ajpa, If runners fell outside the box, they got cut and composted - maybe they'll come back as volunteers. Inside, they got to stay. Maybe it's overcrowded, but I've always done strawberries crowded - I grew up with wild ones, and nature did a lot of crowding. :) To overwinter, I stuck them under the porch with a foot of leaf mulch. We'll see if that was enough or not.

I'm planning a 4'x 5' bed for strawberries this year. I'm filling the bed the same as I have the others, composted horse manure and other organic materials -lasagna style. I may have some trouble with settling but I'm planning to use more the more decomposed materials I have out there and I plan to fill the bed pretty full, hopefully to compensate for the shrinking down. I hope to plant 1/sf but it will really depend how many of the starts I was given in the fall survived the winter. If I have extra, I may try Granny's 2/sf. I have everything out there to put this bed in place but there is a lilac bush that I have to move first, so the ingredients have to wait a little longer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tales of a Transplanted Gardener

i have a real problem with the sfg style of doing that. but maybe sometime i "might" try that. i'm going to cut holes all the way around the top, then go down about 6" and do the same thing and do that every 6". that away when the runners go they can transplant into them holes. on the inside. i'm going to put leaves and such inside of a fencing thing then about 3"'s befor the actual barrel that's where i will put the soil. in the very top will go ever bearing strawberries. then the next row will be empty, then the next row will have a fw of the strawberries, then empty, then a few and so on. the runners will fill it in. i saw it on a website. don't remember where. LOL ~Medo

I found these on line www.growpots.com has anyone checked these out. You can plant 36 plants per unit. Smallest order is r units for $35 I didn't check shipping. That is 108 plants. What do you all think about these?

queuetue & anddirt, thanks for the answers! Let us know how your strawberries are doing this year?

dapper, those growpots remind me of this -- I wonder if they would be a good idea for strawberries:
http://users.jett.net/cindee/tipsypots.jpg
http://users.jett.net/cindee/teapottip2.jpg
http://users.jett.net/cindee/buckettip.jpg

Basically pots stacked via a rebar.

Here is a link that might be useful: tipsy pots instructions

Looking over my notes from last year, it was 25 plants spread over 2 boxes, so 12 or 13 per bed, about 4 per square, which probably still sounds crowded, but less so than 8 per. :)

Anddirt

Your pyramid SO great! I'd just built 4X4 rasied bed that I was going to use for strawberries, but now I'm going to try to figure out whether I have the extra 2' to do something like (OK, EXACTLY like) what you've got there.

Couple of questions: first, why did you run gravel around the outside on the bottom?

Second, how did you do the plumbing? Did you just put in a PVC pipe as you were building and then run the hose through that? What type of a sprinkler head is that, and did you just get it at one of the big box stores?

Gosh, I hope I have room for that! What a fun change from the 4X8!

Cheryl

Strawberries should be planted 4 per square. I have had mine in their original 4X4 for I think 7 years now. But, you have to snip the runners to keep all the energy in the main plant. After a while, you may notice that the number of strawberries and the size of the strawberries will get smaller. At this point, you then use the runners that you cut and now root them. They will develop into a strawberry plant all by themselves. Been doing it for years and it works like a charm.

snibb,
Can I ask what kind of yield you have? It would help me have an idea of what I could expect.
Thanks

The yield is very good, if you keep those runners trimmed, and you recognize when you plants are starting to push out smaller and not as few strawberries. Thats when you take out the main plant and then root the runners. This way, I really think this is my 7th or 8th season of strawberries.

Cheryl

The gravel is there to keep the grass at bay and makes it easier to control the runners. There's landscaping fabric under it that is overlapped from the bottom box.
The sprinkler is from an online supplier(can't remember which one). It's a 6" or 8" pop-up style attached to an L-shaped pvc pipe and a hose connector is at the other end. The assembly was in place when I filled the boxes. I used an 8' circular nozzle and it waters the whole thing nicely.

snibb, what do you do with the snipped runners? Do you keep them all alive by planting them elsewhere or do you just discard/compost them when the mother plants are still young?
Thanks!

Posted by dapper East TN (My Page) on Wed, Feb 18, 09 at 8:50

I found these on line www.growpots.com has anyone checked these out. You can plant 36 plants per unit. Smallest order is r units for $35 I didn't check shipping. That is 108 plants. What do you all think about these?

They are great for vertical gardening. You can also use PVC pipes. I believe there is a thread on the hydroponics forum.

EZgro
stack-a-pots
hydro stacker
agrotower
verti-gro

I have the set from stack-a-pots.com, and I tried basil in it last year, but I had it in too much shade and when I remembered to water it, it was too late and had gone to seed. I never thought about strawberries in it, but it would be perfect! I think I will plant strawberries in mine and hang it from a post to keep pests away.

ajpa...as much as I hate to do it, I usually throw them in the compost pile. But, if I have a plant that I have not been very happy about or one that seems to not be producing like it should-by both size and quantity, I will re-plant with one of those runners. My 4X4 bed right now if nothing but the results of doing just this....it works great for me...

