Growing strawberries vertically

Garden lovers always try not only to grow delicious fruits on their site, but also to decorate it. Some ideas can save a lot of space. For example, growing strawberries requires a fairly large area. But experienced gardeners know how to cope with this task so that they get a good harvest and not take up too much space. Thus, you can make room for other crops or arrange a beautiful flower bed. Such a unique way is the vertical cultivation of strawberries.

Features of vertical cultivation

This method is gaining more and more popularity every year. At first glance, it may seem that such a technology requires too much effort and expense. However, it has a huge number of advantages:

• saving space on the site;
• berries do not rot due to touching wet ground during rains and do not get dirty;
• many pests simply cannot get to the strawberry bushes;
• no need to constantly remove weeds. Their seeds do not fall into containers, which greatly facilitates the care of berries;
• fertilizers are evenly distributed through the pipes. Feeding becomes more effective;
• to pick berries, you do not need to bend over and look for them under the bushes;
• vertical beds also perform a decorative function, decorating the summer cottage.

Nothing is perfect, so right after the advantages, let’s look at some of the disadvantages of this method:

1. Such beds should be watered much more often. The sun easily penetrates strawberry containers, causing the soil to dry out very quickly.
2. The soil in such containers is not filled with nutrients in a natural way. Without regular fertilizing, it will not be possible to grow a good crop of strawberries.
3. Cold also easily penetrates vertical beds. You will have to take care of a warm shelter for the winter period or transfer them to a warm room.

Varieties of strawberries for vertical cultivation

For vertical cultivation of strawberries, you should choose ampelous or remontant strawberries. Such strawberries not only have high yields, but also decorate the garden beds.

Koroleva Elizabeth

It is one of the most popular varieties for vertical cultivation. Fruits from these bushes can be harvested from the beginning of June until October. Queen Elizabeth has beautiful large berries of the correct form. They are very juicy and dense. During the season, up to 1,5–2 kg of strawberries can be harvested from a bush. The variety quickly adapts to new conditions, undemanding to care, resistant to many diseases.

Alba

Curly early variety. Alba tolerates frost well in winter. It has elongated red berries with a pleasant sweet taste. Strawberries tolerate transportation well and can be stored for a long time. From 1 Alba bush, you can collect at least a kilogram of fruit.

homemade delicacy

An excellent remontant strawberry variety. It has red berries with a dark tint. They are pleasant in taste, with a slight sourness. Each fruit reaches up to 2,5–3 cm in diameter. Beautiful long peduncles are located on the bush, thanks to which the variety looks very aesthetically pleasing.

Of course, it will be difficult to list all varieties of strawberries for vertical beds, since there are a lot of them. Lovers of sweet strawberries will like the Honey variety. More fruitful berries include the Moscow delicacy and Finland. Eros boasts frost resistance, and Geneva and Aluba are the most disease-resistant.

Types of vertical beds

You can make beds for vertically growing strawberries with your own hands from ordinary improvised materials. For example, any barrels, flower pots, tires, slates, wooden and plastic boxes, pipes, and even plastic bags are suitable for this purpose.

Tire beds are not only practical, but also very hardy. They can stand on your site for many years without losing their attractive appearance. To build such a bed, it is necessary to fold the prepared tires on top of each other. Then holes are made in them. Some gardeners are against this method of planting, as the tires are made of toxic material and can be hazardous to human health.

Planting strawberries in flower pots looks very beautiful. Most importantly, such containers are easy to carry, and you can change their place and method of placement every year. Some hang these containers from special supports or branches. They can also decorate a gazebo or balcony.

But the most economical vertical way of planting strawberries is in plastic bottles. Prepared containers are mounted on poles or a grid. Unfortunately, this method also has some disadvantages. Bottle volumes can be too small, making it difficult to control the amount of water and fertilizer during top dressing.

Very beautiful beds can be obtained using barrels. Many gardeners paint them in various bright colors. The disadvantage is that it is quite difficult to move such containers. Strawberries cannot be moved to a warm place, so you will have to take care of a warm shelter for the winter.

Vertical cultivation of strawberries in poles

Unlike previous methods, growing strawberries in pipes has much fewer drawbacks. Most gardeners prefer this method. Such a bed can be built with your own hands from PVC pipes. This design usually has a height of no more than 2 meters. This is the optimal height, which allows you to water and pick berries without unnecessary devices.

The construction of such a vertical bed is carried out in the following way:

1. It is necessary to prepare the main pipes, the diameter of which is about 200 mm, as well as smaller pipes (20 mm) for irrigation. The length of the smaller pipe should be 15 cm longer than the main one.
2. A thin pipe is conditionally divided into 3 parts. I make small holes in the upper two parts, and leave the lower part untouched. The diameter of the holes should be no more than 0,5 cm. The liquid will not wash out the soil from the pipe if the pipe is wrapped in burlap from the outside. Then you should wrap the pipe with a rope.
3. Now proceed to making holes in the pipe. They are placed in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of about 25 cm from each other, as shown in the photo. Each hole should be at least 10 cm in diameter. Such sizes are quite enough for the normal growth and development of strawberries.
4. No holes need to be made at a distance of 25 cm from the bottom of the pipe. It would be good to leave one side of the pipe without holes, it should be turned in a northerly direction. The bottom of the pipe must be closed with a cap. Thus, it will be easier to transfer the structure for the winter.
5. Then a watering pipe is placed in the main pipe. Gravel, expanded clay or pebbles fall asleep at the bottom. Their height should be no more than 20 cm. This material will hold the pipe in strong winds.
6. After that, the prepared soil is poured into the pipe. For its preparation, soddy soil (50%), peat (50%), compost (30%) and cow dung (20%) are mixed. After the soil has been covered, it should be thoroughly watered with a hose. The soil will settle a little, and you can add a little more.
7. Now it’s time to plant the strawberries themselves in the holes.

Vertical garden care

The first step is to decide on the location of the beds. Remember that strawberries love sunny areas. Also, the location of the beds should not be in the wind. Growing strawberries in vertical beds requires frequent watering. This is especially important in hot weather.

After 2 weeks after planting, the bushes should take root well, after which you can reduce the amount of watering. The first flower stalks should be removed. Up to 5 mustaches are left on the bush, the rest are torn off. In the second year, it is customary to fertilize strawberries so that yields do not fall. For this, mineral and organic solutions are used. In autumn, all old leaves and flower stalks are cut from the bushes.

Every 3 years, strawberries from vertical beds should be transplanted. Some, instead of replacing the bushes themselves, simply change the soil in a pipe or container. For the winter, the beds are best moved to a suitable warm room. But, you can leave it on the street, covering it with a special material. To do this, use hay, slate, leaves and burlap. Pipe beds are laid vertically to the ground and well covered.

Conclusion

Growing strawberries vertically can seem like a daunting task. But, as we can see from the article, this is not only an excellent method of growing, but also an exciting activity. Growing strawberries in a greenhouse and in the open field requires a large plot of land. Vertical beds can be placed even in the smallest yard. They are easy to build with your own hands.