Vertical Strawberries
Love strawberries, but are overwhelmed by the thought of growing strawberries? The most common complaint is it’s difficult to get enough from the strawberry plants in the garden. With the bugs, mold, large dog who tramples them, birds, and the constant weeds, it’s tough to get any good strawberries. But this easy and budget-friendly Vertical Strawberries idea.
Vertical Strawberries will solve these complications with your strawberry plants by taking advantage of the concept of vertical gardens. With a little time and money, you can have beautifully hanging strawberry plants that are easy to get to, weed, and grow, so grab the gardening gloves and let’s get going.
This is a great hack to have a strawberry planter without the hassles of a big garden, or having to build or find space for hanging planters.
Getting Started
These Vertical Strawberries did cost a little bit of money, but they’re totally worth it! After just a few weeks, some beautiful strawberry plants have grown and they’re not buried or smashed. Now that it is towards the end of the season I have gotten several of the 1 pound containers from the store filled with my own personal strawberries! The planters themselves look really nice as well.
This plan makes three rows of ten foot gutters (four gutters on each row), for a total of 12 gutters of strawberry plants. If you have limited space, adjust for whatever is the best fit for your garden space. You can also cut the gutters to a shorter length. Putting caps on the end prevents water running out and taking dirt with it.
Supplies (for each row)
- 2 – 4”x4”x8’ wood posts
- 4 – 2”x4”x10’ wood slats
- 4 – 10’ rain gutters (use the vinyl round gutters)
- 1” thick elbow or L brackets
- 1” long wood screws
- Dirt
- Strawberry Plans
- Screw driver
- Pencil
- 2 bags of instant concrete mix
- Boiled linseed oil
Directions
- Paint your wood with boiled linseed oil to help protect it from all the harsh weather. Prep the area, level your area the best you can and clear out any plants. Dig two holes about 2 feet down for the posts. Make sure you watch for sprinkler lines! I completely snapped one of mine and had to spend an extra two hours repairing it.
- Make a mark 2 feet up on the 4×4 wood posts; this 2 foot section will be in the ground. It will still work if the posts don’t go down the whole 2 feet, but it is better to have them level. Mark on the 4×4 posts where the gutters will go. It’s recommended to put the first one about 15 inches up and keep about 15 inches between each L bracket.
- Screw in the L brackets on the marked posts. Lay the posts down and put in the wood slats screwing them into the L brackets.
- Now get some help and carefully pick up each post and place them in the holes. Each hole needs one bag of concrete, lift a post slightly up to make them level and level each way. Get a leveler and make sure that your posts are level each way before the concrete sets.
- Soak the concrete: get a hose and soak the concrete and let it settle then soak it again. Check and make sure posts are still level before concrete sets. It is best to let this sit overnight just, so it is settled and not going to get pulled down when you’re putting in the gutters.
- Grab your rain gutters and place them along the slats and screw them through the bottom into the wood slats about 3-4 times. On the sides of the gutters screw a few holes, so there’s some drainage holes, don’t put a lot – only 3 should be just fine.
- Place your strawberries in and spread apart, then fill in with dirt.
- Water! Most people follow the same approach as gardens. However, water these Vertical Strawberries every other day, especially when it is hot outside.
- Recommendations: put some blocks under the Vertical Strawberries, like landscape fabric or something that looks a little nicer.
FAQ
Although strawberries are typically grown horizontally in rows on the ground, that doesn’t mean you can’t switch up their position. Vertical growing can be perfect for those with limited space. You can create tall structures, allowing the strawberry plants to grow out parallel to the ground.
The best pots for strawberries are those which are urn-shaped, punctuated with holes down the sides in variable areas. Even though the holes make the pot look like dirt, water or even the plant may fall out of them, these pots are perfect for growing strawberries in containers.
Planting strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) in hanging baskets has several advantages over in-ground cultivation. Baskets take up less space, provide better air circulation and guard against soil-borne diseases. If deer or other animals nibble on your berry crop, these containers will remove it from their reach.
How should strawberries be watered and fertilized? Watering. Strawberry plants need regular water to thrive, especially during fruit bearing season, when they need an average of 1-2 inches of water daily. The best way to water strawberries is to use drip or soaker hose placed at least two inches away from the plant.
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