Wow great ideas for strawberry plants! Love all the different options! Thanks for the links everyone!

Here is a link that might be useful: My gardening blog

Snibb: Would you be able to share some pics with us? Also if you have any close ups of how or where you snip the runners that would be great help as well.

Would also like to know what type or types of strawberry plants you are growing.

If you go to the SFG main website, on the left hand side there is a tab entitled "Mel's Column." Open that up, and then look under the right hand column-you will see an article "Neighborhood Competition"-or something close to that. You will get a general idea. I will put in some more recent pictures when I figure out how to get pictures in here. As far as the variety...?..been so many years that I dont remember. But, the strawberries are rather large, and they come up twice a year-once really heavy, and then a lighter, but still good crop a little later on...let me know if that works....

Here is the strawberry patch very early on....

{{gwi:1262184}}

Hey, you figured out how to send the photo! I just emailed you instructions for the thumbnails.

Gorgeous strawberries! I've grown them through the years, but never in a sfg. I have a new 4x8 bed waiting for them this spring though, and I had planned on 2 per sf, staggered planting. Now that I see yours at 1 per sf, you just saved me a bunch of money! I'll only need to buy 32 plants instead of 64. I'm thinking of putting day neutral berries in half the bed and June bearing in the other half. That way I should get a nice crop in June for jam and freezing, and the day neutrals will keep us in berries for eating fresh most of the summer.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Today's New Blog

Granny...it should be 4 per square foot...sorry to cost you more!...

Darn you, snibb! I could have sworn you said one per sf, but I just re-read your post and you did say four! OK, back to my plan of 2-per, staggered planting, let one runner root from each plant. I do think I planted mine (non-sfg) about 8-10" apart in a diamond shape in my previous years of growing them. I never used a ruler, but looking back at photos that would be a good estimate of my spacing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Anyone tried these hanging planters?

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.M18984.desc.Set-of-2-Topsy-Turvy-Hanging-Patio-Strawberry-Planter

Their hanging tomato planter gets good reviews -- I wonder if this has any advantages.

I'm going to hang some Tumbling Tom tomatoes upside down in buckets this year. I've heard of good results and bad results, so I guess my chances are 50-50! I've seen some people filling canvas shopping bags with compost and hanging them from a clothesline. Actually, you could cut a slit in the bottom and insert the tomato plant and grow it upside down in the bag. Another put a bag of compost in a big fishing net and hung it up. All kinds of fun and funny things to do with hanging plants!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Anniesgranny, that reminds me -- so would nylon rice sacks be good to plant in? (As containers on the ground, not hanging).
We buy this kind from Costco. They are kind of narrow. I was thinking if I folded them down a bit.
What kind of veggie would be good to grow in it? Potatoes?

ajpa, I have seen pictures of veggies growing out of compost bags and such, so I'm sure those nylon bags would be really good...lots of extra strength there. Be sure to provide some good sized drainage holes in the bottoms of them, though. I think they would be great for cucumbers or determinate tomatoes. I think being mostly white would help keep the soil temperature from becoming too warm, too. Mind you, I've never tried it...but I'm considering a lot of things I've never tried before!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Just another thought...poke holes all around and make a strawberry mound. Plant pumpkins or squash in them and put them anywhere you have a few feet to spare, but not enough room to build a garden bed. Darn, now I'm going to have to start buying stuff in big bags!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

I bet a Chinese or Indian restaurant would have some empty rice sacks you could ask for?

Vertical strawberries: See my Web site (URL in profile).

This is a wonderful discussion; thanks for all the great info. Stupid question time: I assume that regardless of which method you use (SFG or just open bed), that keeping the runners trimmed will keep the plants 'tidy' and 'in check' from taking over the entire garden? I have non-producing wild strawberry foliage 'stuff' in one spot of my yard that I can't seem to get rid of, no matter how many times I rip it up.
I assume that strawberry plants are a 'surface' runner and not underground? If yes, that would answer my next question about whether one needs to put 'hard boxes' around the raised bed areas (as opposed to side-less raised beds)?

newbie question, what's a "runner"???

mmqchdygg:

Yes, that's correct. Trimming runners will essentially stop the strawberries from spreading. They do spread through other methods, but they are very slow and you don't need to worry about them.

Charleslou23:

A runner is basically a stem that shoots out from the "mother" strawberry plant and, if left alone, will root and produce a new "daughter" plant that is genetically identical to the mother, a few inches away.

thanks for the response.

I started planning a few strawberry plants a couple of months ago and noticed the the berries that have popped out are quite small, about size of a grape!!
any suggestion as to how can i get them grow much bigger??!?

Charleslou23,

What variety are your strawberries? Are they by chance alpines? They are smaller, but have much better flavor.

If they aren't, there are many factors to consider. Water, soil fertility, sunlight, temperature... And it might just be that this is the first production season, so quality isn't as good as it will be next year.

