BERRY GOOD CONTAINER GARDENS

Now you're ready to begin filling the container with the moist mix. DON'T put stones, rocks, or cracked terra cotta pot pieces in the bottom of the pot. Maybe you were told at one time that this improves drainage. In fact it does the opposite. Plant experts no longer recommend this practice.

Fill the strawberry jar with the moist mix up to the bottom row of planting holes. Place one of the strawberry plants into each of the lower holes. Do this by guiding the foliage through the planting hole. Make a hole for the root ball, and cover it over with the soilless mix.

Add another layer of potting soil up to the next layer of pockets. Insert plants in those holes. Repeat this until the entire jar is planted.

After you've filled the jar with potting soil and planted the side pockets, it is a good idea to insert a PVC pipe upright through the center of the potting soil. First make holes all along the sides of the pipe. Now cap one end of the pipe, and insert the closed end into the pot.

Plant several strawberry plants in the top of the jar. Now you're finished with the planting process.

Other containers can be planted in much the same way. However they will not need the piece of PVC pipe that is placed in the strawberry jar.

Usually the plastic flower pouches come complete with instructions.

STEP FIVE

Once the plants are all in place you're ready for the final step, which is to water them very carefully. For the strawberry pot pour water into the PVC pipe. The water will then trickle through the holes and keep the soil moist throughout the pot.

STEP SIX

Assuming your strawberry plants were hardened off properly, the strawberry container is now ready for a sunny spot. If they need hardening off, do that by setting the container in the shade for a day or so. Then gradually expose it to a little more sun each day until it can tolerate a full-sun exposure.

STEP SEVEN

Water the pot whenever it needs it. The soil should be kept evenly moist. If you're using a water-soluble fertilizer, this can be added to the water when you're watering the plants.

Now comes the fun. Enjoy your freshly picked strawberries as they ripen.

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