Growing strawberry plants in garden beds can take up a lot of room, so if you have limited space in your backyard, why not try growing strawberries vertically?
Vertical gardens are ideal for balconies, courtyards and small backyards and they’re easy and inexpensive to set up.
In this article you’ll learn how to grow delicious, juicy strawberries, no matter how much garden space you have available.
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Advantages of growing strawberries vertically
Growing strawberries
Growing strawberry plants off the ground helps to protect the fruit from pests and fungal diseases and you don’t have to worry about weeding.
The fruit is also easier to harvest because you don’t have to bend down and lift up the leaves to find the ripe strawberries.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), commercially grown strawberries contain the most pesticide residue of all fruits and vegetables, so it’s much better for your health to grow your own pesticide free strawberries at home. [1]
How to grow strawberries in a vertical garden
The first step is to choose a vertical strawberry planter.
There are many clever vertical planter designs including stackable and hanging planters that are ideal for growing strawberries and only take up minimal space.
This 5-tier strawberry and herb planter
If you plant 20 strawberry plants you’ll have an abundance of strawberries but you can also alternate the strawberry plants with some culinary herbs or fast growing salad greens.
Vertical hanging planters like this one
It’s made from waterproof material that protects the wall from water damage and the leak-proof design prevents water dripping on the ground underneath.
If you enjoy doing DIY projects you could also make your own vertical planter from old PVC pipe or rain gutters secured to a fence.
Once you have your planter set up, it’s time to get planting.
The best time of year to plant strawberries is early spring, once the threat of frost has passed.
Use a high quality organic potting mix
Strawberry plants have shallow root systems, so you’ll need to water your plants regularly, especially during hot weather.
The strawberries will be ready for harvesting about 4 to 6 weeks after the plants flower.
Wait until the berries are fully red before picking. It’s always a good idea to do a taste test before you start harvesting.
Strawberries are perennials, so they’ll come back year after year, but they do best in the first 2 to 5 years, so you may have to replace your plants after that.
As well as regular strawberries, you can also use these vertical garden systems to grow white strawberries
They have similar growing requirements as red strawberries but they produce small white berries with red seeds.
White strawberries taste like a combination of strawberry and pineapple, which is how they get the name pineberries.
RELATED: How To Grow White Strawberries
So there are my tips for growing vertical strawberries.
With the right planter and a nice sunny spot, you can grow beautiful fresh strawberries in even the smallest spaces.
Here’s a quick video that shows how to make an easy vertical strawberry planter.
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Have you tried growing strawberries vertically? Let me know in the comments below.
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I’ve never thought about growing strawberries in a vertical garden but it makes so much sense. I have the perfect spot on my balcony where I could put one of those strawberry planters. Thanks for the inspo!
Oh I need this in my life! This is a fabulous home garden project for us now we’re in an apartment. Thank you x
Very cute idea! Vertical gardening saves so much space and gives you strawberries which is golden if you love them. I’m sending this post to my in-laws, they will totally appreciate your advice and tips
I’ve read another post from you about vertical gardens, and I love the idea! They take up minimal space, and that appeals to me, given I have very little room for a garden currently. I also had no idea that strawberries have the most pesticide residue of any fruit, so it really does make more sense to grow your own at home. My husband is a big strawberry fan, so it’s been on my list of things to try growing in the garden at home for a while.
I need this. Finally, some home garden project that I can do.
I don’t have anywhere to grow strawberries vertically, but this sounds like a great idea, especially for people with a smaller home or apartment garden.
What are the best varieties of strawberries to grow in vertical planters? I’m in zone 5