It’s that time of year where plastic products can be used to help you prepare your garden for spring. Even if you don’t own a green acre, a few pot plants and your very own strawberry planter can create a green corner on your doorstep. Strawberries are easy to grow; one good plant will produce about a punnet of strawberries each season, and can keep producing for up to five years.
If you want to set up a garden on a balcony or patio area, there are a few things to think about. Firstly, for juicy fruit growing follow the sun and work out the sunniest spot. Strawberry planters are self-draining so drowning your plants won’t be a problem; however, making sure your hose can reach the planter will make life easier, or you can buy a light weight plastic watering can.
To fill your planter select 12 strawberry plants, a sack of potting mix and a roll of newspaper. Tip the potting mix into the planter and compact it down until it reaches the bottom planting holes. Roll your first strawberry plant out of its plastic bag and spread out the root system, and place one plant in each planting hole. Tip: Healthy plants have a large green crown and light coloured roots. Stand the rolled up newspaper in the centre of the planter (this will act as a water column) and compact more potting mix around the newly planted strawberries and rolled paper. When you reach the next set of planting holes, repeat the process until the barrel is full.
When your strawberries turn bright red leave them on the plant for an extra couple of days and then pick them gently, as they bruise easily. Tip: It’s best to snap the stem just above the fruit rather than pulling it off the plant. Just another way that plastic can make a green difference even in a concrete jungle!
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