Do-it-yourself vertical bed for strawberries: rules for creation and secrets of planting

Master class on making a vertical bed for strawberries with photos. Finish it in an hour!

Vertical beds are a real godsend for areas that cannot boast of fertile soil and large sizes. Such garden “towers” ​​do not take up much space, allow you to quickly change the composition of the soil as needed, and even move them to a sunnier and warmer place if you put the structure on wheels.

So, how to make vertical beds for strawberries? Very simple!

Features of growing strawberries in vertical beds

Strawberries in vertical beds at the dacha are a set of containers placed vertically at some distance from each other. Berries in such containers are grown as indoor flowers.

Important! It cannot be said that such a solution is much more convenient or contributes to a higher yield. The vertical bed is designed specifically to save space - it does not serve any other purpose.

The peculiarity of this solution is the small amount of land used. At the same time, the area of ​​contact between plants and air is much larger. Accordingly, a small volume of soil loses moisture faster and dries out. In addition, unlike indoor flowers, fruiting strawberries require much more nutrients. Maintenance of such a structure must be intensive.

Here it is recommended to grow day-neutral, remontant, and hanging strawberries. The latter bears fruit on unrooted tendrils. This way you can get a good harvest on a modest area.

Advice from experienced gardeners

To achieve the desired result when growing strawberries in beds made of polypropylene pipes, you need to properly care for them. A favorable temperature for the growth and development of garden strawberry bushes is within 18-23 degrees. In winter, plants often freeze slightly, which requires moving them to a warm room. Also, when choosing to arrange high beds made of pipes, preference should be given to areas with sufficient sunlight; optimal humidity levels are over 70%.

The frequency and volume of irrigation activities must be carried out taking into account the condition of the soil in the garden bed. Since it quickly loses moisture, this process must be constantly monitored, watering only as the top layer of soil dries. Excessive soil moisture is just as dangerous for strawberries as its lack. If water stagnates, the soil begins to acidify, which creates a favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogenic microflora.

After the first harvest appears, it is recommended to mulch the soil using dry sawdust for this purpose. Mulch perfectly resists the development of putrefactive processes on the root system of bushes. It is recommended to perform a similar manipulation again in mid-to-late October. In addition, this is one of the main activities for preparing strawberries for the cold season.

Considering that useful components are quickly washed out of the soil substrate, strawberry bushes must be fed regularly. The optimal frequency of feeding procedures is once every 7 days. When growing garden strawberries in pipes, it is more effective to use fertilizer compounds in liquid form, which are recommended to be combined with irrigation measures. Delivery of nutrients to the underground part of plants is carried out through a watering hose, a thin pipe. Complex fertilizer and organic-based working solution work well.

To preserve the future harvest, it is necessary to carry out treatment at the first signs of damage to strawberries by parasitic individuals. Most often, berry crops suffer from the invasion of pests such as:

• whitefly;
• Colorado beetle;
• weevil;
• strawberry mite;
• slug;
• centipede.

To avoid the appearance of harmful insects in strawberry beds, they should be placed in a sunny area and watered in moderation. If the scale of infection is quite serious, then it is effective to use a working solution based on Metaldehyde. Preparations like Karbofos are used against strawberry mites, whiteflies and weevils in garden beds. But the Colorado potato and May beetles can be collected manually; chemicals are not recommended in this case due to their long-term preservation in plants.

Since remontant varieties of garden strawberries react painfully to low temperatures, they will need a room with a favorable microclimate for the winter. The bed with bushes is moved to a warm place and left until spring, until the temperature outside is suitable for them - +10-15 degrees. All year round it is possible to cultivate agriculture only in greenhouse complexes.

If structures with strawberries will winter in their place, then they must be protected with agrofibre, wrapped in 2-3 layers. When the temperature drops to 20-25 degrees, then a mulch layer, 2 layers of lutrasil or spunbond are laid on top.

To avoid mistakes in growing berry crops in beds made of plastic pipes, you must adhere to certain recommendations from experienced gardeners:

1. Do not violate the irrigation rules, otherwise there is a high probability of putrefactive processes developing on the root system of plants. In conditions of high soil moisture, the bushes quickly die.
2. When watering, do not allow water to get on the leaf mass of the bush, shoots, berries and inflorescences.
3. Adhere to the optimal timing of planting at a permanent location.
4. Treat with agrochemicals only after harvesting is complete. During the fruiting period, such activities cannot be carried out.

