Question 1

How many strawberry plants can go in a strawberry pot?

Accepted Answer

Plant one strawberry in each side pocket and two or three in the top opening, so a jar with six pockets holds eight or nine plants. Don't squeeze in more: each plant needs its share of soil, and crowded jars dry out quickly. If the jar is under about 12 inches tall, plant fewer, or choose a larger pot for a better harvest.

Question 2

Do strawberry pots need drainage holes?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Strawberry crowns and roots rot quickly in waterlogged soil, so every container needs at least one drainage hole. If you love a pot without one, use it as a decorative cover: set a plastic nursery pot with holes inside it on a layer of pebbles, and tip out any water that collects in the bottom about 30 minutes after watering.

Question 3

Can you grow strawberries on a balcony?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if it gets at least 6 hours of direct sun a day, and ideally 8. Use pocket pots, stacking towers, rail planters or hanging baskets, and choose everbearing or day-neutral varieties that fruit through summer. Put a saucer under every pot so water doesn't drip onto neighbors, and check your building's rules on weight and hanging planters.

Question 4

Why does my strawberry pot dry out so fast?

Accepted Answer

Pocket pots expose a lot of surface for their soil volume, and terracotta pulls moisture out through its walls. Small jars, full sun and wind make it worse. Choose a jar at least 16 inches tall, add a perforated watering tube down the center, water until it drains from the bottom, and consider glazed ceramic or plastic on a hot balcony.

Question 5

Do strawberry plants come back every year in pots?

Accepted Answer

Strawberries are perennials, so they can come back for several years, but roots in pots are more exposed to cold than roots in the ground. Where winters bring hard freezes, move pots into an unheated garage or shed, or group them against a wall and wrap them. Yields drop after two to three years, so replace plants then.

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