[Gemma_25]

more pics...

I love this idea!!! Would stop the dog stealing them too as they're above head height! :-)

[Livinhope]

If that's a pic of your dog what can you expect........it's a labrador.  Why do you think my raspberries etc are netted......... not against the birds I've always had labs and they have ALL pinched the fruit.

[familycrowther]

What a marvellous idea!!! I run a school garden club and the kids will love this -  Thanks.  J x

[Gemma_25]

If that's a pic of your dog what can you expect........it's a labrador.  Why do you think my raspberries etc are netted......... not against the birds I've always had labs and they have ALL pinched the fruit.

Hee hee, yes alog with the strawberries he's also eaten all of our flowers, grass, weeds (can't tell him off for that!) potato bag's, trellace....... to name a few - anyone would think we don't feed him ha ha!

I should try the netting, although i'm sure he'd try and eat that too!

[Livinhope]

On a serious note re labs,  I was told some years ago by a pest control officer (rat man) that although they take every precaution against animals (other than pests) getting poisoned, when it happens 8 out of 10 dogs are labs.  They just devour everything.  Just dropped a piece of onion on the floor, guess who got there first.  I'm keeping well clear.

[Gemma_25]

Yep yep - we do try & keep him from eating things while out & about for that reason. You never know... 

In the garden though we're fairly confident now that anything of any value to him has gone ha ha! I have my tomato plants in hanging baskets well out of reach - as I think the stems to those are poisonous to dog's too?

Hee hee and yes they do always have a knack of getting there first, it's funny when it's lemon or lime and he's not expecting that taste  (i'm cruel aren't I lol)

[Livinhope]

This is totally off topic but don't you find that people who own labs are slightly potty, I am.  There again you have to be to own one in the first place.

On the subject of strawberries in containers.  We took on an allotment last October and I have found some of last years runners which have rooted.  Just as an experiment I dug a few healthy looking plants and put them into Aelf's patent strawberry containers and they are romping away.  I'm extrememly fascinated by this method as it extends the growing potential of the allotment.

If Aelfs' about......do they stop in these containers for the full 3 to 4 years without repotting?  What do you use to feed them with?

[aelf]

I feed mine with dilute comphrey liquid every other week. nettle tea would also be good or any liquid fertiliser suitable for fruit. I don't intend to repot mine, I want to see what happens as I've only been doing it this way for a while.

Spana: I think I thought of it myself, but I have a nagging feeling that I've seen something similar in the past and logged the idea in my head. I did do a good internet search before posting to see if anyone else was using this method and didn't find anything similar.

Zippy: the great thing is, if they are full of water, you just tip em upside down to empty them 

Thanks for all the great feedback guys - you can never have too many strawberries 

[Blueberry]

I love the idea of planting my strawberries in  recycled milk bottle. 

I will be busy this weekend thanks for the pictures.

[sloegin]

I love it! I work in a cafe we go through about 12 of the 2litres a day.

[Spana]

I tried this and found the plants drown if the bottle planter gets a lot of rain - nowhere for the water to drain away.

What about if we made holes with a skewer in the sides where we want the water level to be.  Any more water than what was wanted would drain out through the holes.  Would that work

[Livinhope]

I planted a few strawberries as per instructions and watered so that there was about an inch and a half in the 'pot',  maybe a bit more, sat back and thought they would rot.  They haven't, they have been in the 'pots' now for two weeks they aren't sitting in soggy compost because the plants are actually above the water level and only the roots will get to the water.  They have what they want when they want it and I haven't watered them yet.  Low maintenance

[aelf]

I tried this and found the plants drown if the bottle planter gets a lot of rain - nowhere for the water to drain away.

What about if we made holes with a skewer in the sides where we want the water level to be.  Any more water than what was wanted would drain out through the holes.  Would that work

Great idea! It just gets better and better 

[ember]

Aelf, you're a wonder. I'll certainly keep this one for next season.
And
Operabunny too - that method will be great for allsorts of things in tiered pots. May need to make the holes a little larger though.

Chheers guys. M

[Livinhope]

Have just planted my bare root, (not to be propagated  , Irresistible strawberrys which arrived this morning.  Poor little things they look in need of some tlc big time.  They are sitting in Wickes (very decent) compost in Aelfs' patent strawberry houses.  So now waiting for them to romp away.  As they are 1 year old stock, apparently if they flower and produce we can eat the fruit. Yipeeeeeeeeee