Grow Strawberries in Hanging Baskets
Find out more about the benefits of growing strawberries in hanging baskets
Grow Strawberries In Hanging Baskets
grow your own | fruits
Home grown
strawberries are one of the delights of summer. Strawberries can be grown in any sunny, warm site either from seed or from small plants (from the
garden centre).
If strawberries are to be grown directly in the ground, the fruits must be kept dry and off the ground to prevent
mould and mildew forming. Typically straw or
strawberry mats are used to achieve this. Another problem for the strawberry grower is that strawberries attract the unwanted attentions of
slugs and snails. Therefore many gardeners grow their strawberries in pots or
hanging baskets.
Strawberries in Hanging Baskets
Three of four
strawberry plants can be planted into a typical
hanging basket with each 2yr old plant producing up to 1 1/2 pounds of fruit. Up to 50% less wastage occurs since the fresh breeze blowing through the strawberries keeps them dry (and therefore prevents rotting) and the slugs and snails cannot get to the fruit.
A good
multipurpose compost should be used, ideally with a layer of small stones on top to help retain moisture in the hanging basket, and also to keep the leaves and fruit of the
strawberry plant dry.
Birds are still attracted to strawberry plants whether on the ground or in baskets, so
netting should be use once fruiting begins to protect the plants. The netting should not be draped over the plants directly (since the birds will still be able to get to the strawberries), instead a basic
cage should be constructed.
All
strawberry plants like a good feed (
tomato feed is perfect), but plants in hanging baskets in particular need regular feeding since there is a limited amount of nutrition in the small amount of soil contained in a basket. Feeding every couple of weeks during the summer months should be plenty. The plants need to be water frequently as the hanging basket will dry out quickly in the summer, but do not spray with a
hosepipe as this gets the fruit wet.
Article Published: 08:25, 22nd Feb 2008
Related Articles
Growing RedcurrantsFind out more about growing your own redcurrants
Article Published: 09:02, 21st Jul 2008grow your own | fruitsMake Tomato PassataPreserve tomatoes by making delicious tomato passata
Article Published: 12:00, 25th May 2010preserving | fruits | grow your own | recipesMaking JamAn introduction to making your own jam
Article Published: 08:33, 22nd May 2010preserving | fruits | grow your own | recipesVintage Cider ApplesFind out more growing your own vintage cider apples
Article Published: 09:57, 4th Mar 2010fruits | grow your own | preserving | foragingGrowing Outdoor Tomato VarietiesTomato plants which will survive outdoors in the UK
Article Published: 11:56, 25th May 2010fruits | grow your ownPlums and DamsonsFind out more about plums and damsons
Article Published: 09:58, 17th Aug 2010fruits | grow your own | educationIrrigation OptionsRead about the many ways of watering crops
Article Published: 16:53, 5th Apr 2006grow your ownMaking CompostFind out how to make your own compost
Article Published: 14:40, 5th Apr 2006grow your own | recycleGrowing ShallotsFind out how to grow your own shallots
Article Published: 08:06, 12th Jul 2008grow your own | vegetablesGrowing AsparagusFind out how to grow your own asparagus
Article Published: 12:55, 18th May 2010grow your own | vegetables