Growing Strawberries in Planter Boxes

Why Grow Strawberries in Planters?

Strawberries grow exceptionally well in planters and pots, making them an ideal choice for container gardening. Here's why:

• Space Efficiency: Strawberry planters are perfect for small spaces. They fit on balconies, patios, or windowsills, making them accessible for gardeners without a large yard.
• Pest Control: Growing strawberries in pots keeps them elevated, reducing the risk of pests like slugs and snails.
• Portability: You can move potted strawberry plants to follow the sun or protect them during harsh weather.
• Season Extension: Planting boxes keep your strawberries healthy year-round, including during colder months. Just think -- you can enjoy their sweet flavor throughout the year. And without a trek to the grocery store!

The Best Strawberries for Pots

When selecting strawberries for your planter, choosing a variety that matches your gardening goals is essential. Here are the three main types of strawberry plants:

Day-Neutral Strawberries

They produce fruit continuously throughout the growing season, regardless of day length. Day-neutral berries are perfect for smaller strawberry planters as they don't grow as large as June-bearing varieties.

• Examples: Albion, Seascape

Everbearing Strawberries

These varieties produce two to three smaller harvests each year. So, you can expect consistent harvesting throughout spring, summer, and fall.

• Examples: Quinault, Ozark Beauty

June-Bearing Strawberries

As the name implies, you can expect a single, large crop in early summer. Gardeners use this variety for one significant harvest, perfect for making jams or freezing.

• Examples: Honeoye, Chandler

What's the Best Strawberry Container?

When choosing a gardening container, prioritize depth and drainage to ensure your strawberries grow well and produce fruit.

Strawberries have relatively shallow roots, but the planter box needs enough depth for proper root growth and moisture retention.

Whatever material you select for your strawberry planter should be at least 8–12 inches deep. Strawberry plants have shallow roots but still require ample room to spread and absorb nutrients. Hanging baskets, grow bags, and traditional pots are all suitable if they meet this requirement.

Hanging baskets are a popular choice. They save space, provide excellent drainage, and allow strawberries to cascade over the sides for easy picking.

Self-Watering Planters Save Time and Effort

Ask most gardeners, especially newbies, what their biggest concern is, and they'll tell you watering. Too much water risks waterlogging plant roots, suffocating them, and killing your plants, while too little water strips them of their most essential resource for growth.

So, to grow strawberry plants and eliminate the concern, consider a self-watering planter box like those from EarthBox. The planters include a reservoir at their base with an included fill tube. All you have to do is keep that reservoir full of water—the plants do the rest!

Plant roots access water as needed through capillary action. Plants draw water from the bottom of the reservoir through the potting media to their roots like a sponge. Self-watering garden boxes are a green thumb's best ally.

Drainage is Essential

The other caveat for any strawberry planter besides container depth is drainage. Indeed, that's a cardinal rule for any plant you want to grow.

Virtually every plant, strawberries included, requires well-drained soil to thrive. Without proper drainage, the roots may rot, leading to unhealthy plants. Even worse, your plants will die.

Will Strawberries Come Back Every Year in a Planter?

Strawberries are perennial plants that can grow and produce fruit for multiple years. So yes, they will come back yearly, even when grown in a planter box. However, they require proper care.

Overwintering is critical for potted strawberries. Protect the plants by insulating the pots with burlap or bubble wrap or moving them to a sheltered location. Another option is to bring plants indoors, where you can extend the growing season for year-round production.

Strawberry plants may decline productivity after two to three years. At this point, consider replacing older plants with fresh runners or new varieties.

How to Plant Strawberries in Pots

Follow these simple steps to start your strawberries planting journey:

Prepare Your Potting Mix

Apart from water, your soil selection is another essential ingredient when growing strawberries in planters.

Use high-quality, well-draining potting soil. Don't skimp on soil amendments. Mix a few inches of compost into the soil before planting. You can add a slow-release fertilizer to provide nutrients throughout the growing season.

The best soil to grow strawberries is slightly acidic, with a pH of 5.5-6.8. You can lower soil pH using Lime or Calcium Carbonate. Luckily, you also have natural items at your disposal. They include pine needles, wood chips, wood ashes, coffee grounds, and lemon peels.

Finally, strawberries are heavy feeders. Add fertilizer monthly with a good ratio of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) but less nitrogen (N).

Plant Your Strawberries

Fill your pot with potting mix, leaving about 1–2 inches of space at the top. Then plant your strawberries so the crown (where leaves meet the roots) sits just above the soil.

Strawberry plants can easily overcrowd, so allow good spacing between them. Keep the plants at least 12 inches apart to allow ample room for growth.

Position Your Strawberry Planter

Place the pot in an area that receives full sun for at least 6–8 hours daily. Otherwise, your harvest will suffer. If your area lacks that amount of sunlight, you can look for shade-loving varieties.

Despite their sun-loving nature, strawberry plants can get too much sun. Signs include bleached or crisped leaves. So, rotate your pots occasionally to ensure even sunlight exposure.

5 Tips for Caring for Potted Strawberry Plants

To ensure strawberries grow strong and produce fruit, regular care is essential. Here are five tips for healthy plants:

1. Watering: Strawberry plants require frequent watering every three to five days. Their shallow roots can dry quickly, especially in heat or with dry, windy conditions.
   Check the soil daily. Water when the top inch of the potting mix feels dry. In hot weather, pots may need watering twice a day. As mentioned, self-watering planters can remove the guesswork.
2. Mulching: Add a layer of mulch, such as straw, pine needles, or shredded leaves, to the top of the soil in your planter. Mulching helps retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and keep weeds at bay. It also prevents soil from splashing onto the fruit during watering, keeping the berries clean and reducing the risk of rot or disease.
3. Fertilizing: Use a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 3–4 weeks to encourage growth and fruiting. Again, avoid nitrogen-heavy mixes, favoring those higher in P and K.
4. Pruning: Remove runners (long stems that grow from the plant) to focus energy on producing fruit.
5. Pests: Watch for common pests like aphids or spider mites. Elevating your pots or hanging baskets helps deter many pests.

Harvesting Your Container Strawberries

The best part of growing strawberries is enjoying the harvest!

Pick strawberries when they are entirely red, shiny, and slightly soft. Strawberries won't ripen after picking, so avoid berries with white or green caps. Regularly harvesting ripe fruit encourages plants to produce more strawberries.

Early morning is best for harvesting as the berries are cooler and less susceptible to damage. When harvesting, grasp the stem slightly above the berry, then pull and twist.

Strawberries are delicate and bruise easily, so be careful when harvesting. Be gentle with the berries, and don't overfill your container. Bruising causes the fruit to degrade more quickly.

EarthBox - Your Smart Choice for Container Gardening

Growing strawberries in pots is an easy and rewarding way to enjoy fresh fruit at home. You can help ensure your success by using EarthBox planter boxes. Their gardening containers have undergone rigorous lab testing to ensure success.

You can also take advantage of its top-rated planter box kit. It includes everything you need to start:

• Strawberry planter
• Aeration screen
• Waterfill tube
• Mulch cover
• Dolomite lime
• Fertilizer
• Casters

All you need is a quality potting mix and your favorite strawberry varieties. For $64, you'll have all the essentials to enjoy fresh strawberries from home.

EarthBox is your green thumb for container gardening.