How to grow and maintain strawberries above ground?

To occupy a space devoid of soil, lost or in height, cultivate strawberries Aboveground. You will thus benefit from cascades of fruit and will harvest them from May to October, depending on the variety.

What is a strawberry plant grown above ground?

Instead of planting your strawberry plants directly in the garden or in the vegetable garden, it is a question of planting them in containers. Whether on a balcony, a terrace or a garden, you can use this method of cultivation. This technique makes it possible to grow crops in areas devoid of soil. Suspended, high or raised, the out sol facilitates the harvest of strawberries, at hand. Another advantage, you can anticipate the culture by placing the containers under a greenhouse or a tunnel to acclimatize the strawberries and advance their growth.

What type of container to have strawberries above ground?

The most classic are pots, tubs, jars and planters, more or less large, depending on the number of plants you want to cultivate. There are also suspended containers to occupy space vertically: baskets, suspensions, pockets or gutters. They are fixed to the wall by means of fixing and the runners strawberries fall easily. Finally, a green wall can also accommodate strawberry plants next to salads and other plants.

All these containers must have holes in the bottom to promote the release of excess water so that the roots do not rot.

What varieties of strawberries to plant above ground?

All the varieties may be suitable but prefer very tasty varieties with medium-sized fruits such as ‘Charlotte’, ‘Gariguette’, ‘Ciflorette’, ‘Reine des Vallées’ or ‘Rabunda’.

How to plant strawberries above ground?

Here are some practical tips for successful planting strawberries in containers:

• always check for the presence of holes drainage. If this is not the case, do them with the help of a drill and the appropriate bit;
• choose one substrate rich special for strawberries or tomatoes. Avoid poor soils;
• always leave a space of about fifteen cm between two feet to promote natural ventilation which is beneficial to the health of strawberry plants;
• place a small drainage bed in the bottom of the container to maintain constant humidity. You can put gravel, pebbles, potsherds, sand or balls ofclay. One centimeter is enough;
• bury your feet until collar and recap;
• pack down then water copiously;
• once planted, mulch the plants to reduce watering sessions and limit evaporation.

Tip: mix remontant and non-remontant varieties to extend the harvest from May to October.

How to maintain above-ground strawberries?

Unlike strawberries in the ground, those grown above ground require more food and water.

• Feeding a strawberry plant above ground: once the first fruits have formed, add fertilizer to the watering water, respecting the doses prescribed on the packaging. You can also, when planting, place slow-release fertilizer in the substrate for more tranquility. In fall and in the spring, place compost ripe on the surface to provide food for the roots. Manure is also beneficial to strawberries.
• Water a strawberry plant above ground: the substrate must always be fresh and not soggy. Regularly check the floor by touching the surface. To reduce watering sessions, lay a vegetable mulch which will retain the freshness. Another solution, install drip irrigation with a dripper at the foot of each strawberry plant. This will regulate the debit with a programmer installed on the faucet.
• Contain stolons: a strawberry plant tends to multiply the runners which exhaust the mother foot. Don’t hesitate to cut them regularly and transplant them into buckets to renew your strawberry plantation.

Advantage: this technique facilitates harvesting, without having to bend down and prevents the appearance of weeds. The weeding sessions are over.