How to: Potting Soil for Strawberries

Container-grown strawberries must make do with a limited amount of soil, so the potting medium must provide for the all the plant's needs. Unlike a regular garden bed, the soil contains only the nutrients added to it before and after planting. Soil in a small container also is more prone to compaction and drying. Making a potting mix formulated to provide for all the plant's needs ensures that the berries grow well and remain productive throughout the season.

Things You'll Need

Tub
Peat moss
Potting soil

Sand
Fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Place 2 parts peat moss or compost and 2 parts sterilized garden soil or potting soil in a mixing tub.
- 2
  Mix 1 part coarse sand with the soil mixture. Sand provides drainage. Substitute vermiculite or perlite for the sand, if preferred.
- 3
  Add a slow-release, complete fertilizer to the potting mixture. Use ¼ cup of fertilizer per every 4 gallons of soil, or ½ cup of fertilizer per bushel of soil.
- 4
  Water the mixture until it's evenly moist. Before planting, mix everything in the soil thoroughly after watering and let it stand until the potting media absorbs the moisture completely. It may take up to an hour for the peat to absorb the moisture completely.

How to Fertilize Strawberries in Containers

When to Plant Quinault Strawberries?

Growing Strawberries