Use these tips to grow strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries in pots.
Harvesting fresh, sweet fruit right from your backyard is one of the best rewards gardening can provide.
But if you think this means you have to plant a huge orchard or bramble patch, guess again.
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Provide at least 6 to 8 hours of sun per day.
Water
Growing berries in pots means more water is needed than plants in the ground.
Check the soil in your containers daily to be sure it stays moist but not wet.
Credit: Laurie Black
In windy or hot conditions, plants might even need watering twice a day.
Before watering, insert your finger in the soil to the first joint to determine whether water is needed.
Choosing a Container
The key to success is always growing berries in pots with drainage holes.
Credit: Laurie Black
Roots allowed to stay in standing water will rot.
Pour water over the soil until you see water running out of the drainage holes.
If you choose another variety, be sure it is a fall-bearing jot down.
Credit: Jason Donnelly
Planting tips:Plant raspberries in a containerat least 24 to 36 inches wide and deep.
Half-barrels or five-gallon pots are ideal sizes that allow enough room for new canes to grow in future years.
Start with three to six canes, depending on the container size.
Soil:When growing raspberries in a pot, use a potting mix, not garden soil.
Fertilizer:Because you’re likely growing raspberries in a pot for eating, use organic fertilizer.
Apply it soon after planting in the spring.
Pruning and other care:Raspberries are perennials that usually set fruit on two-year-old canes.
You might get some berries the first year you plant them, but full bearing begins in year two.
Return the growing raspberry bushes to a sunny location after the danger of frost passes.
If you leave the pot in place, insulate it with mulch for winter protection.
Avoid using ceramic or terra-cotta pots outdoors year-round in cold climates, as freeze-thaw cycles can crack those containers.
Growing Blueberries in Containers
Growing blueberries in a potworks well if you create thesoil conditionsthey like best.
Start with a pot at least 20 to 24 inches wide or larger.
Planting tips:Choose a potting-mix soil for blueberries designed for acid-loving plants likerhododendrons, azaleas, orcamellias.
Look for a pH balance between 4.5 and 5.5.
Fertilizer:Use an organic fertilizer designed for acid-loving plants.
Apply in early and late spring to promote growth and fruit production, then stop fertilizing for the year.
Feel free to occasionallysprinkle used coffee groundson the top of the soil around blueberry plants.
Pruning and other care:In early spring, prune any dead wood.
Otherwise, blueberries need no other pruning unless you want to shape the plant.
Most blueberry plants need one to two other types of blueberry plants nearby for pollination.
Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service to find suitable varieties for your climate.
‘Sunshine Blue’ is a good variety for warmer climates; ‘Top Hat’ is suitable for cold regions.
Return the pot to a sunny location after the danger of frost passes.
If you choose to leave the pot in place, insulate it with mulch for winter protection.
Avoid using ceramic or terra-cotta pots outdoors year-round in cold climates, as freeze-thaw cycles can crack those containers.
Growing blueberries indoors also works well.
Growing Strawberries in Pots
Because of their small root systems, growing strawberries in pots is easy.
Some varieties can be spaced closer.
Soil:Use a bagged potting mix and avoid garden soil, which won’t drain properly.
Fertilizer:Growing strawberries requireslittle additional organic fertilizer.
How many strawberry plants do I need?
:That depends on the use, but plan 6-10 plants per person for fresh consumption as they ripen.
Some day-neutral varieties include Tribute, Tristar, and Seascape.
Everbearing varieties, which produce fruit twice a growing season, may also be chosen.
Avoid June-bearing types that produce only one crop per year and often don’t bear fruit their first year.
Return the pot to a sunny location after the danger of frost passes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Blueberries typically take 2 to 3 years to reach full fruit production.
Raspberries generally need a year or two to really get going.
Strawberry plants will usually fruit the first year.
Mix up a soil that is half potting soil and half peat moss.
Moisten it well (not soaking wet) before adding it to the pot.
Spread used coffee grounds around the surface of the soil but don’t do it habitually.
Coffee includes other chemicals, like caffeine, that aren’t so good for growing things.
