My Strawberry Pyramid
Last year I planted a new batch of strawberries and decided to build a pyramid for them to grow in. The pyramid is actually a three tier raised bed and the dimensions are 5’for the bottom, 3’ for the middle, and 1’ for the top. Each box is approximately 6” deep. These dimensions can vary somewhat but design it so you can reach into the middle when it’s time to pick. The advantages of the 3 tier raised bed is to provide good drainage and allow for easier picking.
This is last year maybe a month after planting:
And here is this year:
Strawberries are not particularly difficult to grow but they need good rich soil. I start off with a compost mushroom soil mix and add a natural slow releasing fertilizer when planting. Before planting it’s probably a good idea to trim the roots back around 6” and soak the plants in bowl of water for a few minutes first. The key is NOT to plant too deep. The crown (where the stem meets the roots) should be at ground level. Plant the strawberries 12-18” apart.
Do not expect strawberries the first year. Any flowers that form the first year should be pinched so the energy goes into forming a healthy plant. If your plants are healthy they will grow like crazy and runners will form new crowns as the plants spread. If the plants grow too much you may want to cut back to keep the strawberry patch contained but that is up to you. By the second year you should be picking plenty of strawberries.
I generally cut back the old sick looking leaves during the summer after the strawberries have produced, apply some compost, and put a light fertilizer down to encourage the formation of new crowns. Crowns will only produce a few years but I have found if you take care of the patch by applying compost and fertilizer every year the formation of new crowns will keep things going a long time. I also spread shredded leaves around the plants in the autumn to protect the crowns in case of a harsh winter. Early the next spring I remove the excess leaves and fertilize again.
The biggest problem I have encountered is pill bugs and slugs. These seem to be worse if it is a rainy spring (as this year in my location). There may also be a lot of rotten berries in a rainy pattern. You could try putting newspaper or plastic (although I do not use any plastic in my garden) around the plants to keep the berries off the ground but if your plants are thick this may be difficult. Here's a pill bug:
If you have problems with birds, dropping a net over the plants will not hurt them.
When berries are coming in you need to pick every day for about 3-4 weeks and then they are generally finished until next year. There are ever bearing varieties that are supposed to produce through the summer but I haven’t had much luck with that.
Well that’s all I got on strawberries. Comment, upvote, resteem, etc.. you know all that good stuff. Let me know if you have questions or if you have anything to add. Thanks.
I am new to gardening and this year I decided to try growing strawberries. I honestly did not have a clue on what to do with them until I read your article. In my mind I was thinking flowers means fruit for this year but I plan on taking your advice and I am going to pinch the flowers to make my plans grow stronger. I also did not know how much work went into them for example what to do in the fall but now I do. Hopefully by taking your advice I can take a awesome picture of my strawberry crops.
Try and use good soil and fertilize. I purchase a lot of my natural fertilizers and pesticides from a site called Gardens Alive. Strawberries Alive is a specially formulated fertilizer for strawberries. They are a little pricey but the should provide a 50% off coupon for orders over $50. If that's too pricey you should be able to get cheaper fertilizer at a nearby garden center.
The strawberry pyramid is beautiful and sensible. Thanks
Thanks
I could eat strawberries every day of my life. Great tips on getting started, and love the growing system you have there. Yum! Upvoted, resteemed, and followed.
Thanks so much! Too bad they're done after a few weeks. That's one thing you can't keep planting to extend the season.
The good news is the blueberries will be next!! I'll do a post on that when they start coming in.
That's a good looking patch, they completely took over that pyramid. I hate slugs as well, they seem to love everything in my garden. I literally just had my first strawberry from this years crop, mine are slower than yours, heh.
Thanks. Yeah the slugs and pill bugs are bad this year. It's been really cool and rainy here just as the berries are coming in so I'm having some problems but we are still eating a lot.
Try using little saucers with a bit of beer in them for the slugs. They're attracted to the beer and it keeps them off the plants. I think the beer kills them, but I don't remember for sure. I have very little problems with slugs so I haven't tried it yet.
Yes I have heard of that. It's the pill bugs that are the bigger problem for me. I wonder if it was draw them too? Maybe I'll give it a try. Thanks.
Thank you for the infos, upvoted! I learnt about the net late, after my vegetables (even the seeds) got half eaten first year. Do you have any non-chemical solution for the pill bugs and slugs?
I use a product called escar-go from garden's alive for slugs. The pill bugs are actually more of a problem for me. Diatomaceous Earth (food grade not swimming pool grade) is good for controlling a lot of insects but it won't really work if its wet.
Good to know, appreciated! Looking forward to your posts, thanks again.
I already posted several. Check them out. Spinach, cabbage, etc...
This is awesome. I want to do strawberries. I've read that you should plant them in the fall; What is your take on that? I also do raised beds, and this pyramid scheme seems interesting.
You can probably do that especially in NC. Just start early enough so the plants can get established before it gets too cold. I started mine in late March or early April.
thanks!
I'm impressed with the pyramid method , going to think of other uses
I'm sure it would be great for flowers. You can buy these as a kit with much less assembly. I built mine from scratch to save a few bucks.
I just planted crowns a couple weeks ago. Fingers crossed! Love that pyramid!
Good luck. Are you pretty far north? It's getting late for planting them where I'm located.
Nice garden! Has to be my favorite part of summer.
it's a nice garden. I've never been the jealous type-- BUT ALL THESE GARDEN PHOTOS & I WISH I HAD ONE!!!!
Maybe it's time to start! I see you're in Florida. The growing season is very different down there with all that heat. You'd probably need to grow a lot in the fall and winter.
It is. I came down at End of Feb. Started a Garden both in ground & container. Then the neighbor came over & said his wife grew up on a farm. She did the same thing started her first garden in the Florida Summer & everything died.
It's Now beginning of June- about half is still alive- but between the sun beating down at 90 degrees heat with 70% humidity and 10 million mosquitoes that immediately land on on me every time I go out to water........,.URGHHHHH. Growing Season in from the Middle of the State top the South End is Winter & Fall only
You can probably get away with heat loving plants like peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants if the bugs don't destroy them. The other problem down there is sandy soil. Hard to hold the nutrients.
I'm doing the Mittleider system and one of the main things in that system is the watering. The best thing I've done is taken the effort to make the automatic watering system. I did a steem post about it recently - https://steemit.com/garden/@florio/mittleider-method-watering-system
Don't give up, things take time and effort but will be worth it.