Allotments 4 All
News:
Picture posting is enabled for all :)
Home
Forum
Help
Search
Calendar
Gallery
Chat
Login
Register
Allotments 4 All
»
Allotment Stuff
»
The Basics
(Moderator:
Admin aka Dan
) »
Topic:
Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
« previous
next »
Print
Pages: [
1
]
Author
Topic: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!! (Read 3869 times)
Jokerman
Half Acre
Posts: 203
Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
on:
November 03, 2008, 19:12:59 »
Hi,
I'm thinking of growing some strawberry's in a barrel (the blue plastic ones that most people have holding water). I may fill with compost/rotted manure/topsoil and make holes on the sides and plant the strawberry plants into them. The barrel is approx 4foot tall with 2 foot wide. Anyone tried this or got any advice?
:) ;) :D ;D >:( :( :o 8) ??? ::) :P :-[ :-X :-\ :-* :'( :'( :-* :-\ :-X :-[ :P ;D ::) ??? 8) :o :( >:( ;D :D ;) :) :-[ :-* ;)
Logged
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ~ Tolkien
Robert_Brenchley
Hectare
Posts: 15,593
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #1 on:
November 03, 2008, 19:38:55 »
Strawberries aren't deep-rooted, so the majority of that compost would go to waste.
Logged
Birmingham UK
http://thisandthat-robert.blogspot.com/
manicscousers
Hectare
Posts: 16,474
www.golborne-allotments.co.uk
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #2 on:
November 03, 2008, 19:40:33 »
if the holes are in the sides, put a piece of drain pipe with holes in right down the middle, it will ensure the water goes all the way through to the strawberries :)
Logged
betula
Hectare
Posts: 5,839
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #3 on:
November 03, 2008, 19:43:47 »
That is a good idea!
Logged
Jokerman
Half Acre
Posts: 203
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #4 on:
November 03, 2008, 20:06:06 »
Thanks.... so place the pipe in the centre of the barrel and fill with water, so the water will seep through evenly to the plants...? Should I place drainage holes in the barrel bottom? Also how far apart should I put the plants? (",)
Logged
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ~ Tolkien
betula
Hectare
Posts: 5,839
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #5 on:
November 03, 2008, 20:18:33 »
Always need drainage holes in containers.
Logged
Sparkly
Hectare
Posts: 1,572
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #6 on:
November 03, 2008, 20:41:47 »
We have a proper strawberry barrel like this. It is a similar size to the blue barrels with holes around the outside. We also put a drainage pipe down the centre. I was actually a bit dissappointed with the results, but think that this was really due to not enough light rather than the barrel... Am planning to give ours away and put a strawberry bed back in the plot.
Logged
lottie lou
Hectare
Posts: 1,620
Birmingham
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #7 on:
November 03, 2008, 21:16:30 »
I am thinking of trying the african grow bag method using a black plastic compost bag. you put stones down the middle of the bag and surround with compost/manure etc. Don't know if it works but then you would save a good water barrel.
Logged
Buster54
Acre
Posts: 339
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #8 on:
November 04, 2008, 09:14:21 »
I'm gonna try half a dozen 165x13s around a scaffold pole ;D
Logged
I'm not the Messiah - I'm a very naughty boy."
tomatoada
Hectare
Posts: 1,621
south birmingham
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #9 on:
November 04, 2008, 09:34:23 »
I tried this for several years because my grandson drilled the holes in a blue barrel just as you described and I was keen for it to work. I tried a pipe with small holes in down the middle and also smaller pipes along side the plants and sticking out so I could pore water down them. I was always disappointed. When I removed the compost it was always too dry. I have such excellent results in the ground. I was going to make big holes in the bottom and stand the barrel in water, but we moved and I gave up. I think once the compost has dried out it is difficult to get it wet again. Best of luck.
Logged
Susiebelle
Hectare
Posts: 670
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #10 on:
November 04, 2008, 10:14:13 »
I use this method, but what I learned from experience is that you must put a "cork" in the bottom of the centre pipe for watering otherwise the water pressure will just send the water straight out the bottom rather than give it time to seep through the holes. Once I had sussed that out its really good. I also use this same method for flowers - lewisa that need to be planted on their sides, I have planted some in a strawberry pot with great success.
I would agree with Robert-Brenchley and think a blue barrel sounds very wasteful of compost, could grow something long rooted in the centre - what about fabulous prize winning parsnips! not sure whether soil requirements are similar :-\ need to wait on an expert to come along for that one!
Logged
Jokerman
Half Acre
Posts: 203
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #11 on:
November 04, 2008, 20:42:32 »
Am def gonna give it a try... don't wanna give a whole bed to strawberry's 'cos my plots not the largest. Thanks for all you advice, and any other point of view would be more than welcome.
;D :D ;D :D
Logged
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ~ Tolkien
nilly71
Hectare
Posts: 1,305
Romford,Essex
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #12 on:
November 04, 2008, 21:14:48 »
Would it work better by filling the centre pipe with gravel (10mm) then filling with water?
Neil
Logged
Jokerman
Half Acre
Posts: 203
Re: Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
«
Reply #13 on:
November 07, 2008, 18:37:36 »
Is that so you don't need as much water to fill it? ??? ???
Logged
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” ~ Tolkien
Print
Pages: [
1
]
« previous
next »
Allotments 4 All
»
Allotment Stuff
»
The Basics
(Moderator:
Admin aka Dan
) »
Topic:
Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!
anything
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal