Category Archives: Ways to Plant

Growing Strawberries Using Tires

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If you are like many people who have extra tires laying about, something fun you can try is growing strawberries using tires. Tires can be costly to dispose of, not to mention are difficult to recycle, so finding an alternative use for them is a great way to not only decorate your garden but practice eco-friendly reusing and recycling as well. You can usually get used tires for less than the price of new containers for gardening, so it is cost effective as well.

One of the most important things to know about growing strawberries with tires however is that the tires will attract and hold heat quite a bit, so you’ll want to plant them in a place that does not get too much heat, otherwise they will not grow to their full potential! Strawberries need about 6 hours of sunlight a day, so we recommend placing your garden in a place that gets either early morning or late evening sun. You may wish to paint your tires to help them not attract the heat of the sun.

Now, there’s a few different ways to go about this, but probably the easiest thing is to use them in a stackable tiered planter. We found this video that can show you one way of doing it, using about 6-8 tires and stacking them together to make what resembles a larger scaled pyramid strawberry planter.

You can see exactly as how it was done here, with the tires stacked up making smaller pockets. Once the plants start growing and blooming it can look quite nice. You could also use a non-toxic paint on the outside of the tires to make them nicely colored – we’ve seen everything from your basic white to brightly colored orange, blue, green, red, and purple tires which adds a nice eclectic to feel to any garden and adds to the uniqueness. This will also make them less of a heat target for the sun, so will hopefully help in keeping it cooler as well.

For this style of growing, all you need is a tire and then follow our same directions for Growing Strawberries in Containers. One of the benefits of this method is that you can also take the winter precautions of mulching with straw or pine needles so your plants will last for a few years. Be sure you use a sandy soil mix for the potting soil and be very viligant about watering, since as we mentioned earlier, the tires keep the soil very warm and strawberries actually like very cool temperatures.

One concern that many people have regarding using tires as planting containers is the chemicals in tires and whether or not they would leech into the plant beds and pose any health threats or risks, especially since strawberries are a consumable product. There is relatively little verifiable information on this to give a certain answer on whether or not it is safe to use the tires. Fortunately, we do find this all natural tire to be kind of promising, as it is made with orange oil instead of petroleum and other chemicals. So, if you switch to using all natural tires, then you’ll be able to be a tad more confident in knowing it is safer for plants. We do think however before you discount the use of tires as planters completely you consider that plastic is also made from petroleum, and so is food dye and a number of other preservatives in the foods you eat each and every single day. So if you’re not going to use tires as planters because of the potential leeching, you’d better make sure you’re not eating those same chemicals in your foods! (It is scary when you start reading labels and researching what those ingredients actually are!)

Anyways, we hope you enjoy this one of many creative ideas on our website, and if you complete a project for growing strawberries using tires or have another method you’d like to share, please send us some pictures and your story here!

Growing Strawberries in Hanging Baskets

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If you’ve ever been in any garden store during the spring time, you’ve probably seen one of the many kits for growing strawberries in hanging baskets. While the kits are usually inexpensive, many people struggle with them, because growing from seed is pretty difficult for many people because there are a few strawberry germination tricks you need.

After looking at the many different kits available, the one that seems the most promising is this Strawberry Garden Hanging Basket Kit as it actually comes with plants, not just a few seeds that may or may not grow and will take awhile for you to ever see results. The plants are kept dormant in cold temperatures before being shipped to your door, which means after you plant them and follow the basic care directions for strawberries you’ll have some great looking plants of your own that are ready to bear fruit.

But let’s say you don’t want to use a kit and are ready to grow them from hanging baskets all on your own – well, that’s not really any more difficult either once you know the best way to grow strawberries from a hanging basket.

First things first: you need hanging baskets and a good place to hang them. This may seem obvious, but picking the right container, as well as the right place to hang them, will save you a lot of time and frustration later. If you plan on growing them indoors, see our tips on Growing Strawberries Indoors – if you are planning to grow them outside, then you’ll want to make sure that you choose the sunniest place you can find. Strawberries need at least 6 hours of sunlight each day to grow their best, so the sunnier, the better. Some people will hang them from their porch or deck, others will consider picking up some inexpensive Shepherd’s Hooks to use for hanging the baskets. Some people may also instead opt to install a long bar (such as a shower curtain bar) across an area and then hang the baskets on that.

For growing strawberries in baskets, any basket will work, but you’ll want to make sure that you don’t overcrowd it with too many plants. Strawberry plants have very shallow root systems, so your planter does not need to be very deep. Overcrowding will cause the plants however to be more prone to disease, stress, and other issues, so make sure in any planter that you place them at least 6-8 inches apart from each other.

Because you don’t want hanging baskets to get too heavy, and you also want to make sure that the dirt is a sandy soil mix, something that can work well is mixing peat moss with potting soil and a bit of top soil or sand. You’ll also want to make sure that your soil has a pH between 5.6 and 6.3, as this is the favored pH of strawberry plants.

