Strawberry Advice

What do you guys think of these? They are relatively inexpensive, and I hate to try to keep strawberry beds weeded:

http://www.gardensalive.com/product/strawberry-pyramid-grow-tub/vegetables

Three thoughts:
1.  At least one side will not get sun because it does not rotate unless you manually rotate it.
2.  They will freeze solid in the winter in your climate and will not come back the following year, I think.  Doesn't look like you could add any/much mulch to help with the freezing.  Llama momma planted some in a table top and they all died over the winter.  I don't think it is economically feasible to replant each year so you want to overwinter them.
3.  I forgot #3, oh well.

That's right, I forgot about the table top strawberries...thanks, yolos.

Strawberries do well in a traditional SFG, no gimmicks needed.  Yes, you have to weed and cut runners.  But they produce the greatest fruit of all, in my opinion.  And they do it for several years.  Strawberry fields forever!

Yes, Mike, I think I am going to go that direction for sure. Thinking a circular type corrugated metal "pyramid" will be do-able.

2013 I tried strawberries in tier hanging pots.  They had to be turned weekly and dried out easily. Stock photo:

LindyLou - are you around?  You've got a GREAT strawberry setup!  How'd yours do over the winter?

You might check the archives under "strawberry".  She's got some great pix.

I never even thought about the sun orientation, and I am going through the archives now. Love the pictures, so helpful.

I will take a picture, but I think I have found my strawberry field! There is a south facing area next to my pool fence and sidewalk, that is a pain to mow. I could put a 1/2 of a square, kinda triangular in there and fill with my berries! And eliminate the odd spot for mowing.....

Scorpio Rising wrote:I will take a picture, but I think I have found my strawberry field!  There is a south facing area next to my pool fence and sidewalk, that is a pain to mow.  I could put a 1/2 of a square, kinda triangular in there and fill with my berries!  And eliminate the odd spot for mowing.....

Sounds like a win-win, Scorpio.

Do you build your own boxes, Kelejan? If so, what tools are indispensable?

My strawberry bed is kind of a triangle, too.  

Works fine but they keep jumping out!  See how they are cropping up next to the comfrey at the top right?  The li'l devils...they jump over and under the board.
 
CC

It is kinda a triangle!

Scorpio Rising wrote:Do you build your own boxes, Kelejan?  If so, what tools are indispensable?

My indispensable tool is a screwdriver and deck screws. I also use brackets to strengthen the corners.

I just build the usual ones.  I started off building several 4 x 4 using 12 foot lengths of 2" x 12" x 8" deep getting them cut to 4ft lengths, and screwing them together with the deck screws.  I made too many and did not use them all until I started piling them up and using the remainder as two flexible compost boxes.

Then I realized I was a short person and my arms had a struggle to reach the middle of the beds, so since then I have made my SFG beds  3ft x 6ft and that worked fine for me as I only have to cover 18 inches to the middle. Any future bed will be 3ft by whatever length I need to make the most use of space.

My strawberries right now are in two of the four x fours.  When I refresh the older beds next year after fruiting, the daughter plants will be placed in a 3ft x 6ft.  Both beds at the moment are deep in shredded leaves to wait out the winter.

Do you use a power screwdriver? I hope I am not sounding too stupid. I have never built anything from wood.

No. just the regular hand tool. 

Power tools are on my wish list.  My last ones were stolen by someone repairing a burst water pipe.  I did not miss them until I went to use them; but I could not prove anything.

When I can get around to to replacing them, I will paint them pink.

Kelejan wrote:No. just the regular hand tool. 

Power tools are on my wish list.  My last ones were stolen by someone repairing a burst water pipe.  I did not miss them until I went to use them; but I could not prove anything.

When I can get around to to replacing them, I will paint them pink.

Love it! I have no real tools...that is why I ask...stupid thieves

Pink Do you have 120volts, 60cycles/hertz, there in Canada?

sanderson wrote:Pink   Do you have 120volts, 60cycles/hertz, there in Canada?

Yes, same as the U.S.  In England it is 240v so if I travel there and take e.g. a curling iron I have to use an adapter.  So anything like that I would use my sister's stuff.

Travelling to the States, no problem.

A friend's hubby had trouble with his tools disappearing on jobs.  (He hangs wallpaper.)  Since he painted his pink, the thieving has stopped.  

KJ, I sent you a PM.

I want tools for Christmas.

Scorpio Rising wrote:I want tools for Christmas.

Me too, Scorpio.
A wood chipper is top of my list so I am looking for a sugar grand-daddy but somehow I do not think I will find him.

I hear both of you!  Tools are wonderful gifts.  As long as they're not tools for the house, like vacuums, etc...

AtlantaMarie wrote:

I hear both of you!  Tools are wonderful gifts.  As long as they're not tools for the house, like vacuums, etc...

I also want a shelving unit and lights to start my seeds indoors this year:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/gardening-techniques/starting-seeds-indoors-zm0z12djzsor.aspx?PageId=1

This is a good article!