How to Grow Strawberries in a Hanging Basket

What could be more tempting than big, luscious strawberries flowing from a hanging basket, just waiting to be picked? Hung beside the front door, a basket of fresh berries is sure to give your visitors a warm welcome. Tucked away in the backyard, these delicious strawberries are easy to grow and even easier to pick.

Things You'll Need

• Hanging basket
• Peat moss
• Vermiculite
• Perlite
• Water-soluble fertilizer
• 6 strawberry plants

Instructions

1. Purchase an 8- to 12-inch hanging basket. Wire baskets lined with coco fiber make delightful containers for growing strawberries, but any hanging pot that allows for good drainage will do fine. Thoroughly soak pots lined with coco fiber or moss before filling with soil mixture.

2. Mix 8 qt. sphagnum peat moss, 1 qt. of perlite and 1 qt. of vermiculite to create a lightweight mixture for a potting medium that allows you to move the plant when needed without worries about the weight. It will also retain more water than many potting soils and will prevent your strawberries from drying out too quickly. Be sure to mix all ingredients well for optimum results.

3. Fill the pot to 2 to 4 inches from the top. Create a hole big enough to accommodate the root ball of the strawberry plants. Spread the roots of your strawberry plants out to encourage new growth. Cover the plant to the original soil level and firm down gently with your hands. Your hanging basket will comfortably hold 6 evenly spaced plants. Strawberry plants have shallow roots and will thrive in this arrangement.

4. Water thoroughly and hang the newly planted basket of strawberries in a sheltered location out of direct afternoon sunlight for a few days while they adapt to their new environment. Gradually move them to a sunny location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, once they have become established in the basket.

5. Check the basket on a daily basis and water if necessary. Keep the soil evenly moist, but not soggy. Apply a water-soluble fertilizer high in phosphorus at a regular 10- to 14-day schedule throughout the growing season.

6. Winter the plants in a sheltered area covered with several inches of hay, or move to a shed or basement that does not freeze. The strawberry plants will be ready to grow again in the spring when warm weather arrives.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish