Growing strawberries in PVC pipes horizontally and vertically

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

Growing garden strawberries in a barrel using the so-called vertical bed method is in demand among gardeners and gardeners due to the following advantages:

• the barrel-bed practically does not require any weeding measures, since the conditions are unfavorable for the growth of weeds;
• there is no need to carry out such agrotechnical procedures as hilling strawberry bushes and loosening the soil;
• ripening berries do not fall to the ground, and the gardener receives absolutely clean berries by the time of harvest;
• the risk of damage to bushes by the most common diseases and insect pests is minimized.

It is very important to take into account that barrels containing chemicals, fuels and lubricants, as well as containers used for storing or transporting herring are completely unsuitable for cultivating garden strawberries.

Pyramid of tires

Building such a bed is quick and easy. All you need to arrange a planting site is a few tires of different diameters and a tool for making holes. The optimal diameter of the nests is 10–20 cm. Starting with the largest one, the perforated tires are folded in a column, gradually covered with a substrate with the addition of humus, and bushes are planted. After planting is completed, the bed is watered.

The main advantage of such a bed is that the rubber heats up quickly, as a result of which the plants receive more heat and grow faster.

Using the same principle, they build a pyramid of car rims.

Instructions for preparing a barrel for planting

Growing garden strawberries in a barrel is convenient and practical. For this purpose, it is allowed to use a variety of barrels in terms of material, volume, size and shape. Preparing such a container for planting strawberries is not difficult at all. It is enough to perform a few simple manipulations:

• the landing container should be washed, if necessary, remove paper or film markings on the surface and paint the outside of the barrel;
• Mark the locations of strawberry bushes on the sides of the barrel in a checkerboard pattern, maintaining the optimal distance - about 15-18 cm between plants;

• when marking planting cells for strawberry seedlings, you should adhere to the optimal dimensions - no more than 5 x 5 cm, which will allow soil to be retained inside the barrel and will not have a negative impact on the root system of the plants being grown;
• Holes should be carefully cut in the designated areas, and the edges of the metal or plastic should be carefully trimmed or bent into the barrel.

A 200-liter barrel will comfortably accommodate approximately 28-30 adult garden strawberry bushes. It is recommended to make a drain at the bottom of the container or use a barrel without a bottom. All sides of such a “bed” should be well illuminated by the sun.

To ensure uniform water supply to the root system of plants, vertical drainage is installed from a pipe drilled in several places. The entire space between the walls of the barrel and the drainage pipe is filled with high-quality soil.

How to make a barrel for growing strawberries (video)

It is very simple to prepare barrels and make original strawberry beds from them with your own hands.

1. To do this, you need the barrel itself: new or old, from any material and any size. It is better to work with containers outside, as they will first need to be thoroughly cleaned of paint and other contaminants.
2. The second stage of preparing the barrel is to create drainage holes at the bottom of the container with a diameter of about 2 cm, and cells for planting strawberries in the walls of the barrel with a diameter of at least 8 cm. It is better to place them in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other.
3. The bottom of the prepared barrel is covered with a layer of large stones or broken bricks, creating a drainage layer. A tube is installed in it, the diameter of which does not exceed 1/3 of that of the barrel. The tube should be filled to the top with fine gravel. It will carry water and nutrient solutions to the roots of plants located even at the bottom of the barrel.
4. The final stage is filling the barrel with nutritious and light soil, consisting of garden soil and peat in equal proportions with the addition of rotted manure or compost. The substrate is mixed well and sifted to prevent the roots of weeds and pests living in the soil from entering the barrel.

Strawberry "Diamant" is known for its stable yield

Requirements for the soil mixture

In order to grow garden strawberries vertically, you must first of all take care of the correct contents for the planting container. You can use either ready-made soil intended for cultivating gardening plants, or a self-made soil mixture, including 2/3 turf soil and 1/3 sand with the addition of wood ash, organic and mineral fertilizers. Also suitable for vertical cultivation of strawberries is soil consisting of meadow turf, two-year-old compost, peat and rotted manure, taken in equal parts. The soil should be loose and fertile.

Growing strawberries in a barrel requires proper planting of the seedlings. The seedling material should not be buried too deep. The central kidney should be located at the level of the ground surface. The soil must be sufficiently moist before planting. After planting the plants, the soil must be thoroughly compacted, and the weakest and excess leaves must be removed from the bushes.

Possible problems during cultivation

Using the technology of growing crops in a barrel, gardeners will have to face the issue of insulating the beds. This is easy to do by building a frame of pipes and mesh at a distance of 10-20 cm from the container. Fill the cavity with dry leaves or grass. And cover the top of the structure with waterproof material.

Over time, soil compaction and acidification occur. This can be noted by the decreasing yield on the lower tiers. This problem can be prevented by planting crops in the lower rows that are resistant to high soil moisture and density. Aromatic herbs and spices (basil, calendula, etc.) are always useful in the kitchen.

