Vertical beds for strawberries: how to do it yourself in the country with a photo

A personal plot can be arbitrarily large, but there is always not enough space for a passionate person. I would like to plant vegetables, and berry bushes, and fruit trees, and so that there is a place for a greenhouse, and a flower bed. Favorite crops require a lot of space. But, for example, for strawberries, you can create vertical beds, thus providing it with a lot of light and the necessary space. This method allows you to significantly increase the number of planted bushes.

Vertical growing specifics

There are many examples of the construction of vertical beds. By the way, this method can also be used when planting other plants, but we are interested in strawberries. She takes root perfectly in such an unusual garden bed. And how beautiful it looks!

Only your imagination limits you in creating beds, because the materials from which you can create such a design can be anything.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

Comparing vertical growing to conventional growing, the benefits are clear:

• significantly saves space on the site;
• all season the berries stay dry and clean, no matter the weather;
• most pests just can't get to the berries;
• no more weed problem;
• fertilizers are assimilated as much as possible;
• convenient to harvest;
• bed will decorate the site.

But not everything is so rosy. There are also disadvantages:

1. The soil will soon dry out, the plant will have to be watered regularly.
2. Use only liquid feeds.
3. Do not leave for the winter. The strawberries will freeze. The bed will have to be moved indoors if it is not possible to close it well in place.

Strawberry varieties for vertical cultivation

Experienced gardeners offer recommendations on choosing strawberry varieties that bear fruit best in growing conditions on vertical beds. We are talking about remontant, ampelous strawberries and varieties of neutral daylight hours. From these types of berry crops you will achieve continuous fruiting. Most often choose these varieties.

Queen Elizabeth

Remontant variety. Several harvests per season, from summer to mid-autumn, in total - up to two kilograms per shrub. Resistant to pests and diseases. Queen number two is a large-fruited variety. Allows you to collect up to ten kilograms per season.

Alba

Very early variety. Curly strawberries. Frost resistant. Easily transfers transportation. Productivity - 1.2 kilograms.

Homemade delicacy

Remontant variety, decorative. Ripens early. Often used to decorate balconies and loggias.

Ostara

Ampel variety, Dutch. Medium-sized sweet and sour berries. The weak point is the horse system - it is prone to diseases.

How to grow your own strawberries vertically

Of course, it is possible to equip a capital structure. But how to do this without having rolled metal or new pipes or boards if you are building a vertical bed. When there is nothing like this, and there is not enough space, take a closer look at the materials at hand. Things that are very necessary for this business can be found on the site: boxes, bags, boards, pipe cuttings, plastic bottles, barrels and much more.

Pipe beds

This way of planting strawberries is rather unusual and interesting. It allows you to get good yields, and has become very popular. You can arrange PVC pipes vertically or horizontally. In any case, choose two: one - up to 200 millimeters in diameter, and the other - thinner, tap water.

First, some manipulations should be carried out with the pipes, adapting them for the subsequent planting of strawberry seedlings.

Step by step:

1. Cut holes, 15 centimeters in diameter, 20 centimeters apart. If the pipe is intended for vertical placement, the holes should be staggered. These will become holes in which you will plant strawberries.
2. To form a drip irrigation system. A thin pipe (water pipe will also work) with several holes drilled in it will come in handy.
3. Insert the irrigation pipe into the large pipe.
4. Make some holes at the bottom of the pipe. This is necessary so that water does not accumulate. Its excess contributes to rotting of the roots, the formation of fungus, powdery mildew.
5. Close the large pipe with plugs. For them, it is recommended to use wooden mugs.
6. Fill the pipe with soil.
7. Moisten the soil.

You can plant seedlings.

In plastic bottles

It seems that a more economical material cannot exist. For vertical plantings, many gardeners use 5 liter bottles. In any supermarket, they sell drinking water or technical liquids in these.

The container is cut into two halves. One with a lid. It is in it, previously turned upside down, that strawberries will be planted. In this case, the lid is screwed loosely. This will allow excess liquid to drain freely into the tray, the role of which will be performed by the second part of the bottle.

Before planting seedlings in a similar "pot", the bottom of it is laid out with a thin layer of drainage (you can use hydrogel). Sometimes a synthetic winterizer plays this role - it retains water, and then returns it to the dry soil.

In a barrel

If there is an extra barrel in the garden (the size doesn't matter, so does the material), it will make a great strawberry patch. She will have to work on it. First, clean off rust and other dirt, drill holes at the bottom, place drainage (gravel, pebbles). Then install a perforated irrigation pipe. Now cut holes in the walls of the barrel. A 10 cm slot is sufficient.

You can gradually fill the barrel. The lower tier is best planted with fragrant herbs. They will not allow acidification of the soil. And then plant strawberries over the entire surface.

Pyramids from boards

Today it is not uncommon to set up pyramids in the country, especially to plant strawberries.

From the boards, the pyramid turns out to be of the correct shape and allows you to plant berries in tiers. This is done simply. They knock together several bottomless boxes, 20-25 centimeters high and smaller and smaller in size. An irrigation pipe is driven into the ground. It has holes for water in advance. And then boxes are placed one after another.

1. First - the largest, fertile soil is poured into it.
2. From above - a little less, and again pour the earth. And so on to the smallest.
3. An irrigation hose is fitted over the end of the pipe.

Planting is placed around the perimeter of each box.

Pyramids of tires

Build a pyramid of car tires at your summer cottage.It is better if the tires are different diameters. Strawberries will grow along the perimeter of each tier. The more tiers, the more effective the design. The more tires, the more options for the flower bed. All tires are the same - not bad either. You will get a cylindrical bed. And to plant strawberries, you need to make side holes in the tires.

Important! Tires are a toxic material. In addition, in the sun they can emit an unpleasant odor. And this is their biggest drawback. Often gardeners paint tires with paint. This minimizes the unpleasant consequences of using such material.

Strawberries in bags

Any large plastic bag filled with earth can be used as an almost ready-made garden bed. To plant strawberries in it, it is enough to place a watering pipe with holes vertically inside the bag and make slots in the walls.Just in them seedlings are planted. It is enough to leave 20 centimeters between the slots. Yes, the optimal bag capacity is 50 liters.

Possible growing errors

The main mistake that gardeners and gardeners make is the use of land of dubious quality. It is not recommended to take the one in which you grew houseplants. Do not forget to water the strawberries often so that the soil does not dry out.

If you leave such a structure uninsulated for the winter, the plant will freeze, even if the variety is winter-hardy.

If growing strawberries vertically is incredibly difficult for you, don't despair. This is at first glance. At first, it won't be easy. But once you've gained practical experience, you'll want to take it seriously. Surpluses will even begin to form, which can be sold, thereby replenishing the family cash desk.

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