Often, in specialized agricultural enterprises, seedlings grow on soil affected by pathogenic microorganisms. You can minimize the spread of diseases on your site by growing planting material yourself. In addition, before filling plastic pipes, the soil should be treated with potassium permanganate or another suitable agent. If diseased specimens are found in the garden bed, they should be immediately removed from the soil and disposed of. Strawberry bushes must be pruned selectively, preserving healthy leaves.

Advantages and disadvantages of vertical beds for strawberries

The small volume of land determines all the features of growing strawberries in vertical beds. The advantages of the solution are:

1. Vertical placement saves space. This design only occupies the base area. They grow berries in a greenhouse, on the lawn in front of the dacha, and even on the balcony.
2. The soil for the garden bed is cleaned and prepared, which allows you to get rid of pests, pathogenic microflora and prevent the appearance of weeds. The structure does not come into contact with the ground on the site, so in such cases the strawberries get sick much less often.
3. The vertical position makes it easier to care for plants: there is no need to bend over or kneel to harvest.
4. A vertical bed looks very decorative and neat, so it can also serve as an original decoration for a summer cottage.

The design has many disadvantages:

• as already mentioned, such a small volume of soil dries out quickly, strawberries need to be watered more often or arranged with drip irrigation;
• The plants should be fed more often, since the soil in the containers is quickly depleted, and the berries should not be overfed either;
• for the winter, the berry garden should either be moved to a barn or very carefully insulated; a small amount of soil quickly freezes, which leads to the death of the strawberries;
• Filling a vertical bed with soil takes a lot of time and effort.

Important! Only viable seedlings of good quality are planted this way, since the growing conditions for strawberries here are not the best. Otherwise, the berries will have to be constantly replanted.

Pros and cons of beds made of PVC pipes

It’s difficult to decide on such a growing technology for the first time. The gardener is afraid to invest money and labor in a new business. To decisively decide whether you need to assemble beds from PVC pipes with your own hands, you need to consider their pros and cons.

When laying the pipe horizontally, the bed can be covered with film, placing arcs over it

Pros:

1. Using rationally the free space of the site, you can grow a lot of strawberries. It is important to design the structure correctly.
2. The material for the garden bed is available and not expensive. You can use pieces of pipes left over after laying the sewer system.
3. The garden bed is mobile. If necessary, it is moved to another place.
4. Strawberries are not in contact with the ground. The likelihood of infection by parasites is reduced. The berries remain uncontaminated by soil and sand after rain. At altitude it is easier to harvest.
5. The pipes connected by shaped elements make it possible to quickly disassemble and assemble the bed.
6. A bed installed in the yard will replace a flower garden, as it has good decorative properties.
7. Strawberries can be grown in tubes all year round. In the summer, the bed is placed outside, and in the winter it is moved to the greenhouse.

Minuses:

1. The pipe contains a thin layer of soil. In winter it freezes. To save strawberry roots, the pipes are insulated in the fall or the entire bed is brought indoors.
2. For the same reason, the soil dries out quickly in summer. You have to water more often. However, you can’t pour too much water either. A limited amount of soil will turn to mud and the plants will become wet. It is necessary to experimentally determine the correct watering.

The beds have fewer disadvantages, although they are significant. If you adapt, these two problems can be easily solved.

Types of hanging beds for strawberries

The most popular option is hanging models. It's easiest to arrange them. The principle is this: the required number of shelves are attached to a vertical base, on which containers for strawberries are placed. The design can be suspended if pots or boxes with plants are hung like flowerpots from the wall.

The verticality of the strawberry bed in this case is questionable. However, the shelves are placed at any height convenient for the summer resident, so it is easier to care for them. There are many options for such a device.

Vertical beds for strawberries made from plastic bottles

The most popular available material today is plastic containers. It is used in the construction of strawberry beds. For this purpose, they take not bottles, but bottles with a volume of at least 5 liters. A smaller container is not suitable, since then the volume of land will be insufficient for cultivation.

