Growing strawberries in containers can be tricky. Strawberry growers often find their potted plants produce fewer berries than plants grown in a raised bed or in the ground. That doesn’t need to be the case with your strawberry container garden though.
Growing strawberries in pots isn’t any more complicated than growing in the ground, just a little different. Follow these 7 simple principles to have a productive strawberry container garden.
1. Container
- Vented 1 Pound Plastic Berry Containers for Strawberries, Tomatoes & Blueberries
- Dimension: 7 1/4 x 4 3/4 x 3 3/32 Inches
- Back Hinge will not break
- Crystal Clear High Quality Plastic Produce Boxes. Made in the USA & BPA Free!
- Keep produce fresh up to 2 times longer!
- Flow-through Stay-Fresh vent system and reservoir base allow users to customize environment for maximum freshness
- Clear, press-in lid features printed storage guide for common produce
- Remove bottom cover to use as a colander - rinse and store produce in one container
- Holds a dry pint of berries or 2 pint liquid capacity
- L:12" W:12" H: 28"; Soil Volume: 24 Quarts - Freestand anywhere or easily create grow towers off the ground using 3/4" Pipe.
- Indoor/Outdoor - Food Safe - Strong, Flexible, & Lightweight
- Grow Strawberries / Herbs / Flowers / Succulents Using Limited Space
- Flow Through Design - Prevents Over Watering or Root Rot - Just Water 1 Top Pot & Take Care of 20 Plants - Only Mr Stacky
- Includes: (5) Terracotta Orange Color Planters & Bottom Saucer - Fast Shipping & Great Gifts
Choosing the proper container is the first and most important step to growing healthy, productive strawberry plants. The roots of strawberry plants grow shallow and like evenly moist, well-draining soil.
A good pot will help maintain the proper soil moisture and stabilize the soil temperature over the course of the day. Try one of these 5 pots proven to promote healthy strawberry plants.
2. Variety
Choose a strawberry varietal best suited for container growing. Ever-bearing strawberry types produce strawberries all season long, are not sensitive to minor temperature fluctuations that a container will amplify, and produce few runners. Alpine strawberry plants are an ever-bearing type that is compact, super sweet, and runner-less. Avoid June-bearing types for your container garden.
3. Crowding
Crowded strawberry plants will not produce a lot of strawberries. Avoid overcrowding the roots of your plants by using a strawberry pot that has separate pockets for each plant.
Otherwise, limit your container to 4 plants per square foot of surface area. You cannot grow more strawberry plants together if you use a deeper pot because strawberry roots grow close to the surface.
4. Runners
Though some choose not to, most strawberry gardeners snip off the runners to encourage increased berry production. It is especially important to snip off runners from strawberry plants growing in containers because there is nowhere for them to root and they will continue to feed off of the mother plant. You can start new plants from the runners you remove if you wish but don’t let them interfere with your harvest.
5. Watering
The principle of watering your strawberry plants remains the same as watering strawberries in the ground. Water enough to saturate the soil and allow it to drain completely before watering again.
A pot holds a lot less soil, and therefore less water, than the ground so water your potted strawberries more frequently but not as deeply. The soil should feel damp just below the surface within 3-4 days after watering.
6. Fertilizing
- BERRY-TONE FRUIT & BERRY FOOD. Grow larger plants with more fruit
- For organic gardening, bigger fruit and growth
- Long lasting. Slow release. Long lasting, slow-release feeding with our exclusive Bio-tone Microbes
- Ideal for all blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Made in the USA
- Pack of 2
- 100% WATER SOLUBLE: Strawberry Fertilizer Powder is water soluble and an amazing product strawberries. Apply to your strawberry patch and you will get bigger brighter strawberries, increased berry yields and increased vigor
- FORMULATED WITH MICRONUTRIENTS: Greenway Biotech includes 5 Pounds of Strawberry fertilizer that can make 1000 gallons of liquid and 8-12-32 plus micronutrients and trace minerals. It contains all nutrients required by plants in a proper ratio & form
- QUALITY INGREDIENTS: This plant fertilizer is professionally formulated with quality ingredients and Contains 8% Nitrogen, 12% Phosphorous, 32% Potassium, Boron, Copper EDTA, Iron EDTA, Manganese EDTA, Zinc EDTA, and Molybdenum, Results are distinct & visible.
- HYDROPONICS AND SOIL USE: Our Strawberry plant fertilizer is specially blended to ensure your plants receive the proper amount of nutrients whether grown hydroponically or in the soil. Complete balanced nutrition results in better flowering, in season.
- ALL NATURAL: Our fertilizer powder boosts strawberry growth because it is free of heavy metals and materials and it is designed to provide a steady supply of naturally occurring nutrients and trace elements
- 100% WATER SOLUBLE: Strawberry Fertilizer Powder is water soluble and an amazing product strawberries. Apply to your strawberry patch and you will get bigger brighter strawberries, increased berry yields and increased vigor
- FORMULATED WITH MICRONUTRIENTS: Greenway Biotech includes 2 Pounds of Strawberry fertilizer that can make 400 gallons of liquid and 8-12-32 plus micronutrients and trace minerals. It contains all nutrients required by plants in a proper ratio & form
- QUALITY INGREDIENTS: This plant fertilizer is professionally formulated with quality ingredients and Contains 8% Nitrogen, 12% Phosphorous, 32% Potassium, Boron, Copper EDTA, Iron EDTA, Manganese EDTA, Zinc EDTA, and Molybdenum, Results are distinct & visible.
- HYDROPONICS AND SOIL USE: Our Strawberry plant fertilizer is specially blended to ensure your plants receive the proper amount of nutrients whether grown hydroponically or in the soil. Complete balanced nutrition results in better flowering, in season.
- ALL NATURAL: Our fertilizer powder boosts strawberry growth because it is free of heavy metals and materials and it is designed to provide a steady supply of naturally occurring nutrients and trace elements
Don’t forget to fertilize your potted strawberry plants! You should first mix fertilizer with the soil when potting. Then supply fertilizer every 2-4 weeks after flowering starts until the plants begin to go dormant. Yes, continue to fertilize your strawberry plants after the harvest is over so you’ll get a lot of fruit next year.
7. Insulating
Strawberries grown in pots need protection from the elements because their soil is more susceptible to temperature fluctuations. In mild climates, move the pots closer to your house for warmth during the winter. In harsh climates, move your pots into a building, bury them, or wrap them in blankets or straw to minimize the shock from extreme temperature changes.
For a more detailed explanation of why these tips work, visit Growing Strawberries in Containers.
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