I have watched this thread with much anticipation. Strawberries are the one thing that I have tried and tried to grow but all I get is leaves. No fruit. NONE. I nurtured this plant for 2 years and nothing! I am assuming now it was because I had too much nitrogen in the soil. So I am fixing to attempt it again in a 4x4 bed with all strawberries, I may do the "triangle" boxes I don't know. Or just build new, I have not decided yet. What, if anything, do you fertilize with?

homertherat, got mine from walmart and lowes, if they're alpine, then i guess i got the wrong kinda strawberries. Was hoping to plant something bigger....

Ezzirah, I fertilize once in the spring, right after they blossom, and again when the berries are as big as the tip of my pointer finger, with regular 10-10-10 liquid fertilizer. I'm not sure if there's a better way, but this way works for me.

Charleslou, I don't think Walmart or Lowes sell alpines, so it's got to be something with the growing conditions. Do they get more than 6 hours of sun per day? How much are you watering? What's your soil like? When did you fertilize and what did you fertilize with?

i bought this potted strawberry thing at the nursery and hung it up in a tree that doesn't have many leaves. it seems happy so far and the nursery man told me that it would make many strawberries.

What varieties of strawberries have everyone used in their SFG? I'm considering designating one of my 3'x3' beds for strawberries. I'm looking for one that yields well with large strawberries. Any suggestions?

Here is a link that might be useful: Kim's Garden

I grew Alpine. They are small berries but the flavor is amazing. I prefer larger berries so I pulled these out and gave them away.

Ft. Laramie was a heavy producer for me many years ago. I started with 25 bareroot plants the first year. I did not pick blossoms off (can't bring myself to do it even though I know it is good). The second year I got 3 cases of berries (plus what I ate while picking them). The third year I got 8 cases. Then we moved.

Most recently I have grown Quinault. Nice sized berries, good flavor, and good production. They are everbearing so you get an early crop and then a smaller fall crop. I fed them in between crops and the second crop was still nice big berries. We moved again in December but I brought over 40 of the plants to the new house.

The key is sun. Minimum (bare minimum) is 6 hours/day but they prefer full sun.

Here in New Jersey I have several June-bearing plants that are fruiting very nicely. I see only one of what I think is a runner. When can expect more runners to extend from the mother plants?
thanks

Gianni

After a satisfying harvest fruiting seems to have slowed down. Now I'm getting inpatient waiting for runners to develop. Can I use the tall stems that are long enough to bend down into the soil and pin them down?

homertherat, i water them every other day for a couple of minutes, the weather here's been pretty hot, can get to low 90's and sunny mostly.
My soil consist of mainly potting soil, and a lil bit of compost and topped off with pine bark mulch.
I fertilize them abut once a month with some organic acid loving fertilizer mainly for my blueberry plants. I think the ratio is not far from 5-5-5.
are there any fertilizer out there specifically for strawberries??

by the way, does anybody know what to do with those long runners? I almost thought bout cutting off or trim them....

I'm going to try planting this fall. I've heard they are usually grown as annuals here in AZ. If thats the case should i get a day length sensitive to bear in June or an everbearing?
If i plant in a shadier spot are they more likely to survive or will i just get a bunch of leaves? I have an area that gets about 4 hours and maybe filtered sun for a little longer that i could use.

charleslou,

Cut them off! They can be planted elsewhere or just discarded.

I love this thread. I was considering planting one of my 3x3 raised beds with only strawberries for next season. Right now they are in Flower Pouches, but as the soil settles, they shift out of position. The crowns become to shallow or too deep. They're tough to keep watered daily. I think using one of my raised beds will be the way to go. Do any more of you have pictures of strawberries planted in a square foot bed? How well do they yield?
Thanks!
Kim

Here is a link that might be useful: Kim's Garden

Mr. Strawberry at Strawberry Plants.org says that you should plant 1 strawberry plant per sq ft initially and then thin out the runner plants in each following year to between 4 to 6 plants per sq ft maximum.

I followed his advice for the last two years and have had very good results. I hope that helps.

I'm a bit confused about runners and whether they adversely effect production of strawberries. I have 3 strawberry plants I bought from Lowe's. They seem to have grown decently this year. 2 of them produced strawberries early, but now they just seem to be producing a ton of runners which I've let run and planted each as they extend out. However, the "mother" plants are no longer producing Strawberries. I have cut a few of the runners, but inevitably more runners appear.

If I cut all the runners will the plant begin to produce strawberries or what I think is that they are June bearing strawberries and are done.

The 3rd strawberry plant is still producing strawberries but not sending any runners out.

Also, when winter hits, or before it hits. Should I just bury them under more mulch to protect the roots?

When I moved into my house this year I found one strawberry plant in a pot looking sad. I also found 5 x 2 ft grow boxes so I just shoved it in there on its' own with some basic potting plant mix. The runners are going out up to 10 inches before starting up again! Strawberries are cool!

If someone could tell me how to paste a picture in here I might be able to add some things...I forgot how to do it...