What do you recommend for this "strawberry" pot?

[PunkRotten]

Hi,

I have one of those "strawberry" terra cotta pots. I had strawberries in it but it is not working out so well and I am gonna make a bed for the strawberries instead. I'd like to do something with this pot. The pot says 18 inch (depth). Any suggestions?

[DoubleDogFarm]

Hang it by a chain as a huge bird feeder.

Eric

[applestar]

I haven't had much success growing strawberries in my trawberry jar either. Mostly because strawberries don't survive the winter here in containers. I *could* grow strawberries as an annual, if I can find a suitably prolific everbearing variety.

The trouble is that the container can't be watered to distribute moisture evenly, and it dries out too easiy. I've tried the perforated pipe or hardware cloth tube filed with gravel "waterer" but those didn't work for me.

I've heard that it performs a little better if you waterproof the inside by coating with some kind of sealer. But since I can't bring myself to use any kind of paint, concrete sealer, etc. I have been trying different drought tolerant. herbs.

So far, the oregano is going nuts at the top opening, draping down and obscuring the top two tiers of side openings.... I'm pretty sure I tried thyme in the side openings, but they didn't make it through the summer drought... Or they were overcome by the oregano.

One other "modification" I've heard about but haven't tried is to put one of those "turn any container into a self-watering container!" inserts in it.

[PunkRotten]

Would the oregano utilize the depth or are they sort of shallow rooted? I may just grow oregano through the top. You got a pick of yours by chance? I wonder what I could grow in the side opening if I go this route.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Does it have to be edible?

How about succulents. Bring it into the house and grow cacti

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbhmzsHiydI

Eric

[PunkRotten]

That is really a great idea. They don't mind being cramped?

[rainbowgardener]

I was thinking herbs too. I think the issue would be that water drains down, so I would expect it to stay wetter towards the bottom. Think of it like an herb spiral, where the more moisture loving herbs are planted at the bottom of the spiral.

So plant oregano (or rosemary) in the top opening, thyme or coriander in the middle ones, and parsley, mint, watercress in the bottom ones.

But note, this is all theory, I haven't tried it. Sounds like fun though! If I remember, maybe I will try it next year.

[Green Mantis]

I really like DDF's idea, with the drain pipe down through the middle.

I wonder if Wild strawberries, ( the really small ones) would grow in one of those pots, with the watering drain pipe down the middle?

Those little strawberries are Sooo good.

Really like the cactus idea, but only if I had a sunroom, where I am.

Herbs might not be a bad idea either.

I had one of those pots, but it got broken in a move, never had any success with it either.

After looking at this, I just might try again.

Question though???? Would little strawberries stay alive out in a cold area like were I am???

Would it be ok in a very sheltered spot? Or have to bring inside?

Would the pot be too cold for the plants? Maybe cover it? Any ideas?

[applestar]

GM, I don't think strawberries would survive the winter. Remember too that these containers are very heavy and very VERY heavy when planted. You'd have to move it to south side of the house AND under cover like porch or deck and maybe wrap with burlap and mulch, and even then I'm not sure in YOUR northern winter. Hmmm.... On the other hand, if it was buried completely in snow for the entire winter, it may have a better chance.

What about something more cold hardy like hmm... Maybe Lowbush blueberry like Tophat or there is another blueberry-like Canadian native -- oh it's Haskap but that may grow too big -- but you might be able to keep them pruned... Or currant. These big plants would be for the top opening.

If ornamental and not human edible is OK, bearberry or crowberry... Think dry cliffside/arctic plateau -- windflower? Is nannyberry a big shrub? I can't remember and I'm afraid if I go to another tab to search, I might lose what I wrote already since I'm on the iPad.

For the bottom row...lingonberry?

OK, I grabbed a catalog. There are some strawberry varieties that are listed as hardy to Zone 3. Theoretically those should make it in containers for my zone, but the big problem is that my winters are dry with only occasional snow that don't last, and very rarely ever as deep as the height of the strawberry jar. So the roots in containers get freeze dried as well as get pulled apart by the frost heaves.

[Green Mantis]

applestar....I think you are definately right. They would freeze in the pot.

Especially when you start putting it out in print.

The little wild strawberries do grow here, but in the ground, not in pots.

So if I try something like those pots again, it will just be for summer flowers.

Would love the cactus in there, but no place to keep it warm enough.

Maybe someday??? Thanks for your opinion though. Much appreciated.

[ReptileAddiction]

My neighbor has one planted with succulents.

[LA47]

I had a smaller strawberry pot, about 18" tall and planted a variety of different hen and chicks in it. In the winter I put it in my unheated green house. It was pretty but the pot only lasted a few years and started flacking away.

[baldwinshere]

I don't want to put a downer on things but the reason strawberries and many other plants don't do well in strawberry pots is because the plants in the centre never get enough water, the pots always loose water through the side holes.

Its a design problem - You put in drainage in the bottom and only the side plants get water and the top always stay dry or you don't put in drainage and the top gets water but the sides become waterlogged.

The key to planting up a strawberry pot is finding something that doesn't require to much water.

