Andrew I like your towers. They should look great covered with strawberries. Good use of space too. I was to suggest the wire frame just as other poster suggested. I don't think you need to worry about moisture, since the top will be 'open' (I mean not covered with anything solid&waterproof, just wire keeping the straw/chopped-up fallen leaves inside; this is also a method of overwintering the fig trees, palms 7 such in colder zones), any rain and/or snow should be enough to keep them 'watered'. In your last post you said to cut some 1/2 PVC to create a shell; do you mean 1/2 inch PVC tube? Maybe you can use 1/2"-1" hardware cloth instead of shadecloth - the strawberries will appreciate the sun. I do not have experience with rabbits etc, but read that you actually should burry bottom edge of the wire into the soil, otherwise the animals will just dig under. Actually, here is some info I just found: Barrier fencing. Constructing a simple wire fence around the part of the garden containing vegetables and other highly rabbit-vulnerable plants is an almost foolproof method for protecting plants from rabbits. Cottontails will not jump a 2-foot-high fence. Jackrabbits can jump higher if they are being chased by dogs or otherwise frightened, so extending the height of the fence to at least 3 feet is warranted where jackrabbits are present. A 30- to 36-inch-high fence constructed from woven wire with a mesh no larger than 1 inch is recommended for excluding rabbits. The lower end of the wire mesh should be turned outward at a 90-degree angle and buried 6 inches in the ground to discourage rabbits from digging under the fence. Regular 20-gauge poultry netting supported by stakes can provide protection from rabbits for three to five years and is inexpensive to replace. Welded wire will provide protection for longer periods. Other option could be electric fence...spray repellents really don't work that well, they are short-term only. Good luck growing yummy strawberries. Rina

hmm makes sense Jim...I am sure that the dirt would fill in the void someday..but I am not so sure that a bean could crawl thru a 3/4" di. hole..lol..my bad. Sorry Purple you know about snoozing...But It sure is nice to know that I am not the only "city dwelling limited space guy" seeking vertical growing habits. So I built the tower yesterdy. its is about a 6" square. I am thinking that the wood will hold the moisture fairly well. Not as good as PVC pipe. But its what I had to work with. reflecting on the problems of inserting a plant. I cut 5/8" x 1/2" conduit, galvanized, into 4" pcs. Packed them half way, inserted a bean seed, and finished packing them. I will insert this into the holes upon first signs of growth. If I was to do it over. I would use 1-1/2 PVC cut into short pieces. Drill the hole on a angle so that the plant will grow out of it. My other thought was to cut up 16 ounce water bottles and force them into the hole. If there was two halfs they may be able to be made removable after the plants are well rooted. AS for growing pole beans in the tower. I have a 3 foot x 6ft high, u-shape metal trellis now. That packs 9 lineal feet into a 3 ft. sq. foot print and I can get to all sides of it. PB. I believe that the bush bean stems will bend over under their own weight and learn to adjust. ( hopes it not a big wind that adjusts them) lol I am thinking that this method would be great for Romaine lettuce. It could be placed out of the heat. Maybe it need's to be on wheels...lol..4 towers on a 2' x 4"..the " Tower Dolly" ???? only 39.95...plus S&H..easy assembly instructions included...and 2 free Ginseng Knifes CrAzY LaRrY

I have a file from the extension office for Houston County I can send it to you if you give me your email address. if this link doesnt work. (sorry I dont know how to make it a live link so you'll have to cut and paste) http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/C883.htm 12. Twelve Recommended Varieties of Strawberries for Southern States: Choosing the best variety of strawberry plants is vital to accomplishment in container growing strawberries. Basically, it boils down to one simple rule - select the strawberry variety that grows best in your state (and the region of your state). You can get a great deal of information online in understanding these choices of strawberries. Make sure you choose warm climate varieties. The following are my recommendations, for consideration in growing strawberries in most Southern states: Aromas- Ever bearer; fast fruiting strawberries; resistant to powdery mildew and spider mites; large strawberry fruit; has some pollination issues; upright plant. Â Camarosa - Spring bearer; large long wedge fruit; deep red color; variations in sweetness and