The first time I harvested these delicious berries, I could not believe the taste. These were different from the berries I purchased at the grocery store, and my tastebuds were exploding with the sweetness and aroma of strawberries. We tried to grow strawberries in containers and the rest was history!
Strawberries are a perfect fruit to grow in containers. They are effortless to care for and will reward you and your loved ones with a robust, delicious flavor that can be eaten fresh, made into preserves, or frozen in smoothies over the winter.
If you’ve ever longed for the sweet taste of home-grown summer berries but hesitated to grow your own, fear not. We will show you exactly how to join the strawberry grower’s club.
Helpful Items When Growing Strawberries in Containers
History
The strawberry was first cultivated in Brittany, France.
Before this time, wild strawberries were the primary source of fruit.
These tiny wild strawberries were soon crossed with the larger variety from North America, and the beginning of the modern strawberry was born.
The strawberry is not a berry at all, and it belongs to the rose family.
The ancient Romans used the fruit to treat various illnesses, including depression and sore throat.
Growing in Containers
Strawberry container gardening can be an effective way to enjoy delicious fresh berries even with limited outdoor space.
When choosing containers for growing strawberries, it is essential that the appropriate size and shape be selected so your plants have enough room to grow and flourish.
First, determine which strawberries to plant in containers.
Everbearing or day-neutral varieties tend to work best due to their constant production throughout the growing season; June-bearing strawberries can still be grown in pots but tend to need more space.
When selecting containers, strawberry plants have shallow root systems so the container must be at least six inches deep to give their roots enough room.
Whichever container you choose, you will need to supply drainage holes so water can run freely and not cause problems such as root rot.
When growing strawberries in containers, I recommend selecting containers with wider dimensions than they are tall to provide more surface area for planting.
Hanging baskets are another choice of container but ensure they are sturdy enough to withstand wind gusts without tipping over or being dislodged from their place by any possible movements in the basket.
Selecting suitable containers for growing strawberries is paramount to a successful harvest.
Carefully consider their size, shape and material before selecting an ideal variety that suits both your tastes and growing environment.
How Big Should the Container for Strawberries Be?
Container choice is where the fun begins! Some containers, like strawberry pots, are clever and pretty, but we don’t recommend them.
Your harvest will be small, and you will most likely get only a few berries here and there.
We recommend rectangular, long containers for the planting of strawberries. Ours are 60″x14x14.5.
You do not have to go that big and can use whatever you want. However, the plant will want to spread out, which will be the best way to give it what it wants.
How Strawberries Grow
When planted in the ground, strawberries can take up a lot of space.
The plant grows by sending out runners.
These runners produce a daughter plant that is still attached to its mother.
When the daughter plant establishes roots, the runner will dry out and separate from the mother plant.
Often, you can use these daughter plants to expand your strawberry container garden.
We did just this. We started with one container and now have two well-established long containers and several strawberry pots.
Which Variety to Grow
When selecting strawberries to plant in containers, it is essential to select varieties which are well suited to container gardening.
While many cultivars of strawberry can grow successfully in pots, certain ones perform better than others.
The first is the Everbearing berry. These plants will produce three harvests.
Once in the spring, another in the summer, and a last one in the fall.
This variety grows more compactly, so it may be a better choice for your container-growing endeavors.
These berries tend to be smaller, and the harvest comes in bursts.
The second variety, the June bearing, likes to sprawl and take up space.
This variety typically has two harvests, one in the spring and the second in summer, and this variety will produce a more significant and larger all-in-one harvest.
If you want to extend the harvest of strawberries, day-neutral varieties may be worth considering.
They will bear fruit throughout their growing season regardless of day length – making them perfect for container gardening tips!
Some of my favorites to grow:
Ozark Beauty: Producing sweet and juicy fruit ideal for snacking or canning preserves, the Ozark Beauty variety produces everbearing strawberries with long flower stems that produce sweet juicy fruit ripening in late July or August.
Chandler: Widely grown container garden variety producing large sweet fruit suitable for fresh eating!
Everbearing
- Ozark Beauty
- Everest
- Seascape
- Albion
- Quinalt
Junebearing
- Chandler
- Earligrow
- Annapolis
- Jewel
- Kent
- Allstar
Be sure to visit your local nursery or a quality online distributor for the best possible variety to plant in your area. We do not recommend the big box stores as these plants often are not the best in quality.
Soil Choice
Starting off with quality soil mix is absolutely key for growth and development of container-grown strawberries.
While conventional soil may provide sufficient support, container-grown varieties have limited space in which their roots can spread compared to planting strawberries directly in the ground.
Hence, why having access to adequate soil mixes is so vitally important.
An ideal soil composition for strawberries grown in containers should be well-draining and nutrient-rich.
You want to ensure water can drain effectively away from your strawberry plants.
A nutrient-rich mix will also provide essential minerals and vitamins necessary for plant development and growth.
To properly prepare soil for planting strawberries, first add pebbles or stones to the bottom for drainage.
Then, fill the container up with high quality potting mix that’s evenly distributed throughout. We recommend FoxFarms potting soil.
Finally, mix organic material like compost into the soil to improve fertility.
This step is critical in providing your strawberries with all of the essential nutrients they require to thrive and produce.
Fertilizer
Fertilization is another essential part of strawberry container gardening.
You will want to make sure you fertilize your berries throughout the growing season.