The bottle is cut approximately in half. The upper part is turned over and inserted downwards into the lower neck. It serves as a container for soil. The lower part acts as a tray. The neck is loosely screwed on with a lid so that excess moisture can seep into the pan when watering.

You need to monitor the humidity. There is quite a bit of soil in such a pot. To prevent moisture from coming out too quickly, but to avoid waterlogging, drainage is placed in the upper parts: sawdust, peat, or even a piece of padding polyester, since this material is capable of absorbing moisture and then releasing it.

Do-it-yourself hanging beds for strawberries are set up on balconies or in dachas, where it is possible to attach the container to the wall. Since plastic is a very light material, the load on the base is determined only by the volume of soil in the container.

Vertical beds from pallets for strawberries

An original and effective option for a summer house is a structure made from a pallet. The design has standard dimensions, which is very convenient. Strawberries are planted here in an unusual way.

To turn a pallet into a vertical bed, the product is cleaned and sealed on both sides. The bottom of the pallet is lined with burlap on the inside. The outer side, where there are no slats, is covered with spunbond or a similar material: it is important that it is elastic, but quite rigid, because it holds the volume of the earth. Then the prepared soil is poured into the resulting structure.

Cuts are made on the burlap between the slats, into which the berries are planted. Plants in such rows are placed horizontally to the ground. Remove the topmost crossbar from the pallet - the side one, and plant the berries in the upper part of the bed.

Important! It is better to rest the pallet on a wall or fence, since the stability of such a structure is low.

Vertical strawberry beds made from tires

A car tire often serves as a kind of fencing for a mini-flower bed. However, they can be used to build a real vertical bed. There are 2 options:

1. Tires of different sizes - from KAMAZ wheels to Zaporozhets - form a kind of pyramid. Each tire is covered with earth as it is installed. The structure is securely held by steel cord. Strawberries are planted in open areas of each “shelf” and in the top cover.
2. Tires of the same size are assembled into a cylindrical structure and also filled with earth. In this case, slits are made in the tires and plants are planted in them.

Important! An irrigation pipe with slots is installed inside the pyramidal and cylindrical structure, since it is impossible to provide watering in any other way.

Tires, when heated in the sun, begin to emit a not very pleasant smell. To avoid this, the vertical bed is painted white, which reduces the heating of the material.

Vertical beds for strawberries made of PVC pipes

Pipes made of polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene are often used for purposes other than draining water or other liquids. The shape of the product, lightness, strength, elasticity of the material allows it to be used in the most unusual way.

Both vertical and horizontal beds are assembled from PVC pipes. You will need 2 water conduits: with a diameter of 200 mm and a thinner one with a diameter of 20 mm. In thicker pipes, holes with a diameter of 15 cm are made at a distance of 20 cm from each other. Strawberries are planted in them.

The height of the structure is small, but its volume is very small. On a 2 m long plot you can install at least 8 vertical beds. This option is most often used in greenhouses, since it is easier to regulate the microclimate here.

Vertical beds for strawberries made from wooden boxes

Vertical strawberry beds for the home can be built from any container, including wood. A variety of models are used.

The simplest and most affordable option is wooden boxes of different lengths and widths. Several of these containers of different sizes form a kind of pyramid. An irrigation pipe with holes is installed through all the boxes in the center. Then the structure is filled with earth, and strawberries are planted in open areas.

Important! Boxes can be placed not only in the form of a pyramid, but also in a ladder, in a checkerboard pattern - in any suitable way.

Small wooden boxes are installed on a base board or on a frame, even on a durable trellis. In this model, it is especially important to provide hydration. To do this, drainage is placed at the bottom of the boxes and drip irrigation is organized.

Another option: using old furniture like a chest of drawers. Its drawers, extended to different sizes, can easily serve as containers for strawberries.

Vertical strawberry beds made from iron barrels

A metal barrel with a capacity of at least 50 liters is also a good option for creating a vertical bed. This is very simple to do: the barrel is cleaned of rust and dirt, holes are cut in its wall at a distance of 20 cm from each other. The holes should be quite large - 8-10 cm in diameter and staggered.

