How to Grow Strawberries in a Barrel

Cut barrels in half to produce two growing containers measuring approximately 15 inches deep. Use only barrels or half-barrels that provide at least 8 inches, the minimum rooting depth for successful strawberries.

Clean the barrel thoroughly to remove all traces of oils, chemicals or alcohols previously stored in the container. Scrub the interior with soap and water before rinsing away all soap residue with a garden hose.

Drill holes into the bottom of the container to provide drainage so water does not pool in the container and drown the strawberry's roots. Drill at least four drainage holes measuring 1/2 inch in diameter.

Fill the bottom half of the tall half-barrels with old plastic bottles to save on potting soil costs and make barrels lighter, in case you need to move them later. Drape a sheet of landscape fabric over the plastic bottles.

Fill the top 8 to 12 inches of the barrel with potting mix. Water over the potting soil with a mist from your garden hose. Allow the potting mix to compact and continue to add more potting mix and apply water until you fill the container.

Transplant strawberry seedlings into the barrel, leaving 6 inches between plants and placing all plants along the edge of the container. This will allow plants to cascade over the edge of the container while runners and daughter plants grow and fill the center of the barrel. Set plants into appropriately-sized holes that provide just enough room to cover the seedlings' roots without covering the plants' crowns.

Water daily to keep the potting mix's surface damp. While ground-level strawberry beds need only 1 inch of water per week in the growing season, you may need to provide more water to containerized beds to counteract the increased water drainage of raised gardening.

Apply weakened solutions of water-soluble organic fertilizer once per week. Increased watering quickly rinses fertilizer away, resulting in the need to fertilize frequently. Follow package recommendations regarding the amount of fertilizer to use and add extra water to weaken the solution before application.

Protect strawberry plants from frosts and freezes by covering the top of the barrel with old sheets, row covers or plastic. When temperatures drop below 23 degrees Fahrenheit, move barrels into your garage or home or apply a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch to prevent injury to buds, roots and crowns.