Do-it-yourself vertical strawberry beds

Today, vertical strawberry beds are gaining more and more popularity, both among professional farmers and among amateur gardeners. Vertical planting of strawberries allows not only to more efficiently use the planting area, harvesting 3-4 times more from 1 sq. M, but also to decorate the summer cottage with an original architectural structure ..

Benefits of vertical cultivation

The undoubted advantage of vertical strawberry cultivation is space saving and high efficiency. With this method of planting, the bushes are on top of each other and do not occupy large areas. With proper care, the yield from each square meter of such a design can exceed the usual up to 5-7 times. And for normal and full-fledged growth, the bush is 26-30 cm in height, so that up to 6-8 tiers can be placed on a two-meter post. At the same time, the bushes do not start up long whiskers, and they do not take root, which greatly facilitates care. Removing antennae, feeding, picking berries and other manipulations is much easier to carry out, compared to planting strawberries in the ground. Depending on the chosen design of vertical beds, 7-15 bushes can be processed at a time without difficulty.

Modern tall strawberry beds can be of the most diverse shapes and heights: ovals, pyramids, artificial trees, polygonal shelves made of metal or wood, and other geometric shapes. They can be equipped both in a greenhouse, vegetable garden, front garden, and in the middle of the yard, and the original design will only decorate the landscape design of any site. The pots can be camouflaged so that only flowering plants and berries are visible. It is especially convenient to grow remontant varieties in this way, since the ripening of the berries is not simultaneous and each ripens in its own time, and so all the berries will be in sight and at hand, which will significantly reduce the harvest time.

Vertical bed options

Making a pyramid for strawberries

The pyramid is the most popular shape. It is equipped with three - or four coal. The triangular pyramid allows you to make the row wider and, therefore, plant several bushes on each tier. The quadrangle is a more compact design and provides easy access to each plant.

Design and assembly of the frame

The pyramid is made of various materials available at the time of its construction - wood, dense strips of plastic or metal. Naturally, the most convenient material is wood, since it will be easier to make the desired shape and fix several tiers. For the base, take a block of at least 30-45 mm thick. All blanks are covered with an antiseptic or varnished to minimize the effects of fungus, moisture and various pests. It also gives a neat and decorative look to the pyramid.

After the structure is modeled and drawn on paper, its dimensions are determined, all the elements of the structure are prepared. Fasten them together with nails 65-70 mm and glue in the corners. For greater strength, metal strips and screws are used. In this case, several holes are made in the sheet, screws are inserted there and screwed to wooden blanks.This increases the resistance of the entire structure to high ground pressure.

Placing all the tiers and filling them with soil

The first tier is covered with completely enriched fertile soil, leaving 3.5-6 cm to the upper edge so that water does not pour out during irrigation. After that, the soil is lightly tamped and the next tier is installed on it. It is also filled with earth and compacted. To plant the bushes freely, each subsequent floor should be 25-35 cm less than the previous one. Thus, the whole pyramid is assembled. Depending on the desire and capabilities, you can build from 3 to 8-9 floors. When the building is fully assembled and filled, the outside of the boards is varnished or decorated as desired.

One such structure can bring up to 85-95 kg of berries per season.

Round tower made of tires

Vertical strawberry beds can also be made in a round shape. In practice, a tower of this type is used by most amateur gardeners, since it is built from car tires, selected in diameter and does not require large costs and efforts.

The base is made from the rubber of a heavy-duty vehicle, such as a combine, a tractor or a loading container. The tire must be wide and strong, otherwise, when cut from the top, it will deform from the pressure of the soil with weighted moisture. The base is buried in the ground at a shallow depth for stability. 5-7 cm recede from the protector and the inside is cut out with a sharp knife. Then the base is filled with fertile, fertilized soil and compacted.

For the second tier, tires of such cars as MAZ are used, they are of a smaller diameter and height. Having carried out similar manipulations, the second floor is installed. For the upper floors, take the tires of passenger cars, the diameter of which is no more than 14-16 inches, or from a GAZ car. At this, you can complete the construction, leaving the tower with the cut off top, or install a walk-behind tractor tire. No more than one bush is planted there, which, in comparison with the lower ones, will bear less fruit, but will give an aesthetic appearance to the entire structure.

Beds of metal pipes

In a large farm, strawberries are planted vertically in metal pipes. For growing in this way, only low and medium-sized varieties are suitable, with medium-sized berries, otherwise the berries, not having time to ripen, break off, and the bushes will need to be tied up.

This design allows you to significantly save watering time and the amount of liquid nutrient mixture. Since it can be poured into the frame itself directly, and the moisture gradually goes down, nourishing the root system of all plants. In addition, with this method, there is practically no weed vegetation. For the entire growing season, no more than 1-2 weeding is required, since the soil is in the dark and the weeds do not germinate.

In addition to the above, this method allows more efficient use of the landing area. Since in a pipe with a diameter of 18-24 cm, you can successfully grow 45-55 bushes, placing them in a spiral. Such a structure looks very decorative; it can be decorated under an oak, birch or covered with bright colors. And the metal frame, in warm, sunny weather, will not allow the soil to overheat.

The holes are marked, made with a grinder. If possible, a metal porch plate should be welded on, on which the bush subsequently lies, and during fruiting, the fruits are supported. Such a structure needs good reinforcement, since the filled pipe is heavy. As a rule, it is concreted or screwed with thick wire to supports specially installed next to it.

Agrofibre beds

Vertical strawberry beds made of agrofibre have the advantage, among others, that excess moisture drains off easily, thereby reducing the risk of root rot and slugs.

From it, using a sewing machine or a sealing machine, make cassette bags. Since agrofibre is sold in rolls of standard width, there is usually a limited vertical bed length as well. The material is folded in several layers and scribbled. Drainage holes do not need to be made, since agrofibre is good at allowing moisture to pass through. They attach it to a vertical plane using wire and a wooden plank, also stuffing a wooden step under the bottom of the bags to support the bushes.

It should be remembered that this material is not durable and after 2-3 seasons, the planting must be renewed by replacing the agrofiber.

Other available designs

For a long time of practice of vertical cultivation of berries, many gardeners have invented methods of how to make beds for strawberries at home from improvised and available means, without losses for fruiting.

You can plant bushes, for example, in plastic bottles, attaching them to the wall of a house or gazebo. On a vertical plane with the help of ropes, two- or three-liter bottles filled with a substrate are attached, in which one bush is planted. Thus, you can not only decorate the gazebo, wall of a house, garage or barn, but also get a good harvest. You can also use thick plastic bags in a similar manner. They have more planting space - 6-12 bushes and, therefore, more yield.

Any material can be used as a container for planting. However, if a long-term cultivation of strawberries in vertical beds is planned, and not a one-time, experimental planting, a strong and durable structure should be built from reliable materials.

Video "Growing strawberries in trukars"

The video tells about one of the ways to grow strawberries in vertical beds.