Growing Berries in Containers
You can grow berries even if the only garden space you have is a patio, deck, or balcony. Imagine being able to pick delicious strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries for your morning smoothie or breakfast cereal. Growing berries isn’t difficult when you select the right container, variety, and location.
Photo Credit: Blueberry ‘Top Hat’ – W. Atlee Burpee & Co
Sun requirements: All fruiting plants, whether in a container or in the ground, produce the most berries in full sun. Provide at least six to eight hours or more of sun per day.
Water needs: Plants in containers need more water than plants in the ground. Because terra-cotta is a breathable material, plants in those containers dry out even faster than those planted in plastic or ceramic pots. In general, check the soil in your containers daily to be sure it stays moist but not wet. In windy or hot conditions, plants might even need watering twice a day. Before watering, insert your finger up to the first joint in the soil to determine whether water is needed.
Photo Credit: Raspberry ‘Shortcake’ – Monrovia
Choose the right container: Always plant in a container with drainage holes. Roots allowed to stay in standing water will rot. Pour water over the soil until you see water running out of the drainage holes.
Photo Credit: Thornless Blackberries – HGTV.com
May 9, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
Most people don’t consider growing berries in containers, so this is a good post to give people with small garden areas an option to enjoy fresh fruit. 🙂