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The traditional technology involves growing strawberries (garden strawberries) in the beds, however, this method has a number of disadvantages, so gardeners are regularly looking for new methods for cultivating this berry. So, some farmers practice growing strawberries in pots. The technology is relatively new, but already quite popular. It has a number of advantages and features that farmers who first decide to grow strawberries in this way should definitely familiarize themselves with.
Technology advantages
By growing strawberries in pots, you can get a good harvest of berries and a unique decorative element of landscape design. Compared to other cultivation methods, this technology has some advantages:
- the mobility of the structure allows you to move plants from one zone of the site to another, or transfer pots to a shelter for the winter to prevent freezing;
- the convenience of picking berries that hang from the pot and ask to be handed;
- the absence of contact between the berries and the soil prevents their decay and leaves the crop clean, without sandy deposits;
- growing strawberries in pots of remontant varieties of continuous fruiting allows you to harvest all year round, provided that the pots are moved to room conditions;
- the ability to save free space on small plots of land.
Конечно, при всех описанных достоинствах технологию выращивания клубники в горшках назвать идеальной нельзя, поскольку для ее реализации требуются некоторые финансовые затраты. Уход за такими посадками также отличается определенными сложностями.
The best varieties for a pot
For growing in a pot, it is better to use remontant varieties that will repeatedly bloom and form fruits during the season. This will increase the crop yield and provide high decorative planting qualities.
When choosing a strawberry variety for growing in a pot, you should pay attention to the ability to form a mustache. There are special varieties that are deprived of this ability at the gene level, which means that the plants will give all their strength to the ripening of berries. That is why such varieties should be preferred.
Решив вырастить клубнику в горшке нужно отдать предпочтение ремонтантным сортам «Болеро», «Домашний десерт». Известный многим сорт непрерывного плодоношения «Королева Елизавета II» также подходит для выращивания в ограниченном количестве грунта. Высокой декоративностью отличается сорт «Финляндия». Он относится к ампельным, вьющимся сортам. Его особенность состоит в том, что ягоды образуются на протяжении всего вегетативного периода как на самом кусте, так и на его усах. Причем образование и созревание ягод происходит одновременно. Фото такой клубники в горшке можно видеть на фото ниже.
You can learn more about ampelous strawberries from the video:
How to choose the right pot
Having decided to choose a pot for growing strawberries, you should not rely only on its aesthetic appearance. Beauty and design in this case do not matter at all, since most of the pot will be covered with foliage and plant berries. You can choose ordinary flower pots, planters, or oblong plastic containers. You can make a pot yourself, using mayonnaise buckets, cut 5-liter water containers as a base. You can decorate homemade pots by coloring, gluing beads, pebbles, shells.
The volume of the pot may be different, depending on how many strawberry bushes are supposed to be planted in it. At the bottom of the selected container, it is necessary to make drainage holes that will not allow excess moisture to accumulate in the soil. An important role in the drainage system is also played by the drainage layer of expanded clay or broken bricks at the bottom of the landing tank.
Наполнение емкости грунтом
Strawberries are demanding on soil nutrition, and growing a crop in pots requires a limited amount of soil, which is quickly depleted by plant roots. That is why even at the stage of creating a strawberry pot, you need to take care of the nutritional value of the filler. So, the optimal composition of the soil should include a mixture of soddy soil and humus, in a 1: 1 ratio. A couple of spoons of nitroammophoska per 5 liters of soil will also allow you to add some necessary minerals to the soil.
Nutrient soil is poured into the pot over the drainage layer. In the process of growing strawberries, the nutritional value of the soil is periodically increased by applying mineral fertilizers.
plant care
In pots with nutrient soil, you can plant already grown seedlings of strawberries or seeds. The second cultivation method requires a lot of time and care. You can sow seeds in the soil at room conditions in January – February.
To do this, the mustache must be cut off and tightly folded into a rag bag, and then stored in a cool place.
Almost all varieties of strawberries have a high level of resistance to cold, however, it should be borne in mind that pots can be taken outside at night temperatures not lower than 00C. With even slight frosts, the soil in the container can freeze, which will stop the growth of plants or harm them.