Container-grown strawberries have higher nutrient needs than those planted directly into the ground, make sure you select an organic fertilized that is suitable for berries such as this one here.
Water
Any vegetable grown crop will need a watchful eye on moisture levels.
Containers tend to dry out quickly especially when the weather warms up.
Strawberries tend to like consistent levels of moisture. Water the berries deeply when the top two inches of soil feel try to the touch.
A moisture meter such as this one is a useful tool to keep on hand for accurate level readings for watering.
How to Plant Strawberries in Containers
Follow these step-by-step instructions so that your plants stand the best chance of flourishing in container gardening.
Step 1: Prepare the Soil
Step 2: Dig a hole deep enough for the strawberry roots. Position the plant in this hole, gently covering its roots with soil until just above the soil line – but making sure that its crown (where leaves meet roots) stays above it!
Step 3: Adequate Plant Spacing. Providing plants with enough room to grow is of the utmost importance; in general, most varieties should be planted 6 inches apart to allow enough room for their roots and leaves to expand without competing for nutrients and water resources.
Step 4: Water regularly. For successful container-grown strawberries, regular watering is key to keeping their roots hydrated during hotter weather. Water your plants once every morning before heading off to work to keep your container cool!
Step 5: Strawberries require plenty of sunlight in order to thrive, so place your containers in an area that receives at least six hours of daily sunlight. Feel free to relocate them throughout the day in search of optimal sunlight conditions.
Step 6: In areas where the temperatures fall below freezing, it’s crucial that plants be protected from frost damage by covering their containers with frost cloth or mulching the plants adequately.
How Many Strawberries Should I Plant?
Planting strawberries in containers is different from planting them in the ground due to the space constraints in a container.
We suggest planting one plant 6″ apart.
The plants will spread out over time; soon enough, you will have a container full of delicious, strawberry-bearing plants!
Over time, you can thin the plants out and start new containers to expand your collection.
Maintenance and Pest Control
Growing strawberries in containers requires regular maintenance to ensure they remain healthy and produce an abundance of fruit.
Pruning is one of the key tasks required, which includes regularly removing dead leaves and runners that drain energy from plants.
Additionally, doing this prevents overcrowded containers.
Pest and disease management is also essential when it comes to container gardening strawberries.
Common threats that threaten strawberry plants include spider mites, aphids, slugs and spiders while diseases that could impact them include gray mold and root rot.
To combat these problems effectively, it’s vital to water them regularly and properly avoiding overwatering that might otherwise encourage disease to take hole.
Providing adequate nutrition through a balanced fertilizer will also help keep plants healthy and producing delicious strawberries for you and your family.
That being said, you will eventually have to combat nuisance intruders to your garden. We always encourage organic means of dealing with pest, especially when growing strawberries.
An effective natural method of pest control involves using ladybugs or lacewings to devour insects such as aphids.
Another natural approach involves spraying plants with water mixed with Neem oil, insecticidal soap or Diatomaceous earth for an organic solution that’s effective against many common pests but won’t harm beneficial bees and ladybugs.
Monitoring your plants regularly is key to keeping them healthy, as any signs of pests or disease should be immediately dealt with.
By extracting damaged leaves and providing treatments that utilize natural solutions, further damage can be reduced and even prevented altogether.
Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Strawberries in Containers
Can strawberries be successfully grown in containers?
Absolutely, strawberries make an ideal option for growing in small spaces like balconies, patios, or rooftop gardens.
Which container is ideal for growing strawberries?
For optimal strawberry growing results, look for containers with sufficient drainage that are at least 12-16 inches deep and wide enough to hold multiple strawberry plants at once. Hanging baskets, window boxes or specific strawberry pots with multiple pockets are popular choices for this task.
What is the ideal potting mix for growing strawberries in containers?
For optimal results, select a well-draining container-specific potting mix or create your own by mixing equal parts high-grade potting soil, perlite, and compost together.
How many strawberry plants can I grow in one container?
It all depends on the size of the container. As a general guideline, plant 1-3 strawberry plants per 12-inch diameter container to allow proper air circulation.
How often should I water strawberry plants in containers?
Container-grown strawberries require more frequent watering than those planted directly into the ground, as the top inch of soil tends to dry out more quickly than when left undisturbed by rainwater. Aim to maintain moist but non-waterlogged conditions by watering when necessary.
How can I fertilize strawberries in containers?
For optimal container-grown strawberry production, utilize an organic balanced fertilizer according to package instructions every 4-6 weeks during their growing season in order to provide essential nutrients needed for healthy development and fruit production.
Should container-grown strawberries require winter protection?
Containerized strawberry plants can be more vulnerable to freezing temperatures in cold climates. In such environments, consider using straw or fallen leaves as mulch over the winter months.
How should I prune container-grown strawberry plants?
Regularly remove yellowed or damaged leaves to maintain plant health, then, at the end of each growing season, trim back foliage by one inch above their crowns in order to promote better growth and prepare the plants for next year. This ensures they’ll thrive once back outside.
Final Thoughts
The strawberry plant is relatively forgiving and an excellent starter for container gardeners. Place your containers in an area that receives direct sunlight for at least six hours daily.
Following these easy steps will reward you with the sweetest and most delicious strawberries each season.
Let us know in the comments if you plant to grow strawberries in containers!
