Fresh strawberries are an early summer treat just about everybody loves, but you might want to think twice about sinking your teeth into the berries from your local supermarket. Commercial strawberries are grown with more pesticides than nearly every other fruit, and they're often shipped (unripe) from distant states or countries. But gardeners can grow strawberries organically and pick them at the peak of flavor. As you'll see here, they're especially easy to grow in containers! Our strawberry-pot technique has an "invisible" watering channel that helps irrigate the entire container evenly, giving you the tastiest berries all summer. What you'll need:
1. Choose a strawberry pot with pockets that have flared, cup-shaped extensions, rather than those with just holes. The cups support the plants and prevent water and soil from spilling out of the pot. Ensure a continuing harvest by planting an everbearing (also called "day neutral") strawberry variety, such as "Ozark Beauty" or "Tri Star". 2. If using a terra-cotta pot, submerge it in water for 2 hours prior to planting to prevent the terra-cotta from wicking water away from the potting mix. 3. Amend the soilless mix by adding granulated organic fertilizer to it (follow the fertilizer package's application rates). 4. Create a watering channel by placing the wrapping-paper tube vertically into the center of the empty pot. Make sure the tube is at least as tall as the pot. Fill the tube with gravel, stopping 1 inch below the lip of the pot. 5. Add soilless mix to the pot until it reaches the bottom of the first planting pocket. Make sure the gravel-filled tube remains vertical. Remove a strawberry plant from its container and tease the roots apart. Push the roots into the pocket, angling them downwards. Add enough soilless mix to the pot to cover the roots; then firm them into place. Work up from the bottom until all the pockets are planted and the pot is filled to within 3 inches of the top with potting mix. 6. Plant three to four strawberries in the top of the pot, leaving at least 1 inch of space between the soil level and the lip of the pot. Remove the wrapping-paper tube slowly, being careful not to dislodge the gravel. Water the pot thoroughly by aiming a slow, gentle stream of water into each pocket and then into the gravel watering channel, which will filter water throughout the entire pot. 7. Keep the pot in a shaded location for a few days before moving it into full sun. Rotate the pot every 2 days to make sure the plants get equal exposure to light. Water once or twice daily, depending on the temperature, and check for ripe berries regularly.
|