Some Succulents will be alright but not all, the same goes for herbs. Just pick plants from warmer climates that had adapted to survive with less water. an exaple of herb would be Fennel and Small Lavender like 'Hidcote' although they get woody. Bedding Geraniums would also survive as they require little water but would need replanting each year.

Hope that helps a little

[kiwifruit]

So strawberries are for the pots rather than the ground? As in pots with a more efficient drainage system? I just moved into a new house not too long ago and the garden looks like it's set up to have something grown in it, and it would feel like a waste if I didn't take advantage of that! There are a few planters in there already that I bought from Garden Larch (top notch company, I cannot fault them!!), can you guys recommend any fruit that is suitable for those?

Any help would be appreciated!

[rainbowgardener]

No, if you read through the thread above, you will see that the consensus is the "strawberry jars" don't actually work very well for growing strawberries. Strawberries do better in the ground and have room to spread that way.

You didn't say how big your planters are. There are dwarf blueberries that do very well in planters. Unless your soil is naturally quite acid, that is a good way to grow them, since they require acid soil. It is a lot easier to acidify the soil in a planter, than the ground where it will constantly be neutralized by the surrounding native soil.

If your planters are large enough you could do a dwarf fruit tree.

Raspberries are good to grow in planters because it helps keep them from taking over your yard, which they tend to do otherwise.

[ReptileAddiction]

I wonder how a strawberry "jar" would work if you watered each plant individually instead of trying to water them all from the top. Has anybody tried this?

[applestar]

FWIW -- mine sits in the middle of a circular bed. This year, I dug a shallow moat/trench/swale and used the dug soil to bury the bottom of the strawberry jar up to the bottom row opening. I mostly watered with handheld hose-end sprayer on shower setting and walked all around or used overhead sprinkler so that the terracotta jar was thoroughly saturated and until the moat was filled with water.

I tried sowing some seeds on the mound surrounding the jar but most of the seeds ran off into the moat and sometimes grew there. Only thing that grew well on the mound were weeds.

[PunkRotten]

I wonder how a strawberry "jar" would work if you watered each plant individually instead of trying to water them all from the top. Has anybody tried this?

I did both, watering from the top as well as each individual plant. I got some strawberries but yield was small. I know they would grow so much better in the ground. Another thing, it is hard to fertilize each individual plant too. I used even liquid fertilizer and still didn't really help the plants.

[sepeters]

i have one of those and my strawberries fried in the summer so i put a beet (which became huge) in the top and threw some wild flower seeds in the small holes. I have been able to grow chives and green onions in the side pockets too, but have also had problems with consistent watering and often forget to rotate the dern thing

[imafan26]

Strawberries are happier in a basket than in a strawberry pot. The pockets sometimes are inconveniently placed. If the pot is going to have a backside, I would not bother to plant any of those pockets. I keep my 6 pocket strawberry pot on a pedestal so the sun hits all sides. I have a 6 inch pot tucked in the top with strawberries. It is easier to water the pot if I can lift the 6 inch pot out.

It will also allow me to change the top. I have lavender, rosemary, pepper, and green onions that are used as interchangeable tops.
I learned not to put mint in the pot because it will take over the whole pot.

I try to put trailing plants like thyme, oregano, marjoram in the upper pockets. The lower pockets have upright plants like onions and parsley.

Big plants take up too much root volume and terra cotta needs to be watered every day.

I made my own pocket pot by using an UTZ cheese ball container, lined with coco fiber and holes cut in the sides for the pockets. It is lighter and doesn't crack when it falls. It is hard to water so I have the removable top. I even had emitters in the pot connected to the drip system and that worked out pretty good.

The smaller herbs do better with the upright wetter herbs on the bottom and trailing drier herbs on top.

The pot made a better decoration indoors. They hold umbrellas by the door and I had one that I put ostrich feathers and dried pampas grass in.

[sepeters]

Against my better judgement, previous experience and suggestions from all the previous posts on this thread, I am going to try my strawberry pot one more time!

I have dormant roots this time, so if I have to grow them as annuals I can harvest right away, since I am thinking they will not survive the summer.

What should I put in the top of the pot? Definitely not a strawberry! The top gets way too dry for that! I would like to plant something that can tolerate full sun and frequent watering, will possibly provide some shade for the pockets and will play nice with strawberries and spinach. A tall order! I was thinking of oregano, since it was suggested before. Will it be ok with strawberries though?

And any suggestions as to the best materials for even watering? I was thinking about maybe some PVC with holes drilled in all around? Or would the water just all drip to the bottom? Maybe just a frozen water bottle in the top?

[imafan26]

I have a few strawberry pots. They are heavy and crack easily but I have had the best success with them planting shallow rooted plants.

The watering tube does work in the pot. So does running drip tubing or a wick through the pot.

I plant thyme and oregano in the top pockets and green onions, parsley and marjorram in the lower pockets.

Instead of planting the top I leave space for a six inch pot which fits right inside. That way I can change the top plant whether it be strawberries, lavender, basil, pepper, or rosemary.

I am able to lift the top pot up to water the planter from a hose.

I do not plant mint in the pockets because it is so invasive, in the end, there is only mint left in the pot.

Mine needs to be watered everyday.


I sometimes don't bother to plant some of the pockets especially when the pot is going up near a wall.