Strawberry is an easy plant to grow and growing it upside down makes it more convenient. Upside down plants have less pest problems and diseases like fruit rot and crown rot, because in this method strawberries are not touching the ground.
Buy potted strawberry plants of day-neutral varieties. Day-neutral varieties grow year long if right condition and protection from winter is provided. They don’t spread, produce less runners and small fruits that’s why this type of strawberry is better for both hanging basket and upside down planter.
Varieties
- Tristar
- Evie
- Albion
- tribute and alpine for partial sun.
Step One
You can either buy an upside down/topsy turvy planter or if you are a DIY kind of person, make your own at home. For this, take a bucket or hanging basket of about 10 inch deep and 12 inch wide. You can grow two-three plants in that space.
Step Two
Once you have chosen the size of planter, make a hole in the bottom of it with the help of drill. Again the size of hole depends on the size of planter. For example, a big planter should have 2 inches hole.
Step Three
Find a temporary place that is low in height to hang it. Now place something like moss, newspaper or landscaping fabric around the hole to hold plant in place to prevent the soil from washing out through the hole.
Step Four
Take an actively growing plant with good root system for your upside down planter. Take out the plant from its pot and turns it upside down, then carefully guide the plant through the hole. Make sure not to damage the root ball and plant. While holding the root ball in, fill the soil in planter. Fill it up until an inch of space left from rim.
Step Five
Add slow release fertilizer in soil, this will provide enough nutrients to plant for all the growing season.
Additional Tips for Growing Strawberries Upside Down
Requirements of growing strawberries upside down is similar to tomatoes.
Hang your planter in a less windy and sunny spot.
Do regular watering from the top, excess moisture will drain out from the bottom and crevices in the planter.
You can also grow other plants like borage or parsley on upper side of the planter. If you are doing so, make sure to use plants of same requirements as of strawberries.
