[GrannieAnnie]

I did manage to get into Poundland the other week when we were talking about their pots on here, and I bought 2 of the 4 hole multi pots.  Once I'd shown them to Brian and how they stack together, he said they look really good.

So next time we were in town, I said I'm going to get some more of those pots for my alpine strawberries.  Darn, when I looked they'd all gone, but they still had the 3 hole ones.  So I decided to get 7 of them for my strawberries and the other 2 bigger ones for my herbs.

Got to the checkout and she only charged me £5.  Good I thought, she can't count.  When we got back to the car, I looked at my receipt and although priced at a pound, they were 3 for £2.  Darn, if I'd known I would have got 9 instead of 7.  So the other day I popped in there and got another 3.

Only thing is, it gets mighty windy up here in Lincolnshire, so I asked Brian to get his tools out as he has loads of these threaded steel rods!

So here is my new strawberry planter.  All for the princely sum of £7  Like it?

[Trillium]

Very nice, Grannie 

[ulsterfairy]

Brill idea!! looks like it will be easy to keep each plant well watered

[GrannieAnnie]

That's what I thought.  Each one has tiny holes in for drainage.  I do have an old terracotta strawberry planter, but it is awful for watering.  Dries out really quickly.

[Plot 6B]

Must admit we went back for more!

[LilacSandy]

My son works one day a week at poundland while he is at college, does he come home with anything for me?  Does he tell me about the gardening offers? does he heck.  Perhaps I will 'forget' to do his dinner and say, would you like some, you didn't say?

[Plot 6B]

My son works one day a week at poundland while he is at college, does he come home with anything for me?  Does he tell me about the gardening offers? does he heck.  Perhaps I will 'forget' to do his dinner and say, would you like some, you didn't say?

 :lol:That might work!
You might find this link posted in another thread by some handsome chap, useful

http://www.poundland.co.uk/product-range/seasonal-ranges/gardening/

[LilacSandy]

Thanks Nige,  I love the way they put £1 next to each product.  Mushroom growing sets - must get one of those, will clip his ear if they have all gone 

[ulsterfairy]

GrannieAnnie Ive an old terracotta planter aswell, was so chuffed when I got it but give up on it because even with the watering gel thingys I couldnt keep it watered - I will be making a trip to poundland for sure, esp as my 14 month old daughter could quite happily live of strawbs 

[GrannieAnnie]

I'd always wanted a terracotta strawberry planter too!  But like you say, they dry out so quickly, even with the gel stuff.  The water goes into the top, but drains out of the lower planting holes, leaving the top half very dry!

My OH keeps on about planting blooming busy lizzies in it!   Can't get through to him that is for my strawberries!

If he wants busy lizzies, he can go buy his own lot!   

[ulsterfairy]

  At least he knows what they are, my OH would just think a bizzie lizzie would be some 80s aerobics instructor 

He has just been yammering on there after seeing the post and is going to try some kind of irrigation system involving a bottle and some tubes so I can rtry the terracotta pot again 

Still heading to poundland 2moro tho 

[sarajane]

Very clever and very posh.

Obviously photos of it planted up/cropping will be posted in a couple of months

[GrannieAnnie]

Will do Sarahjane!  Just hope my alpine strawberries are okay.  They are in a huge pot, and last year I thought they'd died, but lots of little strawberries came, so just hoping these will be okay, but I'm pricing new ones up just in case!   

Brian knows what busy lizzies are UF, he used to have a landscaping business.  Mind you, he probably didn't plant many busy lizzies!!!   

[ulsterfairy]

Don't underestimate a hubby with a plan!

I have hijacked my wife’s login temporarily in order to remind her who’s the brains of the operation, just because I do the donkey work & I thought Busy Lizzie did aerobics on morning TV!

Diagram attached of my idea, larger holes at the bottom of the hose tapering off to smaller holes at the top (drawing isn’t that accurate). Reasons:
1) Water has to pass the top holes to get to the lower ones;
2) Slug flow in a fluid travelling in a tube produces turbulence at junctures –in this case, not a great deal of distance to travel but not exactly a torrent of water flowing;
3) Holes aligned to each strawberry ‘hole’

The bottle and end of the hose are sealed to slow the water flow, as the soil around the hose holes reaches saturation the water at that point (traversing through the tube) meets increased resistance and pours more through to the dryer parts.
I think this will work, my main concern is the top heavy weight distribution – it could fall over quite easily.
I’m going to give it a try & I’ll let you know how it goes either way.

[GrannieAnnie]

   good idea Mr Ulsterfairy!  But not sure it will catch on!