How to Grow Soft Fruits in Containers
Choose a good container., Fill with good quality soil., Select suitable soft fruit for container growing., Grow according to normal instructions., Keep pests off.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a good container.
There are special containers pre-made in pottery, ceramic etc. for growing strawberries and these come with many drainage and growth outlets.
The key to good soft fruit containers is excellent drainage.
A really good alternative to pre-made containers is to use a barrel.
Drill a lot of holes in the barrel to provide drainage points (and in the case of soft fruits that creep, such as strawberries, you create places for the plant to spill out).
Also consider adding castor wheels to the barrel so that you can easily move it indoors to protect the plant from frost and snow.
Soft fruits that grow on canes can be grown in barrels or other large containers with good drainage.
Large terracotta pots with adequate drainage can also be considered, provided they are large enough to prevent waterlogging. -
Step 2: Fill with good quality soil.
Pebbles at the base of the container are a good idea to assist with drainage, then add good quality soil over the top to about halfway.
At halfway up, add another round of pebbles to create a break-up layer in between the soil, then add the rest of the soil. , There is a variety of suitable soft fruits for growing in containers.
For example:
Strawberries Raspberries Blackberries Blueberries Figs (Brown Turkey is the best container choice)
- figs fruit happily when their roots are restricted , Follow the growing instructions for the fruit selected, and keep nutrients and watering up as normal.
Move container to more or less sun as required and bring indoors or into frost-free area during colder months. , The introductory image shows one method of keeping the birds off strawberry plants.
It is a little easier to keep pests off container fruits as you can move the container around the yard or into sheltered areas.
Other means for keeping birds off include netting, which can be suspended above a tepee arrangement situated over the pot, and whirly garden decorations that move in the wind
- many of these come on sticks and can be easily stuck into the container. -
Step 3: Select suitable soft fruit for container growing.
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Step 4: Grow according to normal instructions.
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Step 5: Keep pests off.
Detailed Guide
There are special containers pre-made in pottery, ceramic etc. for growing strawberries and these come with many drainage and growth outlets.
The key to good soft fruit containers is excellent drainage.
A really good alternative to pre-made containers is to use a barrel.
Drill a lot of holes in the barrel to provide drainage points (and in the case of soft fruits that creep, such as strawberries, you create places for the plant to spill out).
Also consider adding castor wheels to the barrel so that you can easily move it indoors to protect the plant from frost and snow.
Soft fruits that grow on canes can be grown in barrels or other large containers with good drainage.
Large terracotta pots with adequate drainage can also be considered, provided they are large enough to prevent waterlogging.
Pebbles at the base of the container are a good idea to assist with drainage, then add good quality soil over the top to about halfway.
At halfway up, add another round of pebbles to create a break-up layer in between the soil, then add the rest of the soil. , There is a variety of suitable soft fruits for growing in containers.
For example:
Strawberries Raspberries Blackberries Blueberries Figs (Brown Turkey is the best container choice)
- figs fruit happily when their roots are restricted , Follow the growing instructions for the fruit selected, and keep nutrients and watering up as normal.
Move container to more or less sun as required and bring indoors or into frost-free area during colder months. , The introductory image shows one method of keeping the birds off strawberry plants.
It is a little easier to keep pests off container fruits as you can move the container around the yard or into sheltered areas.
Other means for keeping birds off include netting, which can be suspended above a tepee arrangement situated over the pot, and whirly garden decorations that move in the wind
- many of these come on sticks and can be easily stuck into the container.
About the Author
Jennifer Kim
Experienced content creator specializing in cooking guides and tutorials.
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