Gary helped me build a mini strawberry tower. The beauty of growing strawberries in a tower is the strawberries don't touch the ground and aren't subject to rot, mildew or slugs. Each layer is set on the lower one without being attached, so the tower can easily be dismantled if necessary.
The bottom layer is 30 inches square. Subsequent levels are set back about five inches to allow planting of the strawberries at each level. The tower is set directly on top of the ground and filled with a good growing soil. This gardening project takes less than a couple of hours to complete from beginning to end. We used 2 x 4s but you could also use 2 x 6s for a deeper root growing depth. I think we used three 8 foot boards we had on hand.
The variety of strawberry I got is
Quinault which is an everbearing strawberry. This was so easy to build I think I might build one more. Nothing is better than fresh picked strawberries plus I know they won't have any pesticides on them.
I plan to make a cover with chicken wire to protect the strawberries from critters tempted to eat my strawberries. Strawberries are hardy and will come back each year so the initial investment is well worth it. Don't you think a strawberry leaf looks a little like a shamrock? Happy St. Patrick's Day. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
It looks good. We have our strawberry plants in hanging pots - which keeps most of the critters away.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, thanks, we could hand some pots but they would be in the shade.
DeleteHappy St. Patrick's Day to you as well. This project looks lovely and I'm sure you'll enjoy the "fruits of your labor" many times!
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, thanks, I have never grown strawberries so we shall see, looking forward to them
DeleteHappy St. Patrick's day to you, too. I haven't had a strawberry tower for thirty years. What a fine idea.
ReplyDeleteHi Joanne, thanks, there was a fancier one that was taller but it had all of these angles cuts and I know Gary and I would have had a big fight over that so we did this one instead.
DeleteHappy St. Patrick's Day. Aloha from Hawaii.
ReplyDeleteHi Gigi, thanks, same to you.
DeleteLove your strawberry tower! I'm afraid that they wouldn't have a chance around here with the squirrels, possums, raccoons, and box turtles. They are very adept at getting through things I've used to protect growing fruit. So we just agree to share... (the figs) with them.
ReplyDeleteHi Rian, thanks, you shall see what we did to cover them which we built today and I'll post it tomorrow.
DeleteThat's a great invention. And you're going to get so much delicious pleasure from the strawberties!!
ReplyDelete