15 clever ideas where to plant strawberries

Fresh strawberries from their own garden are particularly tasty and aromatic. If you want to harvest your own strawberries in the summer, you should start planting them in the spring. The best time for planting strawberries is late April to mid-June. The main season for harvesting is then between the beginning of May and the end of July. Strawberries are easy to grow and will grow just about anywhere as long as they get a nutrient rich soil and a sunny spot. Whether in the garden or in tubs, on the balcony or windowsill, in this article we’ll show you some of the best ideas for growing strawberries in a space-saving way.

The advantages of our planting ideas for strawberries

If you do not have space in the garden or on the balcony, you can try growing strawberries vertically. Pyramids, towers and tubes with strawberries take up very little space and easily fit on any small balcony or terrace.

Another advantage of growing strawberries in a pot or some sort of raised bed is that the ripening fruit is not in contact with the ground and is therefore protected from dirt, rot, disease and slugs. You can also give your plants exactly the conditions they love by, for example, placing the planter or raised bed in the sunniest location to encourage ideal growth.

No matter which strawberry planting idea you choose, it’s important to note that you should water your plants regularly to keep them hydrated. It’s also important to enrich the soil with a potash fertilizer weekly during the growing season to ensure a good harvest. You can read more about caring for strawberries in our guide .

Planting strawberries in a pot

Strawberries grow well even in a pot, just make sure it’s not too small so the plants can develop properly. How much space do strawberries need in a pot? Each strawberry plant usually needs about 25-30 cc of substrate. For example, in a pot with dimensions 25 cm x 25 cm, you can put a maximum of 3 seedlings (seedlings). The disadvantage of this method of cultivation is that it gives a small yield. So for a larger yield you need several pots.

Terracotta pots are ideal for growing strawberries, because they retain heat from the sun’s rays longer. They are also heavier than other materials, which makes them perfect for an unprotected terrace or garden steps. Just make sure that the soil in terracotta pots and tubs dries out faster. Plastic pots are lighter, but they are impervious to water and can cause waterlogging.

Make your own potting tower

To grow a lot of strawberries in the smallest possible area, you can also build a potting tower. It is perfect for the terrace and balcony. You simply need several pots of different sizes, which you then fill with soil and stack to form a tower. The plants are then inserted at the free edges of the pots and on top.

This hanging basket with coconut inserts is also an interesting alternative

Plant strawberries in balcony boxes

Strawberries can also be planted in the window box. Thanks to its compact shape, it is perfect for a windowsill or a balcony. Again, it is important that the strawberry plants have enough space. For example, in a balcony box with dimensions 60 cm x 15 cm x 18 cm, you can plant 4 seedlings. For larger yields, you should again plant several balcony boxes with strawberries.

Plant strawberries in hanging baskets

If you want to grow hanging strawberries, it is best to use a hanging basket. In this way, the sweet fruits will also be well protected from snails. You can plant up to 6 strawberry seedlings in a hanging basket with a diameter of 40 cm. The strawberries in the hanging basket need regular watering and fertilizing, as the nutrient supply in the limited substrate usually runs out quite quickly.

Planting strawberries in the tube

Strawberry columns made of PVC pipes have been very popular for several years. The tubes can be placed vertically or horizontally. For instructions on how to build a strawberry tube, as well as tips on the best strawberry varieties, see our article ” Planting strawberries in a tube “.

Plant strawberries in a bucket

A 20-liter plastic bucket is another interesting and inexpensive solution for growing strawberries. It is advisable not to remove the handle of the bucket, so you can move your “mini-garden” more easily. This way, after harvest time, you can put the strawberries in the garage or garden shed to get them safely through the winter. It also makes it easier to rotate the bucket so the plants get even sunlight all around.

Build a strawberry tower from buckets

Want to achieve high yields while taking up little space? Then build a strawberry tower from plastic buckets. With this growing method, you can grow many seedlings in a small area. How to build a strawberry tower yourself, we show in this article.

Plant strawberries in the plastic barrel

Instead of building a tower of plastic buckets, you can simply use a plastic barrel with a larger capacity. However, since this can become quite heavy after planting, a trivet with wheels would be very helpful. With it, you can move the barrel more easily.

Plant strawberries in a wooden barrel

If you have an old whiskey or wine barrel that you no longer use, don’t throw it away. Instead, turn it into a strawberry tower for your garden. Not only is it practical, but it will enhance any cottage garden with its rustic vintage look.

Strawberry tower made from fruit and vegetable crates.

You can also use empty plastic fruit and vegetable crates for a DIY strawberry tower. These are great for this project because they are very sturdy and already have large holes in the walls. This ensures optimal air circulation and saves you the hassle of cutting them out by hand.

Plant strawberries in the laundry basket.

And here is another simple and inexpensive planting idea for strawberries. There are laundry baskets with holes on the market that can easily be turned into a strawberry tower. Put a potato sack inside, fill it with soil, poke holes in the jute bag with scissors and plant strawberries in the holes. On top, you can plant flowers to make the strawberry tower a real eye-catcher.

Make your own strawberry columns from wire mesh

If you’re looking for a sustainable solution without plastic, these standing strawberry columns made from wire mesh would be right up your alley. You decide how tall and how wide you want your cylinders to be. To line the inside of the tower, you can use fleece, coconut fiber mats, or even straw. By the way, what all you can grow on straw, you can learn from this article .

Strawberry pyramid made of wood

Strawberry pyramid is an original alternative to classic raised beds made of wood. The construction is not difficult to replicate, but requires some craftsmanship. When cutting the boards, you need to work accurately. How to build a strawberry pyramid yourself, you will learn in this article !

Strawberry pyramid or column from car tires.

If you are a fan of cool upcycling ideas for the garden, you can build a pyramid from car tires. To do this, you simply need old tires of different sizes, stacked on top of each other and then planted. At the very top in the middle is usually placed a pot.

Car tires of the same size can also be used to build quite tall strawberry towers. It is important to put a perforated PVC pipe in the middle of the column, so that the irrigation is more effective. The strawberries feel especially comfortable here because the car tires keep them nice and warm. For more garden ideas using old car tires, check out this article.

Grow strawberries in wooden pallets

Wooden pallets are sturdy, cheap and very versatile. In addition to patio furniture, swings and privacy screens, the self-made raised beds from pallets are also very popular nowadays. You can find building instructions for a vertical raised bed made of pallets in our article ” Building a raised bed from pallets: For strawberries, vegetables and co.