Do you dream of your own strawberry harvest? This wish does not have to fail because there is no garden. Simply plant strawberries in pots on the balcony and terrace. Find out the details here.
How to grow strawberries in a pot?
To successfully plant strawberries in pots, you need a sunny, warm and wind-protected location as well as good compost-based potting soil. Plant the strawberries at the end of March in spring and make sure there is enough drainage in the pot to avoid waterlogging.
How the location and substrate are right
So that strawberries thrive in pots and produce a rich harvest, the location and substrate should be tailored to their needs. These attributes are important:
- sunny location, warm and protected from rain
- not too windy, but still airy
- good potting soil based on compost as a substrate
The only containers that can be used as strawberry pots are those that have at least one opening in the bottom for water drainage. Otherwise, waterlogging will occur within a short period of time, destroying any hope of a harvest.
Planting correctly step by step
The best time to plant strawberries on the balcony begins in spring at the end of March. Well-stocked garden centers have a large selection of suitable varieties that cope excellently with the limited volume of the container. If the young plants and working materials are ready, you can get started:
- create a drainage in the pot above the bottom opening made of gravel or pottery shards
- fill the substrate halfway and make a small depression in it
- Unpot the strawberry plant, insert it and plant it up to the heart bud
- leave a watering edge free so that no wet soil overflows later
- finally pour the substrate
As long as night frosts still threaten, place the strawberries in the pot in front of a protective house wall. Spread a sheet of foil or garden fleece over it overnight so that the young plants do not suffer from frostbite. A layer of mulch made from expanded clay also helps to ensure that the roots are not damaged by the cold.
A sensible investment – the special strawberry pot
In view of the constant lack of space on the balcony, it is advisable to purchase a specially developed strawberry pot (€102.00 on Amazon). Made from decorative terracotta or inexpensive plastic, there is room for several strawberry plants on top of each other in tiers. The ingenious design has plant pockets so that the roots don't get in each other's way.
Tips & Tricks
If you cleverly combine the strawberry varieties in the pot, you can snack on the delicious fruits all summer long. Plant varieties next to each other with different harvest times, such as double-bearing Ostara, early Clery, ever-bearing Rimona and late Florence.
