How to Grow Strawberries in Tiers

Strawberry tiers allow gardeners with limited space to grow a bounteous supply of strawberries. Buy commercial strawberry tiers or build your own. Build strawberry tiers no wider than 4 feet across so the middle of the tier can be reached without stepping on the plants below. Once planted, strawberries require less maintenance than most vegetable and fruit crops, but plan to replace them every three to five years, as the plants' vigor decreases.

Metal edging, rings or wooden timbers
Compost, manure and peat moss
Shovel
10-10-10 fertilizer
Straw

Instructions

- 1
  Select a sunny location for the strawberry tier. Remove grass, weeds or debris from the area.
- 2
  Build the tiers out of metal edging material, timbers or metal rings. Space the tiers so that they decrease in size from the bottom level upward. Fill each tier with potting soil or garden soil amended with a 1-inch layer of compost, peat moss, manure, or a combination of the three. Mix 1 cup 10-10-10 fertilizer into the soil.
- 3
  Buy healthy, compact potted strawberry plants in late spring, after the last expected frost. Plant bare-root strawberry plants three to four weeks earlier. Consult a county extension office for strawberry varieties adapted to your area. Typically, day-neutral or everbearing varieties work best for tiers because they don't produce as many runners as June-bearing types. Ft. Laramie is a common everbearing variety for areas with cold winters. Ozark Beauty often is grown in warm climates.
- 4
  Plant the strawberry plants in the tiers, spacing them 8 to 12 inches apart. The plants will spread during the growing season, filling in the tiers. Water the strawberries at least weekly to keep the soil evenly moist, and remove any weeds that appear. PInch off any flowers and fruit that appear until July. This early pruning encourages the plants to develop strong roots and leaves, which promotes heavier fruiting later.
- 5
  Harvest strawberries the first year between mid-July and September. In subsequent years, the plants may produce berries in June, as well, depending on the variety and climate. Fertilize the plants with 1 cup 10-10-10 fertilizer after the harvest is over.
- 6
  Dig up small plants after the harvest and discard them so that the plants are spaced 8 to 12 inches apart once again. Although this process may seem harsh, without annual renovation, strawberry tiers quickly become an unproductive tangled mess.
- 7
  Cover the plants with straw before the first heavy freeze to protect the plants from winter temperatures and soil heaving. Move the straw back in the spring when the weather warms.

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