Container Planting Strawberries

These two galvanized tins were recently acquired
from a friend who was discarding them.
Metal is one of my favorite things to plant in,
and I knew that I'd come up with a plan for these.

Having purchased strawberry starts from our local

Cooperative Extension's yearly plant sale,

I decided to make the larger tub into a portable 

strawberry bed.

Not being sure where a permanent bed would end up,

this seemed like a golden opportunity to grow them this year,

and take the rest of the season to figure out a better solution.

Although strawberries savor a good dowsing,

they do not like to remain wet,

so drainage is paramount to their health.

A power drill did the trick quick as a wink.

The starts were laid out,

so that I could see how many I had to plant.

By next year, I hope to have some runners from these first starts,

to give us a continual supply of plants.

Containers are one of the best solutions for growing strawberries,
for several reasons.
First of all, they like a particular pH (between 5.5-7),
so being able to control the amendments to aid in that balance
is a bit easier in a container.
Another reason vessels work well are that they can be watered easily.
Once the water runs out the bottom, you know they've had a good drink.
The pots are also easy to keep weed-free, which this crop prefers.
We planted them so that the crowns are above the soil.

Straw or leaves can be added to retain moisture.
Some worm castings or worm tea will be added
every month after flowers appear.
We hope to harvest a bounty of berries
for fresh eating, jams and smoothies.
Once the season is over,
the plants will be covered with straw or leaves
to help them survive the winter cold.

For more information about the growing and care of strawberry plants,
enjoy this website. 
The Farmers' Almanac is a great go-to guide
for everything gardening.
Get your berries on!