Re: Strawberry Box

Magwheels 5/6/2010, 3:27 pm

Those strawberry boxes look really cool, but I have a question. Please pardon my ignorance, as I am really new to SFG and know nothing about growing strawberries (though I hope to learn as I'd LOVE to grow some myself).

Is there any significant square footage of gardening space gained with the extra levels of the strawberry boxes? It seems each layer blocks such a large part of the soil of the box below it, that there is a lot of space (and not-inexpensive Mel's Mix) rendered inaccessible, plus the additional lumber used. Or is beauty and visual interest the main point here?

Thanks!

Edited to add: WOW! Just saw the strawberry pyramid! Now THAT I could go for! Strawberry Box - Page 2 Icon_biggrin

miinva 5/6/2010, 10:30 pm

Your pyramid is beautiful! Strawberry Box - Page 2 Icon_biggrin

Here's a design for the less-skilled woodworkers among us Wink

new2this 5/7/2010, 7:43 am

Hi Mag....I can only offer an opinion here, as I've never used a "stackable" box like these shown.
(I wondered the same thing actually.) I think that sometimes it's just nice to have something different in the garden ; a little visual interest! When I started my garden (just 3 months ago!) I stuck with the basics. Now, I'm already brainstorming fun ideas for next yr.

Wyldflower 5/7/2010, 11:16 am

Just a quick thought about the volume of soil that these pretty pyramids might use... what if you make a pile of rocks or bricks or something solid at the center of the box, just big enough that you could still have your six inches of mix - cover the pile with plastic sheeting so you don't lose your mix. (I wouldn't cover the entire bottom of the box... just the center... and with plastic only over the pile, not around the edges - that way you don't have to worry about drainage either)

.. thinking about strawberry pyramids for next year.......

Zephyros 5/8/2010, 7:04 am

Hi Theresa,

I love your piramide shaped planter too. Unfortunatly I can't open your plans to see how it is build.

Who wants to buy expensive statues to decorate the garden, if you can have nice planters like this?

**Theresa** 5/8/2010, 1:53 pm

Zephyros try this link and see if it works strawberry tree pyramid

The strawberry tree pyramid is only 2x2 foot square and 35 inches tall, I sat mine in the center of a SFG I already had made, but it can sit on the ground. I tried to keep track of how much of Mel's mix it took to fill just the strawberry tree, and it was around five-5 gallon buckets, and a 5 gallon bucket holds around 1 cubic foot making a total of around 5 cubic feet of Mel's mix.
The tree pyramid holds 80 plants, and I would have only been able to plant 16 plants in the 2x2 area of the SFG.

I really liked jjphoto's strawberry box, and I have one that I planted herbs and flowers in. The layered look of the flowers will be pretty I think. Also Josh has some 14 inch world record size carrots planted in the top.

Miinva your stack able strawberry box is pretty cool looking too!

BertieFox 5/10/2010, 4:42 am

Thank you for posting such an innovative and great design. I've always had problems with strawberries being spoiled by snails and the fruit getting wet and rotting. I've been looking at growing in bags raised up on a platform but that would entail irrigation and other problems. Your design looks to be just what I need and is so easy to build.
Thanks again and good luck with a bumper crop. thanks

Zephyros 5/10/2010, 4:59 am

Thanks Theresa, I can open this one. I am already thinking about the possebilitys with this planter. For example, you could make a quarter of it, so you are able to put in in a corner or something. Or it might be nice for herbs to.

**camprn** 5/10/2010, 6:28 am

Does anyone in zone 5b or colder have practical experience with wintering over strawberries in a tower like this? Any words of advice?

Shoda 5/11/2010, 12:40 pm

I love all these ideas! Has anyone figured out how to make a wire cover for them to keep out the birds and such? We have birds, squirrels and raccoons in our back yard so unless we can figure out a way to cover a strawberry tree, we are stuck planting flat. Very Happy

**Theresa** 5/13/2010, 10:45 pm

Shoda the strawberry tree isn't very tall, it would be easy to cover it using the pvc pipe that Mel recommends in his book and then cover it with netting or the wire cage.
Strawberry Box - Page 2 5-11-10strawberrytree

Strawberry Box - Page 2 5-11-10strawberrytree

Also for winter protection I'm going to cover it like I would a rose bush, by taking wire and making a round cage around the strawberry tree, and then putting straw inside it and then just putting straw on the ones in the SFG box around it. But this is the first year for the strawberry tree for us, so I can't really say if that will work or not.

pattipan 5/13/2010, 11:22 pm

Questions for Theresa about your strawberries...

What type of strawberries did you plant in your pyramid tree? Did you pinch off the first bloom? They look so bushy and full since the first picture you posted! I'm curious to know what you've done. Smile

We planted ours (Tribute/ever-bearing) in crates and pots (filled with Mel's Mix). They are covered with bloom now and the plants are looking very healthy. I cannot bring myself to pinch off the bloom as recommended by Burpee! I see every bloom as a berry!

Patti

**Theresa** 5/14/2010, 2:22 pm

Patti I can't remember now what kind they were, but they are ever-bearing. Josh started off with 16 plants last year and we didn't take the blooms off or off the runners that it put on. The strawberry tree pyramid is planted with the runner plants from the 16 Josh started off with last year. He had a few strawberries all season last year, they loved Mel's mix and grew so good. There is 128 plants total this year. That's a lot of plants from just 16! So it's up to you if you pull those blooms or not, but Josh would have died if I had done something like that last year or this year!
Strawberry Box - Page 2 5-14-10strawberrytree

Strawberry Box - Page 2 5-14-10strawberrytree

Hope you have good luck with yours too.

pattipan 5/14/2010, 5:09 pm

Theresa wrote:Patti I can't remember now what kind they were, but they are ever-bearing. Josh started off with 16 plants last year and we didn't take the blooms off or off the runners that it put on. The strawberry tree pyramid is planted with the runner plants from the 16 Josh started off with last year. He had a few strawberries all season last year, they loved Mel's mix and grew so good. There is 128 plants total this year. That's a lot of plants from just 16! So it's up to you if you pull those blooms or not, but Josh would have died if I had done something like that last year or this year!

Wow those sure do look good enough to eat! Thanks for sharing the info. Mine are not that far along yet. This is one month's growth, but considering they started out as bare-root plants from Burpee, I am very pleased so far!

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Patti

**camprn** 5/14/2010, 5:56 pm

Very nice Theresa & Patti!

**Theresa** 5/15/2010, 7:42 am

Thanks camprn!

Patti your plants are really looking GREAT for bare root plants, they look like really nice strong plants! I like the way you have yours in the containers and raised boxes!

new2this 5/15/2010, 8:29 am

Ph, Patti - I love that little set-up you have there! It is so pretty - oh, just wait until it's flowing with greens and little red berries popping out! that is cute - please post pics mid-season!!

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