An irrigation pipe is installed inside the barrel, drainage is laid on the bottom - pebbles, crushed stone, sand. The vertical bed is filled with soil gradually as the strawberries are planted in the slots in the walls.

Important! You can use not only metal, but also polyethylene barrels. To some extent, they are more convenient, since they are lighter and do not require rust protection.

Other types of vertical beds for strawberries

To plant strawberries in hanging beds, you can use other devices. The choice depends on many factors:

1. An excellent option for a balcony is a bed of ordinary pots. Containers of different sizes can be stacked inside each other to form a pyramid. You can fix such containers on a trellis or simply on one of the walls of the loggia. The option is convenient and very decorative.

2. For a dacha, an interesting solution would be a pyramid made of boards. The cross slats on the sides of the pyramid are installed at an angle so that they serve as a limiter for each horizontal row of strawberries. The pyramid is filled with earth, and a berry is planted on each bed.
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3. A vertical bed for strawberries is made of iron mesh. A fragment of it is rolled up, and the walls are braided with straw or covered with film. The pipe is filled with compost, then some of the cells are emptied, and strawberries are planted in the resulting slots.

There are other options that are less popular due to lower availability.

Compact fit options

To save space on the plot or to get maximum yield in a limited greenhouse space, gardeners use hanging or cascading strawberry beds. For normal growth and fruiting, one plant only needs 2 liters of fertile substrate. Therefore, the following options are used for planting:

Small containers

Garden strawberries feel good in flower pots, flowerpots and hanging flowerpots. They can be placed on a fence, on poles, racks, or hung in a gazebo or greenhouse.

Depending on the size of the containers, bushes are planted in them one at a time or several at a time.

Plastic bottles

A practical, economical option for placing a miniature berry garden is plastic beverage containers. The main advantage is that it is always at hand. Both one-and-a-half and five-liter bottles will do.

Bottles can be placed vertically or horizontally, hung on a fence, or fixed on a ladder rack

PVC sewer pipes

Standard pipes for drainage have long migrated from the sewage system to the gardens and poultry houses of enterprising summer residents. In fact, large-diameter pipes make lightweight and almost eternal structures. In greenhouses, they are often used to make compact beds for greenery, and on the site you can create a real forest from vertical pipes with strawberry bushes, as in the photo.

Sections of the required length are cut lengthwise or holes are made in them for seedlings, placed in any convenient position and filled with nutritious soil.

Wooden boxes and crates

There are a great many options for beds made from boards for growing strawberries. Mini-fences with planting containers, tall mobile boxes, and vertical columns are made from wood.

Even old furniture in caring hands can turn into a berry plantation

Car tires

Old wheels and tires found their place in the hearts of summer residents a long time ago. They make playgrounds, flowerpots, and garden sculptures from them. The use of used tires is not only a matter of taste, but also of environmental safety, for violation of which administrative liability is provided in the form of fines.

Despite the prohibitions, some gardeners offer similar ideas for building flower beds and beds

Barrels, buckets, watering cans and basins

Used household containers in a summer cottage are turned into flower beds, compost bins and vertical beds.

Tall barrels made of wood or plastic work well for growing strawberries vertically.

Hanging fabric berries from Chinese friends

On Aliexpress and Ebay you can find many options for fabric structures, similar to a bag with ready-made holes for seedlings or an organizer with a different number of pockets.

It is convenient to plant strawberries in hanging planting containers and thus decorate a house wall or fence

Strawberry gabions

Fashionable garden decor made of pebbles and metal mesh is very popular among country property owners.

Enterprising gardeners have managed to combine the beauty of gabions with additional space for berry gardens

We have given just a few examples demonstrating the possibilities of vertical strawberry growing. But, of course, there are other ways to organize additional planting areas for wonderful berries. The imagination of summer residents is truly limitless, as are the types of structures made by their skillful hands.

How to make a vertical bed for strawberries with your own hands

The construction technology is very simple. It comes down to the phased installation of elements and filling them with earth. It takes a little more time to obtain such a structure from pipes.

1. First, determine the dimensions of the vertical bed for strawberries. You should not use a pipe longer than 1.5 m, since at high heights it is inconvenient to care for plants.

