Planting Strawberries in Hanging Baskets
Strawberry season is officially here for us in the South!
We've grown strawberries in the past in our raised bed, but had to do some rearranging this year and need that space for other veggies. Of course, we still want our strawberries, so we're gonna give hanging a planters a try. This will free up our raised bed space, we can move them around if necessary, and it will still give them good space to grow. Plus, strawberries tend to be good spillers. They don't have a large root bed and typically work well in containers. We are going to work with what we know about container planting and try them out in our hanging baskets. This will also be an easier space to add new plants to once the strawberry growing season is over in just a few short months.
Here are some tips for planting strawberries in hanging baskets if you want to give it a try yourself!
Growing Strawberries in Hanging Baskets
Growing strawberries in hanging baskets is a fantastic way to enjoy fresh, juicy berries, even if you're short on gardening space. Whether you hang them on your balcony, patio, or in your backyard, these baskets not only save space but also add a fun touch to your outdoor decor that is both pretty and functional.
A hanging basket for fruit?
Most think flowers and greenery for hanging baskets, but why not take it a step further and use it for growing something you can use such as herbs or strawberries?! This will be our first year giving it a go, so we will definitely come back with an update in the post season, but our decision to give it try was based on some of these factors below:
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Save some space! This is a great choice if you have a limited space to garden.
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Pest Control: Keeps your plants away from ground-dwelling pests.
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Good Drainage: Hanging baskets provide excellent drainage, preventing waterlogging.
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Aesthetic Appeal: Adds a decorative element to your garden or home exterior. These hanging baskets are not only functional but still look great as well!
What type of basket should you use?
Choosing the right hanging basket is crucial for the success of your strawberry plants. Consider these factors when choosing your basket.
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Size is important. Opt for a basket that is at least 12 inches in diameter to accommodate multiple plants. This will give you the opportunity to have greater fruit production and full filler foliage.
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Does material matter? You will want to choose a basket made of materials that provide good drainage, such as coco coir, moss, or plastic with drainage holes. The baskets we have used here are coco coir like these found at Lowe's, or these on Amazon if you don't have a hardware store nearby, but any will work as long as you can fill with soil and water.
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Where will you hang them? Ensure the basket has a sturdy chain or hook to support the weight when filled with soil and plants. Hanging baskets work well on porches but can also be anywhere in your yard using Sheperds Hooks. Shepherds hooks are perfect for being able to move your plants to any area of your yard where they will avoid pests and get adequate water and sunlight.
Time to plant!
Prepare the Soil
Strawberries thrive in well-draining soil. Use a high-quality, organic potting mix that retains moisture but doesn't become waterlogged. You can also mix in some perlite or vermiculite to enhance drainage.
Plant the Strawberries
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Fill the Basket: Add potting mix to the basket, leaving a few inches at the top.
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Plant the Strawberries: Place the strawberry plants in the basket, spacing them about 6 inches apart. Ensure the crown of each plant is level with the soil surface and not below it, in fact the plant should be slightly above the soil for the water to runoff instead of drown the plant.
- Fertilize: This time we sprinkled Berry-tone fertilizer across the full top area of the soil after planting to enhance growing from the start. I was not able to find this at the big-box stores in my area, but was glad to see it in stock at my local Ace Hardware. It also seems you can find it online, but may need to buy multiple bags, which isn't really necessary for such a small space unless you plan to plant multiple baskets or more berries elsewhere! We are planning to use larger containers for blueberries soon as well!
- Water Thoroughly: Lastly, be sure to water the basket thoroughly to help settle the soil around the roots. Water twice a day for the first few weeks, keeping the soil moist but not soaked. If your hanging basket is near a drip system in your yard, you can add in small drip tube to facilitate your watering schedule. Otherwise, simply using a watering can morning and night will work just fine!
Growing + Picking
Once you have planted your berries, hang your planter in your place of choice -- follow the guidelines on the particular berries you decide to plant, but generally you will want to make sure they are getting 6-8 hours of direct sun each day. If you are in a super hot climate, keeping the soil moist will be essential as well.
Strawberries do not continue to ripen after picking, so you will want to pick them once they are firm and have turned fully red in color with no yellow or green spots.
Try it yourself!
Whether you're planting in the ground, a raised bed, container - or like us this year - a hanging basket, much of your supplies will be the same. Linked below are the items we used thus far to start our hanging basket berries off right!
Supplies:
Water!
Strawberries are full of flavor and Vitamin C! Let us know if you plant strawberries each year, have ever used hanging baskets to do so, or are like us and are trying something new this year! We'll see how it goes and let you know!