taste. Â Capitola - Ever bearer; high yield fruit. Â Chandler - Spring bearer; medium to large fruit; dessert strawberry. Â Diamante - Ever bearer; large fruit; resistant to powdery mildew and spider mites. Â Gaviota - Spring bearer; large fruit; can be seedy in hot weather. Â Oso Grande - Spring bearer; medium sized fruit with unique rounded tip; flavor and color varies. Â Rosa Linda - Ever bearer; medium sized firm and nice-looking fruit; may have white tips when ripe; good flavor. Â Seascape - Spring bearer; large well-shaped fruit; disease resistant; ever bearing; very good container strawberry. Â Selva - Ever bearer; fast fruiting deep red and firm strawberry fruit; variations in shapes; dry and bland flavor. Â Sweet Charlie - Spring bearer; medium to large fruit that varies in color from orange red to bright red; very sweet; resistant to fruit rot. Â Winter Dawn - Spring bearer; prolific runners. PLANTING STRAWBERRIES, GROWING STRAWBERRIES AND HARVESTING STRAWBERRIES Soil Preparation Strawberries require a loose, loamy, slightly acidic soil (pH 6.0-6.5) (Test your soil for pH, and then amend it if needed to raise its acidity level) and full sun to achieve peak berry quality, but they will tolerate a variety of soil conditions as long as they have adequate drainage Soil that is high in organic matter is absolutely necessary. Prepare your strawberry beds by turning under 1/2"-1" high quality, animal manure or plant residue-based compost. Compost composed of cedar or redwood is not an acceptable substitute for high quality compost. Also it is a great idea to lay mulching film on the soil as it greatly reduces the need for weeding. Hanging Strawberry Baskets Suspending strawberries off the ground is a great way to keep slugs, snails, and sow bugs off them. Five to six strawberry plants can grow in the top of a hanging basket in the spring. But if you want to make the ultimate hanging strawberry basket, gather 24 strawberry plants, a 16 inch wire basket, potting soil, and some sphagnum moss, coconut fiber or a specially designed basket liner. Line the wire basket with the damp sphagnum moss, coconut fiber or basket liner. Insert 18 of the plants into the basket sides through the sphagnum moss. After you have finished, fill the basket with potting soil and planting the remaining plants in the top of the basket. The basket will continue to produce fruit for about three years. Strawberry Pots Strawberry pots are designed to hold one to three plants at the top. The pockets in the sides would then be able to hold any runners that developed as the plant matured. However, many gardeners fill all the openings with strawberry right from the start. To plant your own strawberry pot, you will need a piece of PVC pipe that is capped at one end, a drill, potting soil, and a strawberry pot. Cut the pipe so that it will fit inside the strawberry pot with the uncapped end even with the pot's rim. Drill 1/8" diameter holes an inch apart down alternating sides of the pipe. In other words, on one side your first hole might be 1/2" inch from the top, but on the other side your first hole would be one inch from the top. Partially fill with the pot with soil and insert the tube, capped end down, into the center of the pot. Loosely add the rest of the potting mix. Plant each pocket. Add more soil around the roots if needed. Finish by planting two to three plants at the top and soaking the soil well. Water the pot by inserting a funnel into the pipe and pour water into it, ensuring that the water is distributed evenly through the pot. Instructions for Growing Strawberries in Containers: 1. Choosing Containers - Proper drainage is very important for strawberry plants to grow and produce plenty of fruit. You can either plant them in hanging containers or raise the containers to allow drainage. Any type of clay planter pots that have drainage holes in the bottom and "saucers" to keep the soil from washing away, will work just fine; pick a size that fits the area you intend to grow your strawberries and how many containers you have. You can also use large cans by hammer by punching or drilling several large holes in the bottom with some screen over the holes to prevent soil from washing out through them. Most nurseries and garden centers also sell special strawberry pots which have pockets up and down both sides. If you use the strawberry pots, be sure to fill each one to the lowest pocket with soil. If you use cans, fill them so you have about one-and-a-half inches of the rim still showing. Sunlight is very critical, so be sure you pick a spot that gets between six and eight hours of sunlight per day for best results. 