Strawberries in hanging baskets
Growing strawberries this way is a great space-saving method for gardeners with small plots or simply for anyone who wants to make an otherwise unused garden wall productive. It also saves you bending down, making harvesting incredibly convenient. You can easily position the baskets in a sunny, sheltered spot, which helps to maximise plant health and yields.
Protection from birds is simple, and you can keep a close eye on plants for any pest damage or diseases, getting in early to stop problems in their tracks. You can easily avoid late frost damage too, by temporarily moving plants under cover. And if you bring baskets of early varieties into a greenhouse, they’ll give you the first delicious harvests of the season.
Growing strawberries in baskets does require careful management though, because as plants mature and begin producing fruits, their water demands increase. At the height of the season, when the plants’ roots fill the basket and the weather is hot and sunny, you may need to water twice daily.
Choosing a large basket, at least 35cm wide, lining it with pierced polythene (in my case, recycled compost bags) and integrating either water-retaining granules or a water reservoir – or both – will help remedy this issue. I’ve found that three bare-root plants per 35cm basket works well. This avoids overcrowding and provides a large volume of compost, which dries out less rapidly.
My garden can occasionally be quite windy, so on those days I move the baskets behind a wall to protect them. This also helps to prevent rapid drying out and leaf scorch.
Yield Slightly lower than other methods due to the restricted root space.
Best for Small-space growers, easy access, forcing early crops in a greenhouse.