Learn how to grow your own strawberries by growing them in planters and pots. Who doesn’t love the taste of a freshly picked, perfectly ripe strawberry? The flavor is the essence of summer. There is something nostalgic about biting into a juicy strawberry, even the store-bought ones most of us are used to.
However, there is nothing better than strawberries grown straight from your garden. Strawberries can be quite expensive to buy in the supermarket, especially organic ones.
Also, non-organic, store-bought strawberries can be very large, but they tend to be less sweet and juicy than their home-grown counterparts. With your own strawberry planters pots, you don’t have to pay grocery-store prices for summer’s tastiest treat.
Growing Strawberries in Pots
It’s easy to grow strawberries in a container, and the pay-offs are definitely worth the effort. Even beginner gardeners will find it easy to grow delicious strawberries since they don’t require a lot of effort.
Strawberries are also perennials, meaning they don’t die off every year. If you protect them from frost, they grow back as soon as the weather starts to heat up again.
They are easy to propagate, as well. After fruiting, you can re-cultivate clippings and runners for other plants, or save them through the winter for next year’s planting.
By doing this, you can have strawberries growing both outside and in a greenhouse if you have one, which will lengthen your harvest time. Growing strawberries in pots and containers will afford you far more versatility with your crop than just growing them in outdoor beds.
Benefits of Growing in Planters
Choose containers with drainage holes so roots don’t get root rot.
1. Soil control
Growing strawberries in pots is a great way to ensure your plants are getting exactly what they need to thrive. You control the soil. Get the best potting soil you can afford and access or use homemade compost to amend existing soil.
2. You can move small pots
Depending on the size of the container, you may be able to move them around your garden to:
- Get more or less sun
- Remove from pouring rain/big storm
- Protect from frost; move to greenhouse or indoors
3. Pest control: Animals and insects
I have very large pots on my property. I like planting strawberries in them because pests can’t get at them.
Another advantage is because they are each contained in their own “home”, any insects or issues are typically limited to only one plant. It doesn’t spread like it would in a garden bed.
4. Do well in small spaces
Strawberries are happy in compact spaces as well. You can select a container as small as 10 to 12 inches in diameter to grow your plants.
They also don’t need deep soil since they are runner plants, so you don’t have to worry about selecting a huge potting container.
As long as your pot is around eight inches deep, your plants will be just fine. You’ll also be saving yourself a lot of space with a smaller pot.
If you live in a dry climate: The only thing to consider about using smaller planters pots is that you have to water them more frequently.
Strawberry Varieties
There are three varieties of strawberries, each with their own requirements.
Ever-bearing:
- Plants produce smaller yields several times throughout the season, typically 2 – 3 “noticeable harvests”
- Can produce from late spring through early fall
- Ideal for enjoying throughout the season vs preserving
Cultivar types: Eversweet, Ozark Beauty, Gem
June-bearing:
- Bears fruit at once, in late spring or in June
- Ideal to preserve, make jam, etc., and freeze
Cultivar types: Puget Crimson,
Day-neutral:
- Grown as annuals
- Fruits ready for harvest throughout the growing season, longer than June-bearing
- Higher yields than June-bearing
- Not sensitive to day length; flowers and fruits in moderate temperatures
- Usually produce in late July through fall or whenever the first frost is
- Low tunnels are the most effective method for growing day-neutral strawberries which isn’t ideal for pots
Cultivar types: Seascape
How to Grow Strawberries in Pots
Planting strawberries in pots is fairly straightforward, and because of their quick growth cycle, you should have fresh strawberries within just a few months!
In most climates, the best time for planting strawberries in pots is late spring to early summer. You can plant June-bearing varieties which are ready to harvest in June along with ever-bearing strawberries which provide small harvests in the season.
An exception to this is gardening zone 9b, where I live. In the southwestern United States, summers are scalding hot. When I plant strawberry plants, I do so in March. I enjoy June-bearing harvests in June and ever-bearing sometimes July if I can keep them alive.
Choosing Soil
The soil you choose is how the plants will get their nourishment. Choose good quality potting soil. If filling larger pots, you can incorporate native soil with compost. I follow the square foot gardening method of mixing 1/3 each of blended compost, vermiculite, and peat moss.
Be sure the container you choose has drainage holes.
Spacing
Space plants from 25 cm to 30 cm (10 to 12 in) apart.
If your strawberries are looking a little dry and thirsty, perk them up by soaking them in a bucket of water before putting them in the soil.
Fill the rest of the container with compost, leaving about an inch of space below the rim. Then, place your plants in the mixture.
