Vertical Gardening: Strawberries
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Joseph Kuchar (via Sybille Schurz)
Posted on: March 13, 2001

I have noticed that the growers in Florida have a system by which they pile several pots of strawberries on top of each other and I took several photos which I could forward to you if it would be helpful. Information on Vertical Gardening and organic & hydroponic was also found on a website: www.vertigro.com.

I would like to know whether you have a strain of strawberries to fit these pots. We can obtain the pots from friends in Florida.

For years Barry Dimock of The Herb Homestead stacked several clay strawberry jars to create magnificient living sculptures with herbs and flowers. Usually, he would use an inverted flared pot as the pedestal, then mount two or three large sized jars with four or five pockets each, capped with a smaller jar. Planted with herbs of different leaf shapes, textures and colours, and with trailing or ascending growth habits, the effect was stunning as a centrepiece in a garden or sunroom.

Both the alpine strawberry variety, ‘Ruegen’, and the climbing strawberry, ‘Fort Laramy’ can be used for this purpose. ‘Ruegen’ is a smaller strawberry which doesn’t appeal to some who are expecting large berries, and the taste experience is different, more intense, but less juicy. ‘Fort Laramy’ is a much faster grower with bigger, juicier berries and heavier yields. For most, ‘Fort Laramy’ is the one to choose for strawberry sculptures, but you may want to try a few of the alpine variety for fun in the topmost pockets.

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