Do you dream of a generous balcony filled with delicious fresh strawberries to enjoy throughout the beautiful season? Good news: growing strawberries in pots is easy to manage and yields great results, even in a limited space like your balcony. Follow our guide to choose the right strawberry variety and enjoy a delicious and fragrant harvest!
Which Varieties of Strawberries to Choose for the Balcony?
When it comes to growing strawberries in pots, any variety will do, but some are better suited for small spaces and will provide you with interesting yields.
Everbearing or Non-Everbearing: Which to Choose?
Knowing the types of strawberries is essential if you want to make the most of your balcony. There are three categories:
- Non-Everbearing Strawberries provide a single, but generous harvest each year, generally between May and June. Varieties like “Gariguette” or the delicious “Cigoulette” are ideal, especially for making jams or freezing.
- Everbearing Strawberries produce multiple harvests from spring to fall, provided the summer is mild and they have enough water. Opt for these if you’re short on space, as they allow you to enjoy fresh fruit for a longer period. Good choices include “Mara des Bois,” “Charlotte,” or “Mount Everest,” a variety that’s easy to train vertically.
- Four-Season Strawberries produce small, fragrant woodland strawberries. Perfect for the shaded areas of your balcony, try the classic “woodland strawberry” or the delightful “Reine des Vallées.”
Some Ideal Varieties for Your Outdoor Space
Here’s a small selection of suitable varieties:
- Gariguette: Early and productive, with its beautiful elongated strawberries.
- Mara des Bois: Tasting similar to woodland strawberries, resilient, ideal in full sun or partial shade.
- Charlotte: Generous and sweet, this variety thrives in both sun and partial shade.
- Mount Everest: A climbing strawberry perfect for optimizing vertical space on your balcony.
- Ananas: Small strawberries with white flesh and a unique flavor reminiscent of pineapple.
Key Steps for Planting Strawberries in Pots
Choosing the right time to plant your strawberries is essential to ensure a good harvest. The ideal periods are:
- Spring, between February and April (especially for woodland strawberries).
- Fall, from September to October, perfect for both everbearing and non-everbearing large-fruit varieties.
Choose a planter or pot that’s adequately wide (about 20 cm in diameter or width) with necessary drainage holes. Clay containers are preferable, as they help prevent water stagnation. Use potting soil enriched with organic matter or create your own mix with compost, sand, and garden soil. Your strawberries prefer slightly acidic soil.
Place a drainage layer at the bottom, set your pre-hydrated plants, ensuring a 25 to 35 cm distance between each. The tops of the root balls should be about 2 cm below the upper edge of the pot. Fill with potting soil and water generously.
How to Properly Care for Your Strawberries on the Balcony?
Your strawberries will appreciate consistently moist soil, without excess water. Regular but moderate watering is recommended; check by inserting your finger: if more than one centimeter is dry, it’s time to water.
Anti-waste tip: water your strawberries with the water from rinsing or boiling your vegetables (cooled and unsalted). A practical and eco-friendly gesture!
Mulching (with straw, dry leaves, or bark) is highly recommended: it retains moisture and keeps the fruit off damp soil, reducing the chances of disease. Occasionally supplement with a liquid fertilizer suitable for strawberries every two weeks starting when flowers form. Protect your precious harvest from birds with netting if necessary.
Beware of Diseases!
Potted strawberries are primarily susceptible to three common problems: anthracnose, powdery mildew, and rot (botrytis). These fungi typically appear when air circulation is poor or due to excessive humidity. Therefore, ensure to space your plants adequately to mitigate these risks.
Finally, consider renewing your plants every 3 to 4 years by replanting runners taken directly from the base of your old strawberries. Regularly clean your strawberries in the fall and protect them from the cold with a thick mulch or a frost cover in case of freezes.
Have you ever tried growing strawberries on your balcony? Feel free to share your experience with our readers in the comments. We can’t wait to hear about your gardening tips and your best advice for successfully growing strawberries in pots!
