Strawberries: Growing Strawberry Plants In Pots And Containers

Strawberries are one of the most popular fruits and are well suited to being grown in pots and containers of all sizes and descriptions. You can grow strawberries in any suitably sized pot or container or, alternatively buy purpose made strawberry planters that are terracotta or plastic pots with ‘pockets’ on the sides in which the plants are positioned. Strawberry plants, with their trailing characteristics, are also ideal for growing in hanging baskets. Regardless of the container they are grown in, strawberry plants make a welcome addition to any garden with their pretty flowers and vibrant red fruit colours, contrasting with their green leaves.

Growing your strawberry plants in pots will minimise the risk of them being eaten by pests. The pots can be located in areas that make it hard for slugs and snails to get to them. Elevating them from the ground on window sills, trestles or in hanging baskets will keep them out of harmful reach from all but the most determined slug or snail. Remember as well the risk from above. Birds love the tasty treats that are strawberries. Protect your fruit by covering the plants with netting.

1. You can grow strawberry plants in areas affected by shade. Originally, the plants grew in woods and as such could tolerate shade, but produced much smaller fruit than the cultivated fruit we commonly eat. The plants we grow to produce our fruit today will still produce fruit but to get a decent crop, good exposure to sunlight is essential.

2. The name strawberries originates from when children in London would string the berries onto straw and sell them in the markets.

Strawberries produce best in bright areas with maximum sunshine. You can get fruit from plants in areas with some shade but the crop will be less. If you only have a small space to grow your plants or if sunlight doesn’t reach that area, think vertically. Elevate the plants into areas that catch sunshine, either by using hanging baskets attached to walls and fences or by placing pots on an accessible flat roof.

Strawberry plants will last for a couple of years but once you have bought your first plants, with a bit of luck and care, you can continue having plants for many years without having to buy anymore. Remove the runners of the plants at the end of the summer and pot them up. These will develop into new plants. By doing this, you will have a continuous supply of new plants.

Caring for your plants. Keep the plants well watered without flooding the compost, making sure you give the pot a good watering to encourage the plant to develop a strong root system, making for a healthier plant. Once the plant has started flowering, feed with an organic food source. If there is a risk of the fruit lying on the compost, create a comfortable bed for the berries by placing a layer of straw on top of the compost. This will stop the fruit being damaged.

The popular time for strawberries is during the middle of summer. It is possible, however, to extend the season in which you can produce fruit. Choose a mixture of summer fruiting plants and plants known as perpetual. Perpetual varieties will continue fruiting later into the summer and into the autumn/fall. You can also bring forward the date that the plants start producing fruit by placing the pots in a green house or under a cloche. Even if your garden is small, and this is why many people choose to grow their produce in pots, you can still give your plants similar protection. Small plastic greenhouses, about the sixe of a small wardrobe with 3- 4 shelves, are ideal for providing an extra degree of warmth and protection to the plants which will encourage them to fruit earlier.

Growing strawberry plants in pots is relatively simple and an ideal way of having delicious strawberries without having to pay supermarket prices. They are easy to grow and care for and add character and colour to your garden or outdoor space.