Can Strawberries Be Planted in a Container?

Container Options

• Strawberries need room to sprawl both below and above the ground. You can use containers made from most materials such as terra-cotta, porcelain, wood or plastic, as long as they are deep enough to give plant roots 12 and 14 inches to extend downward and have several drainage holes in the bottom. Pots designed for strawberry are available with cutouts spaced around the circumference of the pot for vines sprouted during growth. A container for a single plant should have a diameter between 10 and 12 inches to give the strawberry vines room to expand horizontally.

Soil Requirements

• Prepare a rich soil mixture that provides good drainage by mixing potting soil with organic materials such as peat moss, bark shreds, compost and sand. Enrich the mixture with an organic fertilizer rich in nitrogen and a good balance of other nutrients, such one with a 10-10-10 ratio. Water the soil and let it sit for an hour or so to let the fertilizer penetrate.

Plant Selection

• If you are in a hurry to reap your first strawberry harvest, choose the Everbearing variety, which bloom in June and again at the end of the summer, or Day-Neutral strawberry plants, which produce berries throughout the summer. June-Bearing varieties can take up to a year before producing fruit and then will provide you with berries throughout spring and summer. Check with your local nursery to find out which strawberry varieties grow best in your climate.

Plant Placement

• Strawberries love sunshine, so place the containers on the roof, balcony or porch in the areas that get the most exposure. Berries will grow in shadier spots but will produce less fruit. Strawberry plants also thrive in hanging baskets or stepped planters if surface space is limited.

Care and Maintenance

• Keep the soil in the strawberry plants well watered for maximum yield and the biggest berries. At the end of the growing season, cut the leaves off June-Bearing plants but leave the center stalk intact to encourage growth the next year. Everbearing types do not require trimming to produce berries the following season.