Overgrown strawberries in a plastic barrel

The best strawberry varieties for growing in a barrel

Growing garden strawberries in a barrel is quite simple. However, the correct choice of variety of this berry crop requires special attention. Many new varieties of strawberries, both domestic and foreign, are suitable for vertical “plantations,” and the best of them show maximum yield with minimal care.

Planting strawberries

The soil must be poured in layers. The first layer should extend to the bottom edge of the first row of holes. The seedlings are placed in the holes, the roots are spread over the surface of the soil. When the first row of seedlings is laid, a second layer of soil is poured.

Important! Water each layer well.

Its upper border should extend to the bottom of the second row of holes. To prevent the soil from subsiding in the future, it is carefully pressed down with your hands. Planting of each subsequent tier is carried out in the same way. Cover the container with strawberries from the sun for a week.

Variety selection

Not just any variety is suitable for a barrel bed. Summer residents who practice this method have come to the conclusion that they need to plant remontant hybrids. Several waves of fruiting will allow you to reap quite a decent harvest from a small garden bed. Modern strawberry hybrids begin bearing fruit in June and end in September.

Strawberry varieties tested by summer residents are suitable for planting:

1. Kimberly.
2. Queen Elizabeth.

3. Brighton.
4. Geneva.
5. Freestar.

Particular attention should be paid to caring for strawberries.

Features of care

Garden strawberries feel quite comfortable when grown in a barrel. The plant needs the following care measures:

• during the first month after planting, it is necessary to remove all tendrils and peduncles, which will allow the development of a strong and powerful strawberry bush;
• the soil in such a planting container dries out somewhat faster than in standard open ground ridges, so it is necessary to carry out more frequent and abundant watering;
• to prevent damage to bushes by fungal diseases, it is recommended to spray strawberry plantings leaf by leaf with a solution based on Fitosporin or Alirin-B;
• Foliar feeding with the biological preparation “Gumi” will nourish the plants and have a positive effect on the yield.

Irrigation activities are carried out a couple of times a week, pouring warm water into the barrel from above. Insufficient moisture causes plants to wilt, but excessive moisture impairs fruiting.

We also invite you to familiarize yourself with the Dutch technology of growing strawberries.

Planting process step by step: tips and tricks

Planting strawberries in a barrel is a step-by-step process; its features must be observed to successfully complete the process.

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Planting technology includes the following steps:

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• We install the prepared barrel with an installed pipe and poured drainage in a permanent place that is well lit by the sun;
• pour soil onto the drainage layer up to the first cells;
• We plant strawberry seedlings in the holes. It is difficult to plant a plant without causing injury or damage to it, so we recommend cutting strips from thin tin into which you can wrap the green mass of the bushes. These strips can be used to pull lush bushes through the hole in the barrel;
• after planting all the bushes of the bottom row, pour the next layer of soil exactly up to the next row of holes;
• The seedlings are planted in an accessible row. Repeat the process until the entire barrel is filled;
• at the final stage we plant several bushes at the top;
• We water the plants through the pipe;
• Cover the container from the sun for several days until the strawberries in the barrel take root.

Caring for planted strawberries is not difficult, especially since the actions are almost no different from caring for a crop that grows in open ground. But barrel strawberries will have to be watered more often, irrigating the bushes abundantly, since the soil dries out faster in closed ground. Basically, shrubs are watered through the central pipe, but the upper part of the soil also needs to be irrigated with liquid so that the topmost specimens are sufficiently saturated with moisture.

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Once a week, along with watering, you need to feed the plants. Fertilizers for berry crops or a mixture of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers with microelements and superphosphate are suitable. Plants are watered with liquid fertilizers through a pipe. When preparing the solution, you need to keep in mind that a classic barrel with a diameter of sixty centimeters and a height of half a meter is equivalent to a square meter of strawberry plantings in open ground. Pinching the mustache increases the yield of mature bushes. Barrel strawberries are propagated using the usual methods.

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Reviews from summer residents

Experienced summer residents, who have already tried this method of growing berries in their garden plots for several years, express mixed opinions about it. Judging by the reviews, the method has not only advantages, but also very obvious disadvantages:

• strawberry bushes planted in the upper part of the barrel very often suffer from lack of moisture;
• Plants grown in the lower part of the container, on the contrary, experience the negative effects of large amounts of moisture and lack of air.

The conditions obtained by plants grown in the middle of the structure can be considered optimal for growth and development. In general, with the optimal location of the barrel and proper irrigation regime, vertical cultivation of garden strawberries shows good results.

In boxes

There is another option - strawberries in boxes. Growing is practically no different from ordinary garden beds. You can make several tiers of various shapes: from ordinary steps to a pyramid, as much as your imagination and manual skill allow.

Such “beds” can be installed anywhere in a summer cottage or placed on the walls of outbuildings. Multi-tiered structures will allow you to harvest more crops from a smaller area.

It is a very real option for strawberries to grow in boxes on city balconies. Growing is not burdensome; any housewife can do it. Several rows of small boxes can be mounted on the wall; it is better if it is on the south side of the house.