What is Strawberries in Planters?
It is quite an easy task to plant strawberries in planters. Strawberries in planters grow successfully and produce just as well as those growing in the ground. Planters are decorative containers in which plants like strawberries are grown. When it comes to growing strawberries in planters, you can use pots, baskets, fabric bags, window boxes, and even grow bags.
However, when you plant strawberries in containers, you need to keep several things in mind for them to grow well.
Growing Strawberries in Containers
You can grow any strawberries in containers. Strawberries can adapt quickly to a wide variety of containers. However, you need to choose the right strawberry container size for your strawberries because they have different container size needs. You should also note that day-neutral ever-bearing strawberries offer a more extended season than June bearing varieties.
June-bearing strawberry plants will produce a great harvest of big and sweet fruits for a long time in early summer. You can plant late-, mid-, and early-season June-bearing strawberries if you prefer this variety.
Day-neutral strawberries give a large harvest from late spring to the autumn season. However, the fruits are usually smaller than the June variant and are ever-bearing strawberries. Ever-bearing strawberries produce fruit continuously, and they are less affected by the winter season.
It would be best to consider the seasons each offers and how they produce their fruit. To increase your chances of having a great harvest, you need to follow simple steps when growing strawberries in containers; strawberries grow best in pots where they get enough sunlight.
It would be best to fill the pots with potting mix that has enough fertilizer. You should also not crowd the strawberries when planting them.
How to Care for Strawberry Plants
Whenever you plant your strawberries, you want them to grow successfully. Therefore, strawberry plant care is critical. The following are ways to care for your growing strawberries in containers.
- The soil should always be moist. It would help if you did this by watering them whenever the soil is dry. The soil in containers tends to dry faster than the soil on the ground.
- When watering, avoid moistening the leaves so that they do not get fungal diseases.
- You should feed your strawberries with liquid fertilizer to help them grow effectively and produce more fruits.
- During planting, avoid overcrowding the strawberry plants in the containers. The strawberry plants are small, but they should not be crowded. You should plant not more than three plants per square foot.
- As the strawberries grow, you should snip the runners. This will help them get more space and avoid draining the strawberries’ productive capacity.
- Always shade the containers where your strawberries live. You can also use aluminum foil to protect them from heat. However, too much heat may affect the growth and production of the strawberries.
- Water your strawberries more often with less water. The soil in pots usually dries out quickly. It would be best if you, therefore, watered them often but avoided the dryness and sogginess of the soil. The soil should always be damp but never be dry. Sogginess can kill the plants quickly.
The Best Soil for Strawberries
The best soil for strawberry planting is deep sandy loam soil that is very rich in organic matter. This soil should be well-drained. It should be able to hold moisture but drain away excess water quickly. When selecting soil for strawberries in containers, you should avoid getting dirt from areas that remain wet late into the spring.
Your choice of soil should be essential when you are planting strawberry plants. Alternatively, you can prepare your own potting soil. Finally, you can prepare the potting mix using commonly found ingredients. The mixture needs to be moist and very rich in nutrients.
The best mix includes a component that retains moisture and has a steady source of nutrients. To prepare the best potting mix, you need sand, peat moss, garden soil, and fertilizer. These ingredients will help your strawberries get all the nutrients they need.
When is the Best Time to Plant Strawberries?
The best time to plant strawberries in hanging strawberry planters or pots is late spring and early summer. This is mainly for bare-root runners that have been cold-stored. However, if you are planting pot-sold strawberries, you can still plant them during summer.
When to Grow Strawberries?
Are you asking yourself when to grow strawberries? You should plant strawberries during the spring season. This should be done when the soils dry. Do not use wet soil. If the soil is moist, you can always wait for the soil to dry slightly. Strawberries can be grown during March and April since this time allows plants to become established before the weather becomes hotter.
Tips for Strawberry Care
Are you wondering how to care for strawberry plants? Strawberry plant care is not a difficult task. You only need the following tips to help you take good care of your strawberries.
- Pots or other planters may be small: Avoid overcrowding strawberries. You need to plant at least three strawberries in each pot. If you plant too many plants in one container, they will produce few strawberries. To get more produce, you need to give the strawberries enough space.
- Snip the runners: Most strawberry plants have runners. You can keep the runners if you have planted your strawberries in a garden because you have extra space. However, for planters, it is advisable to snip the runners as they will reduce the production of fruits.
- Water the strawberries often: For your strawberries to grow well, you need to water them from time to time. The soil in containers tends to dry very quickly. Therefore, you should avoid them being dry and soggy. You can achieve this by watering them several times a day with less water.
- Give the strawberry containers extra insulation: The cold during winter can affect the production of strawberries. Therefore, it would be best to insulate the strawberry containers or shelter them from the harsh winter.
