Planting Strawberries in a Barrel: A Fun and Delicious Way to Grow Your Own Fruit

Growing fresh, juicy strawberries at home is a rewarding experience. But if space is limited, planting strawberries in a barrel can be a great solution. Barrel gardening allows you to grow vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit, even with minimal yard space.

Strawberries are perfect for barrel culture. When cared for properly, a single barrel can produce pounds of sweet, homegrown berries throughout the season. Here’s a complete guide on how to plant and grow strawberries in a barrel successfully.

Why Grow Strawberries in a Barrel?

There are many advantages to using a barrel to grow strawberries:

• Barrels take up very little space since they can be placed on a balcony, patio, or any small area.

• The vertical design increases planting area and allows more plants compared to a typical garden bed

• Drainage and air circulation are improved in a barrel, reducing disease.

• Barrels can be easily moved to follow the sun or protect plants from harsh weather

• Standing at waist level reduces back strain while tending plants or picking fruit.

• Keep slugs, snails, birds, and other berry thieves away.

Choosing a Barrel

Plastic, wood or metal barrels all work well for growing strawberries. Look for food-grade containers that are:

• At least 24 inches tall and 18-24 inches wide

• Sturdy and solid with no cracks or defects

• Have removable tops or lids for easy access

• No previous use of toxic chemicals

Plastic barrels are inexpensive and readily available. Make sure any plastic barrel you use is BPA-free and food-safe. Oak whiskey or wine barrels add a stylish look but tend to be more expensive.

Wide barrels provide more planting space. But slimmer barrels can work too, you’ll just have fewer plants and less fruit overall.

Preparing the Barrel

Before planting, the barrel needs drainage holes and pockets to hold the strawberry plants.

Use a drill or jigsaw to cut drainage holes across the entire bottom of the barrel. Adding 3-5 holes about 1 inch wide allows excess moisture to drain out.

Next, cut planting pockets into the sides of the barrel. Mark horizontal rows every 8 inches from bottom to top. Drill 1 inch holes spaced 4 inches apart along each marked line.

Stagger the placement of holes between rows so there is room for roots to spread out. Aim for at least 28-30 total pockets to maximize planting space.

Filling the Barrel

For good drainage, first fill the bottom few inches with gravel, broken pottery, pebbles or other coarse material. Place a cylinder of hardware cloth or wire mesh in the center to create a reservoir.

Then fill the barrel with high-quality potting mix for containers and raised beds. Avoid regular garden soil which can get too compacted. Commercial mixes with compost or aged manure provide nutrients.

As you fill, occasionally water to help settle the soil. Stop filling about 5 inches below the rim to leave space for mulch or more plants on top.

Planting Day-Neutral Strawberries

Day-neutral strawberries are ideal for barrels and hanging planters. Unlike June-bearing types, day-neutrals produce sweet berries all season long on both old and new runners. They perform well in a restricted space and even tolerate some shade.

Some top day-neutral varieties include Tribute, Tristar, Seascape, Albion and Portola. Purchase bare-root plants from a reputable nursery or garden center in early spring.

Before planting the strawberries, thoroughly water the barrel until the soil is moist but not soggy. Carefully separate the roots and plant one strawberry into each prepared pocket. The crown where the leaves emerge should sit right at soil level.

Fill in around each plant with more soil, gently firming it in place. Leave the first set of leaves above the soil surface. As the barrel fills up, repeat planting in the next set of holes.

Caring for Strawberries in a Barrel

The barrel environment requires a little different care than a traditional strawberry bed:

• Water 1-2 times per day so soil stays evenly moist, not bone dry or saturated. Strawberry barrels often need more frequent watering.

• Fertilize every 2-4 weeks with a balanced liquid feed during the growing season.

• Remove flowers until about mid-summer so plants establish an extensive root system first.

• Keep blooms/fruit picked clean to encourage more production.

• Prune off any long runners so plants devote energy to fruiting instead of new growth.

• Protect plants from harsh weather extremes with a shade cloth cover. Move the barrel to shelter if needed.

• Refresh the soil and replace older plants every 2-3 years for best fruiting.

Growing Other Plants in a Strawberry Barrel

In addition to the strawberries planted in pockets around the sides, consider adding plants on top of the barrel:

• Lettuce, kale, chard and herbs do well in the center space around the reservoir. Replace them with fresh plants every 3-4 weeks.

• Cascading flowers like petunias or lobelia look beautiful spilling over barrel edges.

• Train vines like cucumbers or beans up decorative obelisks attached to the barrel.

Mixing edible ornamentals and flowers together with strawberries makes for an especially attractive and productive barrel garden.

Tips for Overwintering Your Barrel

In cold climates, strawberries will need some protection to survive winter while still in the barrel:

• Move the barrel to an unheated garage or shed once temperatures drop below freezing.

• Wrap the barrel in burlap, blankets, or insulation panels. Secure covers tightly.

• Ensure plants get adequate ventilation so they don’t mold or mildew.

• Check soil moisture every few weeks and water if needed.

• Remove covers in early spring and resume care as weather warms.

• Consider replacing some old plants if they look damaged or weak after winter.

With the right preparation and care, it’s easy to enjoy an abundance of homegrown strawberries from a space-saving barrel. The vertical design makes strawberry barrels a fun, productive option even where yard space is sparse.