2. A pipe with a large diameter, at least 200 mm, serves as the base. A thin pipe - 20 mm, is an irrigation pipe. Small holes are made in it for drip water supply. Large holes are drilled in a large pipe - 8-10 cm at a distance of 20 cm from each other. Strawberries will be planted here later. The holes should be made in a checkerboard pattern, since the PVC pipe is not very rigid. The holes at the very bottom of the pipe are not used for planting: they are needed to allow excess water to escape. This prevents root rot and the appearance of fungus.

3. A thin pipe is installed in a thick one. The space between them is filled with soil or compost as strawberry seedlings are planted in the holes. The soil is thoroughly moistened. Then the finished bed is dug into the ground. The pipe must rest on a frame or supports, since such a structure itself is unstable.

4. It is recommended to close the upper end of the pipe with a wooden plug to reduce moisture evaporation.

Important! PVC pipes are quite resistant to rain and sun. Therefore, vertical beds can be safely placed in sunny areas, as required for strawberries.

Preparing pipes for winter

By winter, the beds must be insulated, otherwise the strawberry roots will simply freeze. The mobile structure can be brought into the barn. If year-round harvesting is planned, then the beds are sent to a greenhouse.

If the structure cannot be moved, it is insulated outside. To cover horizontal pipes, use spruce branches or straw, and vertical pipes are insulated with clothing or agrofibre, and covered with waterproof material on top.

Technology for planting strawberries in vertical beds

The methods for planting strawberries in vertical beds are not much different from the conventional method. Features of planting and growing are determined only by the volume of soil.

1. The beds should be placed so that the strawberries are illuminated by the sun most of the time. This is especially important when the bed is stationary, for example, suspended on the wall of a building. A pyramid of tires or boxes can be placed even in the middle of an asphalt area.
2. It is important to choose the right container size: at least 3–5 liters of soil. The roots of the plant reach 20–25 cm in length, and if they have nowhere to grow, the strawberries will not be able to take root and bear fruit.
3. You need to choose the soil very carefully. The soil should be loose, fertile, with a pH of 6.0–6.5. You can use ordinary garden soil, but if you enrich it with wood ash and peat. If the soil is not loose or clayey, river sand, sawdust, and vermiculite are also added to the mixture. If the soil is poor, superphosphate and potassium sulfate are added to the mixture - a pinch per bucket of soil.
4. Drainage is required. A layer of expanded clay, crushed stone, and pebbles 10 cm thick is poured into the bottom of the container or into the lower part of the bed.
5. When planting seedlings, make sure that a distance of 20 cm is maintained between the bushes.
6. It is better to plant strawberries in a vertical bed in the spring, especially in the southern and northern regions. In the south, planting in October for the winter is allowed, but only if a warm winter and no frost are guaranteed. In the middle zone, it is preferable to plant strawberries in August and complete all work before the beginning of autumn.
7. For planting, rooted tendrils, seedlings, and young bushes no older than 2 years are used. In the first case, the vertical bed will remain idle for the first year, since the mustaches do not produce such a quick harvest. Seedlings ensure the appearance of ripe berries sooner, but growing them is a complex and lengthy process. It is best to use young bushes from a horizontal bed. They are planted together with a lump of earth and already in the fall such strawberries produce their first harvest.
8. Water the strawberries in the vertical bed several times a day with a small volume of water. Drip irrigation is preferable.
9. If flowers appear on the berries too quickly, the buds are torn off. Flowers are left only after the bush has taken root and produces several new leaves. From now on you can feed strawberries.

Important! Strawberries in vertical beds need to be renewed every 2-3 years. When planting, mulching, or watering, do not cover the growing point with soil.

Features of the plant structure

Garden strawberries, commonly called strawberries, are a perennial plant. The root system is superficial and does not go deeper into the soil more than 15 centimeters. Classic varieties bloom and bear fruit once, while “reusable” remontant (neutral-day) varieties are able to produce crops constantly, from early spring to late autumn, gaining color with short breaks.

Descriptions of popular crop varieties, their detailed characteristics, as well as practical advice on planting and growing can be found in the section of our website.

The plant is compact and unpretentious, capable of growing in the most cramped conditions and still bearing fruit, which opens up enormous scope for the creativity of gardeners, who sometimes create incredible compositions from improvised means.