Caring for strawberries in pots is very different from caring for plants in the garden. Bushes do not need to be weeded or loosened, which greatly facilitates the care of plantings. At the same time, watering requires special attention. It must be carried out regularly as the soil dries. The amount of water when watering should be moderate, since the closed space of the pot can contribute to root rot.
Fertilizers play an important role in the process of growing strawberries. So, the soil in pots must be periodically saturated with minerals. As a fertilizer, you can use an infusion of manure or wood ash. Also, for feeding strawberries, you can use the Kemira Lux complex fertilizer. Remontant strawberry varieties should be fed in early spring, during flowering and at the end of each fruiting stage. For this, fertilizers are added to the water during irrigation.
It is interesting to know that many industrial plants grow strawberries in containers. This technology is similar to the cultivation of plants in pots. However, its peculiarity lies in the fact that there is no fertile soil in the containers, and expanded clay or special granules are used as a filler. All plant nutrients are obtained from moisture, which is a mixture of water and mineral fertilizers. Moisture is supplied to the strawberry roots regularly in a small amount using drip irrigation. This allows you to grow berries in a short time in large quantities. The lack of soil prevents even the slightest contamination of the berries, which is why you can see beautiful, large, clean fruits on store shelves.
Vertical beds using pots
The technology of creating vertical beds using pots allows you to grow a significant amount of berries on small plots of land. To do this, you need to create a stand, up to 1,5 m high. You can use a board as a material. It is convenient to use self-tapping screws to fix strawberries in flower pots or oblong plastic containers. Also, for growing berries on stands, pipes with holes can be vertically fixed.
Examples of other ways to grow strawberries vertically are shown in the video:
Заменить стенд могут металлические или деревянные опоры, стена здания с южной стороны.
Ideas for creating decorative beds
“Strawberry” pots can decorate absolutely any area. Such a flower bed will be a unique design “highlight” of the existing backyard landscape. Compositions using several pots of different diameters look most interesting. They can be put on top of each other, getting a beautiful high bed.
On sale you can find flower pots of various irregular shapes, which can also be a “bridgehead” for growing strawberries and a unique design element. An example of such a composition can be seen in the photo:
Planting strawberries in a flower pot allows you to enjoy berries and decorate a garden plot or, for example, a veranda. Strawberries of ampelous varieties look great in a hanging planter, the berries of which are abundantly formed on hanging shoots. Remontant strawberry varieties can be hung in pots in a greenhouse. Suspended structures will not interfere with other crops and will please you with a good harvest of delicious berries.
It is convenient to attach strawberry pots to the window sill of the building from the outside. This will make the outdoor decor unique, and at the same time enjoy the berries without leaving home.
Thus, the way to place and combine strawberry pots is limited only by the gardener’s imagination. Mobile structures can be moved from one place on the site to another, following the sun. This will allow the plants to receive the maximum amount of sunlight and heat, which means that the berries will be tied in large numbers and ripen quickly.
Wintering pots
Growing strawberries outdoors in pots allows you to save plants even with the arrival of severe winter frosts. This can be done by hiding the containers in a cool room with a temperature of -1 to -30C. This temperature causes the plants to fall into “hibernation” and wake up safely in the spring with the arrival of heat.
However, as mentioned above, remontant varieties of continuous fruiting can delight with berries all year round. To do this, in late spring, containers with plantings should be placed in room conditions. The growth and fruiting of strawberries in winter is limited only by the lack of light, therefore, in order to obtain a crop in winter, it is necessary to highlight the plants so that the daylight hours are at least 12 hours. Watering and fertilizing strawberries in winter should be carried out regularly.
A unique video about potted strawberry cultivation all year round can be seen here:
Conclusion
It is generally accepted that pots are intended for growing indoor flowers and ornamental crops, however, their scope is much wider. In a container with a limited amount of soil, you can successfully grow tomatoes, cucumbers and, of course, strawberries. The technology of growing strawberries in pots is unique and promising, because it allows not only to grow a rich harvest of berries, but also to decorate the yard, protect plants from winter frosts and provide favorable conditions for them in summer by moving the structure. Growing strawberries in this way is not at all difficult if you take care and remember about regular feeding and watering.