When you plant your plants, it may already have a few blossoms or start growing tendrils (this is how they reproduce to make new plants) – and while it may be very difficult for you to make yourself do this, you’re going to want to do pinch off all the flowers and pick any berries visible when planting. This will help the plant concentrate and focus on building only strong roots, and the yield of blossoms and fruit will be much higher later if you have the patience to do this.

Another important thing to consider is that hanging baskets tend to dry out very quickly, and so proper watering is essential to keeping the plants happy. There is no set number of times or a clear answer to how often to water strawberry plants, but instead you should make sure that your soil is always moist.

Keep in mind if you live in a warm climate that strawberries prefer a temperature around 65 degrees, so you may want to take care to protect them on very hot days and watching that they are well watered. If the temperature will be very hot, you may want to make sure they just get the morning sun between 7 am and 11 am and then move into the shade.

While growing strawberries from hanging baskets may not yield a huge crop, they are very pretty plants and certainly will make you smile when you see the berries growing!

Growing Strawberries Indoors

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When you learn about growing strawberries indoors, the possibilities are endless. You are no longer stuck worrying about climate and temperature concerns, you don’t need to worry about animals or birds eating your crops, and best of all, it’s pretty easy to do! We’ll show you everything you need to know about how to grow strawberries indoors inside your very own home in this quick step by step tutorial.

How Much Space Do I Need?

The answer to this is entirely up to you and the method you choose, as well as how many strawberry plants you wish to grow. Obviously, the more berries you try to grow, the more space you will need. But there are many easy and space saving options to choose from, such as growing them in strawberry pots.

I have seen some people dedicate an entire room in their house to strawberry growing, others just have a window sill. The plants need at least 6 hours of sunlight each day, so be sure where ever you choose to grow them it has a window that allows direct sun to come onto the plants. Another option you can try which will ensure that you berries do well is to invest in some indoor plant lighting. You can get portable lights or even just hardwire install lights with the proper bulbs.

What type of containers should I use?

Here is the great thing about strawberries – they have very shallow roots so they can do well in just about anything as long as you have the right type of soil, keep them well watered, and naturally give them the sunlight they need. Hanging baskets are always popular if you have a place to hang them, some people looking for a larger crop may choose to grow them in trays and place them on shelves. You will want to avoid overcrowding the plants, since this will make them more likely to pick up diseases and mold, but other than that feel free to use anything that works for your own individual needs the best.

What Kind of Berries Should I Plant?

There are two main types of strawberry plants – June bearing, which only produce in June, ever-bearing, which will give you a crop twice a year (though some varieties flower and produce fruit more often than that). Our pick for inside berries is a variety of the ever-bearing kind, called Alpine Strawberries. You can get Alpine Strawberry Seeds Here Not only do these berries not depend as much on the sunlight, but they tend to not spread out, which is a plus when you’re working in confined space.

Other Indoor Growing Tips

Use the Right Soil: Strawberries do the best in a slightly sandy soil with a pH between 5.6 and 6.3. See best soil for strawberry plants for more help on making sure you give your plants a good start!

Freeze Your Seeds: If you are starting with full plants, you can skip this step – but if you are growing from seed then you will want to freeze the seeds for at least 2 weeks, with some people recommending 4 weeks for better results. The reason for this is because it makes the seeds germinate more successfully, since they need the cold temperature to go out of dormancy. Read our full guide on germinating seeds.

Water The Right Amount: It can seem very difficult to know how much to water your plants. A lot of people ask how often to water their plants, but unfortunately there is no set amount of times or how much to give your plant. You can either consider getting a moisture meter, or you can simply check your plants each and every day to make sure the soil is moist but not too wet – they like water, but not too much water!

Take Good Care of Your Plants: Taking care of indoor plants is not much different than taking care of one outside. Our article on Caring for Strawberry Plants has everything else you might need to know!

It’s not hard to grown a strawberry plant indoors, in fact I think just about anyone can do it! It may even be easier for many people, as you have far more control on things like temperature, lighting, and other factors you may not be able to change outside.

Have any tips for growing strawberries indoors we might have missed? Share them in the comments section below!

Grow Strawberries in Strawberry Pots

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One of the easiest ways to get started is to grow strawberries in strawberry pots. If you’re unfamiliar with how to plant a strawberry pot, you’ll find these 5 simple steps are easy and fun to do! These containers are typically made from clay, terracotta, or stone and generally have small openings where the strawberries will grow from, sometimes referred to as pockets. This is a great solution for patio gardening or growing them on a porch or deck, as it does not take up a whole lot of space.

Now, at first glance, this method may seem a little confusing, but it’s actually really easy! There are many different options on the different pots and strawberry planters to buy, but most of them generally require the same setup and care. Most of the products out there are pretty versatile as well – you can use them for growing a number of other things besides berries!