Summer residents often make vertical beds for strawberries with their own hands, placing plants in pyramids or “ladders”

Caring for strawberries in hanging beds

Growing strawberries in a vertical bed requires more intensive care. The procedures themselves do not differ from the usual ones.

1. Water the strawberries every day, and at first several times a day. In this case, the amount of water should be small so as not to flood the berries. Water is supplied to irrigation pipes. You should also water the strawberries with water from a watering can in open areas.

2. The plants are fed every 7–10 days. To do this, use weak solutions of mullein, grass clippings, and mineral fertilizers. You can use ready-made mixtures. If the green mass grows slowly, introduce urea or ammonium sulfate - 10–15 g per bucket.
3. Plants are trimmed to 5 tendrils. In autumn, all damaged or dried flowers and remains of the peduncle are also removed. All leaves are removed 2 years after fruiting.
4. If the strawberries do not come into contact with the main soil, the risk of infection is minimal. For prevention, it is recommended to use Bordeaux mixture.

Important! When strawberries begin to yield, fertilizing with nitrogenous fertilizers is reduced.

Soil preparation

Since strawberries grow in pipes and not in open ground, they require special soil. It should be low in acidity, well fertilized and contain sufficient levels of minerals to ensure a rich harvest. In the future, such soil can only be fed with liquid fertilizers, so it is better to initially take care of its composition.

To plant strawberries in PVC pipes, you can buy ready-made soil at a gardening store or prepare it yourself. To do this, you will need peat, organic matter (vermicompost) and agroperlite (sand can be used instead). All ingredients must be mixed in the following proportions:

• peat – 60%;
• fertilizers – 35%
• perlite or sand – 5%.

The resulting mixture is poured into the beds.

How strawberries overwinter in vertical beds

Wintering strawberries in vertical beds requires additional measures. Such a small volume of soil freezes very easily, so plants need to be additionally protected.

Collapsible structures - hanging planters, pots, PVC bottles are removed from the base or walls of the building for the winter. Containers are placed on the ground and covered with spruce branches. You can store pots in the cellar if the temperature here does not fall below -2 degrees and does not rise above +5 degrees. In the latter case, there is a high risk of developing fungus.

If the structure is stationary or large, a bag, pipe barrel, strawberries in vertical beds are wrapped in spunbond for the winter. This method is suitable for the middle and even northern zones, where the cold is much stronger.

After wintering, bushes damaged by frost should be removed immediately.

Care and wintering

The most important difficulty in caring for strawberries in pipes is maintaining the required soil moisture. In summer, the soil will dry out quickly, so the plant will have to be watered frequently. However, it is important not to overdo it, otherwise the roots of the strawberries will quickly rot if the soil is too wet.

The best option for providing the required humidity is to use a continuous drip irrigation system. It can be installed to any vertical or horizontal structures. Also in such a system, you can use a liquid fertilizer application module to replenish the soil.

Drip irrigation will greatly simplify life and saturate the earth with life-giving moisture, but it requires additional financial investments. To a greater extent, it will be in demand when conducting commercial gardening. To grow crops in small areas, you can get by with hand watering.

During the winter, the strawberry pipes will need to be covered. In regions with moderate winters, beds do not need to be removed from their supports. You can leave them in their place and cover them with two layers of covering material.

In colder areas, the pipes should be moved to a barn or other utility room and covered there with agrofibre. If the site does not have utility buildings, then the beds are simply laid on the ground, previously covered with straw or sawdust. They are also covered with “natural insulation” on top, and after that they are covered with agrofibre. Additionally, you can cover the strawberries with snow (if you have any).

Fertilizing strawberries, wild strawberries planted in pipes through drip irrigation: description, composition

The soil must be watered regularly and mineral fertilizers applied. Since there is no direct access to the soil, all fertilizers and fertilizing are introduced in liquid form along with watering. For this purpose, additives such as boric acid, cobalt nitrate, manganese sulfate, ammonium nitrate, and urea are used. You can also feed strawberries with organic fertilizers. This is a solution of chicken droppings or mullein. Fertilizing is carried out directly several times before flowering. There is no need to fertilize during flowering. As the berries ripen, you can apply mineral and organic fertilizers.