We enjoyed our first ripe strawberry of the season this morning. Nothing beats the sweet, sweet deliciousness of an organic, homegrown strawberry. Strawberries are probably the easiest fruit to grow in containers and do very well in hanging baskets, strawberry pots, or window boxes on sunny decks and balconies. I give mine little more than a little sea kelp and vermicompost (worm poo) fertilizer now and again and am sure to keep the soil consistently moist without drying out. The hybrids can take a bit of drought but I try not to push the plants too hard in order to get as much juicy, sweet fruit as possible.
This year I am growing both a pink flowering and a white flowering, everbearing hybrid that will produce two crops of berries, one this month and the second in late-summer/early-fall. Our first strawberry actually came from the canister plant but I missed getting a snap of it in Davin’s eagerness to taste. With today’s heat and humidity the berry shown in the above image should be ready by this evening!
The flower sure looks pretty and the ripe strawberry very nice. Are the pink flowered strawberry hybrid the one that produce late summer/early fall?
The flower sure looks pretty and the ripe strawberry very nice. Are the pink flowered strawberry hybrid the one that produce late summer/early fall?
It looks very tasty.
I had a strawberry plant, which I managed to fry on my porch. However, in fairness, this one wasn’t my fault. I left for a family emergency in April and my husband forgot to water it. I planted it in the ground hoping it would pull out of it. From your post it looks like they can bounce back from a little abuse not a full fledge killing! I’m still learning, but I am enjoying it as I go.
Those look like really tasty strawberries. I am now tempted to go out and look for getting some to grow on my balcony!
are your strawberries planted in a special kind of pot or just a regular terra cotta pot? if its a special pot, where do you buy them?
Laura: The plant in the photo is in a terracotta strawberry pot but you can plant in just about any container.
Summer: Yes this pink flowered variety is everbearing. I am seeing new pink varieties pop up so be sure to check the tag to see if it says “everbearing.” I don’t know if they all are now.
That looks amazing!
Is there anywhere in Toronto where I could buy a terracotta strawberry pot like that?
Lou: I have no idea. They seem to come and go quickly in the stores. Many stores don’t sell them anymore. I had a heck of a time finding one for a demo I gave last year.
As a novice gardener I LOVE your site. Many helpful tips. I have white flowering strawberries but have never heard of pink! Any difference in size/taste/etc?
Thanks Lisa! I have not noticed a difference between these and the white everbearing varieties in size or taste. There are other kinds of strawberries (alpines, wild, other hybrids) but each of those have their own characteristics. As an example, the wild tend to have smaller berries.
Pink flowers! They are so pretty. I’m currently renovating a garden spot so that I can plant about 300 strawberry plants. Yum, gotta love strawberries!
First let me say I love your site!!! We have two strawberry plants in hanging baskets and they are loaded with flowers and berries. We have statrd using plants as a reward for our kids insted of toys, strawberries for my oldest and tomatos for my middle kid. It is so rewarding for them to learn to care for something and then get to eat their reward. Happy Gardening everyone!
i’m having berry envy! this year is my first year to ever try to grow anything. we’ve planted 2 strawberry plants in the same pot you have shown. it’s been about a month… nothing. no flowers or anything :( but the leaves are nice and green – so i haven’t killed it yet :D
I have recently planted my first garden and have been learning from this website and your book! I’m curious if I can still get strawberries this season in Illinois. I planted 6 in my garden area and there are a few flowers. Does that typically mean the strawberries will follow? Just curious.
Kristin: Berries should follow shortly.
Rebecca: The tricky thing about these pots is keeping them moist. Watch that the plants are getting enough moisture in each pocket. Sometimes when you water it sticks to certain sections of the pot and some plants stay dry.
My husband planted a dozen strawberry plants for me several years ago. The first year we had more strawberries than than the next, an even less this spring. How should I be fertilizing and revitalizing these plants to produce more, not less. And shouldn’t they be spreading out some? I dunno, maybe my thumb ain’t green enough. Jane Metzler aka Cookie. :)
The pink flowers are lovely.
I brought a pink flowered strawberry to the Midlands. It flowers early but no fruit (yet??). Does anyone know if the pink flowering varieties are self furtile or do I need another plant. If so where can I get them?
I brought a pink flowered strawberry to the Midlands. It flowers early but no fruit (yet??). Does anyone know if the pink flowering varieties are self furtile or do I need another plant. If so where can I get them?
Jane; The first year you are supposed to pick the flowers off so that they don’t produce, thus allowing the plant to get strong and healthy. After that you get 3 years of harvests and then you restart with new plants.
My plant is very healthy with many flowers, and bore fruit before moving from Cornwall to Edgbaston. It just seems the flowers are not being fertilised though they were frequented by bees.
If you can’t tell me where to get another I’ll have to look for one on my next trip to Cornwall
I love your site and have your book as a much needed guide since I’m new to gardening. I’m envious of your strawberries! I have a plant that is getting nice and bushy and filling my container nicely. It also just started growing pink flowers. Does this mean that fruit should be starting soon too?