Look at where the leaves emerge from the plant, which is the area that should be sitting just on top of the soil.
Gently press on your plants to lock them into place and give them some water.
Strawberry plants will grow about two feet in every direction, so you may want to allow them some space to sprawl.
Caring for Your Growing Strawberries in Containers
Follow these simple tips for looking after your strawberry plants to have your first successful fruits in just a few weeks:
1. Water
Strawberries are susceptible to fungal diseases that can destroy your entire plant.
Since fungi love water, when the soil starts to dry, water your strawberries, but try to minimize the amount of water you get on the leaves.
2. Sunlight
As you’d expect from a summer fruit, strawberries absolutely love the sun.
Take advantage of the fact that they’re in pots by moving them around the garden, especially if you notice that they could get more light in a different spot.
They can be grown on a terrace, a patio, or any place around your house that has adequate sunlight.
3. Feed
When the first flowers appear on your plant, give it some high-potash feed, often, to ensure maximum growth.
You can use the same potash feed sold for tomato growing. It will help to keep your strawberries plump and juicy as they grow.
4. Add Mulch, Straw, or Bits
You can place straw, mulch, or small bits of wood in your planter to help keep the developing berries off the compost.
It will also help with any critters from the soil that might be looking for a tasty snack.
Also, as mentioned, there are fungi that can harm your strawberries. Some of which, such as the Phytophthora cactorum is present in the soil, which the strawberries are in direct contact with.
The mulch or straw puts a barrier between the fruit and soil, protecting the strawberry from soil-loving fungi.
It can also help prevent dirty rainwater or groundwater from splashing to the strawberries and ensures the strawberry doesn’t sit on too much water.
People with expertise in how to grow strawberries in pots also swear by putting netting over the planter.
This will prevent birds from picking at your fruit.
5. Cut the Growing Plants
When the fruiting is over, cut your plants back to just the central, young leaves.
If you don’t want to cultivate any new plants, then you can cut the runners back.
Move your containers inside a greenhouse for the winter, which will help you get a head start on next year’s harvest.
FAQs About Growing Strawberries in Pots
1. Do Strawberry Plants Do Well In Pots?
Yes, when planted correctly, strawberry plants are great in pots. They have a quick growth cycle and are very happy in compact spaces. These are some tips to take care of pots of strawberry plants. You can maximize the sunlight in the summer and move them inside a greenhouse during winter to keep the plants alive until the next spring.
2. What Is the Best Container for Growing Strawberries?
As long as the container holds soil and water, you can use it to grow your strawberries. Strawberries will do well in a wide variety of containers, some of which you may already have lying around your garden:
Terracotta Pots
Terracotta pots are one of the best options because they are made of porous material. It helps with water drainage, which is important for your strawberry plants.
Hanging Baskets
Try using hanging baskets for your strawberry planters pots. They offer great drainage and don’t take up any additional space in the garden or around the house. Hanging baskets will also add a really nice aesthetic touch to any space they are placed in.
Recycled Items
Get creative and recycle and repurpose old watering cans or wheelbarrows. Think about using old crates; vegetable and wine crates work great. Reusing old material can be a great way to reduce waste and give your garden a trendy and rustic look.
3. Can Strawberries Survive Winter in Pots?
As mentioned, strawberries are perennial plants, meaning they don’t die off every year. As such, with proper care, strawberries can survive the winter in their pots. If you live in a mild climate without harsh winters, your strawberry planters pots will be fine being moved to a place sheltered from the rain.
You can also place a layer of straw over the plants to keep them insulated from the elements. If you live in a harsh winter area, you will need to move your plants to a garage or a cellar.
If needed, you can also remove the plants from their summertime pots and place them in plastic ones for winter storage.
4. Why Do Strawberry Pots Have Holes?
Like most plants, strawberries need well-draining soil to thrive, and holes will allow the soil to drain properly. If your soil becomes too saturated, it can effectively drown your plant, which causes it to be droopy and unresponsive.
It will also make your strawberries prone to multiple fungal diseases, so you end up with no harvest.
Well-drained soil makes for happy and healthy strawberries, but you want to make sure the pot you choose doesn’t have holes too big.
That will lead to precious soil and compost leaking out of the bottom of the pot, which will disturb your plant and impact its growth.
Growing Strawberries in Containers
Strawberries are great candidates for being grown in a container since they don’t need a lot of space. You can grow them in various strawberry pots and get creative with the ones you select. You can surely enjoy the magic of home-grown strawberries as long as you select the ideal planting pots.
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