Strawberry plants in a barrel!!!

[Jokerman]

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 ;) :) :-[ :-* ;)

[Jokerman]

[Robert_Brenchley]

Strawberries aren't deep-rooted, so the majority of that compost would go to waste.

[manicscousers]

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  :)

[betula]

That is a good idea!

[Jokerman]

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?  (",)

[betula]

Always need drainage holes in containers.

[Sparkly]

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.

[lottie lou]

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.

[Buster54]

I'm gonna try half a dozen 165x13s around a scaffold pole  ;D

[tomatoada]

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.

[Susiebelle]

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!

[Jokerman]

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

[nilly71]

Would it work better by filling the centre pipe with gravel (10mm) then filling with water?

Neil

[Jokerman]

Is that so you don't need as much water to fill it?   ???   ???