Just in case you might be confused as to what a strawberry pot is, here’s a few examples you can check out if you’d like:

This cute planter not only has a red cardinal at the top of it, but is actually pretty reasonably priced at $27.99 – it retails for about $42 everywhere else I looked – Click Here to Order

There are also more basic styles, such as this very simple Smith & Hawken Grow Pot available from Target:

Click Here for Smith & Hawken® Grow Pot

Now that you have an idea of what a strawberry grow pot is, you are ready to learn how to grow strawberries in pots!

Materials You Will Need to Get Started:

1 Strawberry Pot with Pockets/Grooves
A strawberry plant for the number of pockets you have
1 1/2 inch plastic PVC pipe the same height as your pot with holes drilled in it (some pots are self watering or come with this, so if you already have it, you don’t need it. You can also make your own pretty easily)
Potting Soil Mix
Watering Can & Water

Handy Tip: If you are using a terracotta pot (one that is not plastic), then here’s a great tip that will help you before you even get started: Soak it in water! Terracotta will absorb all the water in the soil and cause it to dry out really quickly, so doing this will help reduce it from drying out too quickly after you plant.

Ready to get started? Here’s the 5 simple steps:

Step 1: Fill With Dirt: Using the best potting soil for strawberries is recommended, as it will help your plants grow the best. Fill the container with the dirt up to where the first pocket or groove is, you will add more in later.

Step 2: Plant Your Plants: Take each plant that you have and then place your plants in the groove where the first level pocket is and fill the remainder of the pocket up with soil.

Step 3: Insert Watering Pipe: Some planters will have this built in or are small enough that it won’t be necessary. However, if your planter doesn’t include this and is over a foot tall it is highly recommended for easy and proper watering. You can make your own easily by using a plastic pvc pipe and drilling holes into it. Insert it in the center of the pot, making it just deep enough that it will stand on its own.

Step 4: Fill in the Remainder of the Soil: Once the pipe is secure, fill the pot with the remainder of the soil. You’re almost done!

Step 5: Water: You’ll want to water your plants well, especially the first time. Pour water slowly into the tube, around the top of the strawberry pot, and also in the

Now that you have our 5 simple steps for growing strawberry plants in a pot, you’re ready to get started! Do you have any tips we might have missed for growing strawberries in pots? Have questions? Share them in the comments below!

Growing Strawberries in Containers

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Learning how to grow strawberries in containers is pretty easy to do, and a popular choice for many people who have limited outdoor space. Because the plants have a shallow root system, growing strawberries in containers is much easier than other fruits or vegetables as long as you water them properly. Another bonus is that you plants will not be as prone to the many insects and weeds that can happen in traditional flower beds.

The first thing you will want to do when gardening container strawberries is choose the right containers that will fit your needs. We’ve had plenty of success with strawberry pots and hanging baskets, however just about anything will work. Some people have found that plastic totes or even your everyday run of the mill flower pots work just fine. Since the plants are less likely to get diseases the farther they are planted away from each other, while you can grow many in one pot, we tend to like to plant no more than two or three per pot, and planting them in single pots is perfectly okay as well.

You will want to plan to keep your containers in a place that gets a good amount of sunlight, since strawberries love their sunshine! They do not however like very hot temperatures, so it is best to put them in a place where they will get full morning sun from sunrise to around 11 am and then shade for the hotter parts of the day. Fortunately, since the containers are portable, if you need to move them you will be able to.

Ever-bearing strawberries are the most popular and preferred types to use, since they will give you at least two good crops per year, though some may produce fruit more than this, depending on the species and variety you choose.

It is best to use plants and transfer them into pots, though you of course may choose to germinate your own seeds as well, though this may take longer and will likely depend on when you plant them whether you will get a crop this year or next year. Since the plants are perennials, most will plant them in the fall and then they are ready to go by spring and summer.

The type of dirt you choose is very important as well, since just straight up potting mix is not going to work as well as you would think! These plants like a sandy soil mixture, so it’s best to mix up a blend of potting soil with either sand or a sandy top soil, and if you wish to use fertilizer you will want to place it in the soil at this time as well. Be careful not to over fertilize your plants, as this will inhibit their fruit production, not to mention waste fertilizer! It is generally recommended to fertilize just once when transplanting and if needed again soon after the first crop of berries is produced. While some may suggest every 10 days, this is not usually necessary and there is the risk of doing more harm than good. See our article on best potting mix for strawberries for more details on which dirt blends work well for container gardening.

When you first transplant the plants into containers, you are going to want to make sure you pinch off the flower blossoms and pick any existing berries off. This will help you get a much better yield later and help the plant make the best adjustment to the environment.

Once your plants are in place for the containers, all you will need to do is ensure you water them regularly (soil should always be moist!) and keep out of too hot of temperatures. Before long you’ll have some beautiful and delicious looking berries to enjoy!

When the growing season is over (usually by late fall), you’ll want to make sure you carefully protect your plants over the winter so they’ll grow back next year. Covering them with a thick bed of straw will typically help protect them from the cold winter frost and snow, or you can always bring them indoors for the winter and they may just keep producing all winter long! You might also want to check out how to care for strawberry plants to ensure that you’re doing everything you can to be successful in growing strawberries in containers!