Container Growing

A great way to grow strawberries, is to plant in narrow planter boxes that are approximately 6"-8" (15 to 20 cm) deep by 5" – 7" (12 to 17 cm) wide by 18" - 4' (45 cm to 1.1 m) long. Use fresh, not recycled potting mix mixing in additional fertilizer as directed on the fertilizer label.

Thoroughly incorporate fertilizer into potting mix. Plant so crowns are not buried by time you water in. Keep moist but not soggy. Grow in full sun all day and expect luscious berries in 3 months. They are BEAUTIFUL ornamental plants, which will dazzle your visitors.

They should be spaced 10" – 14" apart depending on level of fertilization and plant size. Pajaro variety produces the largest plants requiring the greater planting distance.

Prune off all runners that develop the first season so all the energy is focused into fruit production. If the plants are not sized up when flower production starts, remove first flush of flowers. If berry production or plants are less vigorous in subsequent years, you may want to put in new plants in fresh soil to get that incredible vigor you witnessed the first year. Commercially, they are usually treated as annuals, even though; they are in fact, perennials.

Strawberry Pouches and Terracotta Strawberry Towers

You don't need a lot of room to grow strawberries. Provided you can give them a sunny spot, you can grow them in a terracotta strawberry tower or hang a strawberry pouch where the pesky birds can't get at the luscious fruit!

Strawberry Pouch

If using a strawberry pouch:

• Fill the bag with a good, damp potting mix or shrub and tub mix.
  
• Plant the strawberry plants into the pre-cut holes.
  
• Leave the pouch lying down for a week or two so the plants can establish themselves, then hang the planter in a sunny spot. Remember to check the watering.
  
• Once the plants have started growing give them plenty of liquid fertilizer.

Terracotta Tower

If using a terracotta or earthenware tower:

• Put a good layer of pumice in the bottom of the tower to help drainage.
  
• Fill the tower with potting soil up to the level of the pockets.
  
• Lay your strawberry plants in the pockets on the soil (it's easier than trying to insert them into the pockets once the tower has been filled with potting mix).
  
• Finish filling the planter with potting mix and pop a couple more plants on top.
  
• Pour water into the sphagnum moss down the cardboard core, then pull the cardboard tube out.
  
• Put a light sprinkling of strawberry food on the top of the pot.
  
• Once the plants start growing, give them plenty of liquid fertiliser, and you'll have lots of luscious fruit in summer.