an annual???? I live on L.I., NY. Zone 7

  • mike_bruner_gmail_com
    13 years ago

    My question is similar to crickets...do you replant every year when doing strawberries in containers? If you do, then you wouldn't bother taking off the blooms/runners like you would if you were planting a perennial bed right?