Can You Plant Strawberries in a Pot?
You can plant strawberries in a pot. They have a small root and can therefore grow in small containers. However, if the container is small, the potted strawberries will require frequent watering. Strawberries can adapt to a wide variety of containers, from 6 – 8-inch (15 – 20 cm) pots for individual plants to larger containers.
When you plant strawberries in pots, you can easily keep pests away, and the fruits are less prone to bacterial and fungal diseases. You can grow different types of strawberries in pots.
The Required Tools and Equipment Needed for Planting Strawberries in Pots
When growing strawberries in pots, you will need the following tools and equipment:
- Wheelbarrow
- Garden gloves
- Trowel
- Drill
- Strawberry pot
- General-purpose potting mix
- Plants, and
- Fertilizer
Step-by-Step Guide for Planting Strawberries in Planters
It is nice to plant your strawberries in planters as they are fast to grow, and you could have the fruits whenever you want them. You only need to choose the correct varieties of strawberries and follow the step-by-step guide below to have the best results.
- Assemble all the necessary equipment and tools. When growing strawberries in containers, you will need the following equipment and tools;
- Prepare the strawberry crowns or transplants. You can prepare to use root crowns or transplants, depending on what you prefer. If you decide to use transplants, you will have to wait for their roots to establish and, after that, produce some leaves. You should plant a maximum of three strawberry plants per square foot of soil. Strawberries grow pretty well in less crowded conditions.
- Add the soil to a container with a drainage hole in the bottom. The soil should be loamy. It should be able to hold moisture but quickly drain away any excess water.
- When planting your strawberries, make sure that their crowns are above the soil surface. Crowns refer to the area where the stem of the strawberry meets its roots. When planting the strawberries, prepare a small mound in your prepared soil. Spread the roots of the strawberry plant over the mound and cover the roots with the ground up to the crown. Make sure that the crowns are above the soil surface. Crowns refer to the area where the stem of the strawberry meets its roots. You should then water the soil well and more soil if needed.
- Set the container in the best location. Finally, you have planted your strawberry in a container. Place the strawberry planter pot in an appropriate area. It should receive sunlight between 8-12 hours each day to have the best results. You should protect your plants from pests, insects, birds, and rodents by fencing or netting them.
- Watering the strawberry plants. It will help to wet your plants whenever the soil is dry or at least two times a week. For the best results, make sure the soil is not dry and also not soggy. It should remain a little damp. You should also feed your strawberry with liquid fertilizer after every 21 days.
- Protect strawberries during winter. Provide protection for your strawberries during winter. Too much cold might make the roots freeze and the containers to crack. You can move your containers to warmer areas during winter to ensure you have the best produce. Also, you should only water the strawberries during this time when the soil is completely dry.
Reasons to Grow Strawberries in Planters
There are several advantages to growing strawberries in containers. To begin with, plants can be moved from place to place, tracking the sun, therefore, enjoying the light and warmth. Secondly, you can move plants from undercover in winter. With this movement, you can get a more extended harvest from the same variety of strawberries.
To add to that, strawberries planted in containers can be lifted off the ground to avoid being attacked by slugs and other diseases. With strawberries in planters, you can enjoy sweet fruits throughout the summer.
Types of Containers for Strawberries
The selection of containers determines the health of your plants and how much watering you will need to do. The material of the container is also an essential factor to consider. For example, you can choose a plastic pot that fits inside the terra cotta one to boost moisture retention. If you choose a pot, you should ensure that it has several drainage holes.
If you have a sunny deck, you can use stackable pots, baskets, fabric bags, or hanging planters for your strawberries. Depending on your preferences, you can select strawberry hanging baskets, terracotta pots, unique strawberry planters, old wooden wine crates, and used vegetable pallets.
When to Replace Strawberries in Planters
You will have to replace strawberry plants after at least three years to produce a lot of them yearly. Some strawberry plants can last for five years, but you can still replace them after three years. No matter how best you care for your strawberries, they are perennials in the end and therefore need to be replaced. You can also grow strawberries as annuals.
From the above discussion on strawberries in planters, you can conclude that planting strawberries in planters is possible and easy. You only need to have the correct information concerning planters and strawberries. You need to have all the tools and equipment necessary for the planting of your berries.
It is also important to note that growing strawberries in hanging containers has more advantages than planting them on the ground somewhere. You can manage them easily throughout the different seasons and also avoid many attacks from rodents and diseases. Strawberry care is also crucial for successful results.
Are you planning to grow strawberries in containers? Do not hesitate, follow the tips and information provided above, and you will not regret it. You will have the best fruit harvests ever.