2. Selecting Strawberry Plants - The two main types of strawberry plants are ever-bearing and seasonal. Either type will work fine for container growing, but if you live in a colder climate then the ever-bearing type may not survive the winter months, so seasonal producing strawberry plants may be your best bet. Ask your local nursery or garden center which variety is recommended for your local climate conditions. 3. Preparing Soil for Strawberry Plants - Strawberries like soil that is "loamy", with lots organic material they can consume. Add either 5-10-5 fertilizer or 21-0-0 ammonium sulfate to your soil before planting strawberries. Again, ask your local nursery what type of fertilizer they recommend for your local soil conditions or what type of potting soil they suggest for growing strawberries. 4. Planting Your Strawberries - After filling each container with the amended soil, plant your strawberry plants so the roots are covered. Unless you have very large containers, place only one plant in each container; strawberry plants should be about two feet apart from each other so that they get plenty of sunlight. 5. Watering Container-grown Strawberries - DonÂt over water your container strawberries; they should be watered enough to keep the soil damp but not so much that you have any standing water. You should water the plants whenever the top of the soil begins to look dry on the top half inch or so. Again; itÂs important to be sure your containers are able to drain adequately without the soil being washed away! 6. Fertilizing Container-grown Strawberries - Throughout the summer months, fertilize your plants every other week with a high phosphorus liquid fertilizer to encourage them to flower. Container Strawberry Growing Tips: Â In the spring, strawberries are typically the first fruit to ripen. Â Place your strawberry containers in a sunny area and turn them 180 degrees twice a week to keep the plants exposed evenly to sunlight. Â While ever-bearing strawberry plants grow throughout the year, they will produce two crops a year; in June and late summer. These berries will be smaller than classic strawberry varieties. Â If you plant a "day-neutral" variety of strawberry, you will get a modest crop of fruit throughout most of the summer months except when the weather is very hot. Â Alpine strawberries, also called "fraises des bois", will produce small, but tasty fruit all summer, but you need a lot of strawberry plants to produce any real quantity of berries, so they are not the best for container-growing. Â If you plant ever-bearing strawberries, you should pinch off the blossoms until midsummer of the first season and then let them flower naturally after that; you should get an early fall crop the first year and then two crops a year afterward. Â Let the fruit ripen on the plant, picking your strawberries when they are red and juicy; enjoy!

Daniella - there was yellow and black masonite siding under the brown cedar siding. Had to tear down through 3 layers to get to base and start over. Can you paint your yellow aluminum? Or does that need to be stripped first? Aluminum - that never goes bad - sturdy, right? The straight and sturdy siding, isn't it? With the heavy duty insulation? Everyone who spoke to me about the "vinyl siding" - everything looked like a "tupperware" house, this ugly plastic stuff. I said THAT'S IT, no more, go away - I'm goin' cedar siding. Can't afford redwood like CA, but next best thing is cedar. Re: Trees - Mine are Sugar Maples. I have one Silver Maple. And these need to be "daylighted" bad. I need to call an arborist. Every time I ask a landscaper person about "daylighting" a tree, they go "whaaaa?!?!' I'm thinkin' "Oh puulleeeazuh!" I think half these people hang a shingle as a landscaper because they own a lawnmower. I had trees daylighted by a company all around my house in Mill Valley. No one around here knows how to do it much less know what that means! It's great for the tree (and the grass beneath it) but I can't find anyone who can do it. The company in Mill Valley had guys swinging from ropes and harnesses from tree to tree (27 men in all) and a 14 foot tall chipper/grinder that would make your ears hurt. I did find one guy - he said he had a chain saw - and said he could "open that there tree up". . . .he was missing 3 front teeth. . . ahhhhhh. . well, hey, thanks. . .thank you very much, let me get back to you, ok? (aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!) Guess this spring I'm climbing the trees myself to do it. (sigh) Climbing a tree with a chain saw. . .greeeaaaheeeyyyt. . just what I wanna do. . . .anyone else see this accident comin' a mile away? Think I'll have a sawz-all - take them both up on ropes with me so I'm not carrying them. We'll see how it goes. What a nitemare to even think about. . . .