Raised strawberry bed shape

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Is one type of raised strawberry bed better than another?

I can't decide between a rectangular 4x6 baseptic with two smaller tiers on top similar to photo 1, or a tall pyramid style design allows me to go vertical. We'll have it all hooked up to dripline so watering shouldn't be a problem with either but I do have concerns about the tall pyramid drying out on top and perhaps also getting enough sunlight on all 4 sides. Do strawberries need 1ft of space front to back in the rectangle planter or less?

Featured Answer

digdirt2

6 years ago

Big difference in the number of plants that will fit in each! That may be your deciding factor.

Only tried the pyramid in your second photo 1 time and was very disappointed in the productivity and plant health. What sounds good in theory - feeding and watering from the top down just doesn't work in practice IME.

But the first pic is a BIG waste of growing space and filler. Expensive as all get out to fill and then less that 1/3 of it is used to grow anything. I would never go more than 2 tiers and then make the top tier much smaller relative to the bottom one so there is a more effective use of the soil rather than 2/3 of it just there to support wood frame.

Remember you have to be able to reach the center of the top tier for picking and replanting and pest control without climbing up into the bed. And you have to have enough access to bare soil for runners to root.

Just some things to consider.

Dave

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

rgreen48
6 years ago
Ok... help me understand how building the tiers helps? I haven't grown a lot of strawberries, so perhaps there's something I don't know. At first I thought sq. ftage... nope... unless I'm mistaken, it's exactly the same amount of sq. ft... in fact... after subtracting the thickness of each board, there's less. And then I thought... drainage... yeah, there's better drainage, but there's no waterfall effect, so really, you're looking at too much drainage. The plants at the top will need a lot of water due to a simple loss of mass.

The only positive effect I can see is from the lessening of crowding. Is there some aspect of strawberry growth that makes crowding into a regular bed something to avoid?
Related Discussions
Raspberries and Strawberries in Raised Beds?
Q
Comments (0)
I just recently moved to Medicine Hat, Alberta (supposed to be zone 3b) and was planning on planting raspberries and strawberries in raised beds. Has anyone in southern Alberta planted raspberries and strawberries in raised beds and what was the outcome? Did they survive the winters? If they did survive what varieties did you plant? Thanks Leonas
...See More
Strawberry Raised Bed
Q
Comments (2)
Hello! I use santolina bushes as insect repellants in my strawberry bed. My raised bed is about ten feet long by three feet wide. I interspersed three santolina bushes. Haven't had problems with insects in that bed since then.
...See More
Raised beds for strawberries
Q
Comments (3)
I have hanging planters that are about 4-6 inches deep and they seem to work well so far. You will probably be fine.
...See More
strawberries in raised beds in Minnesota zone 3
Q
Comments (6)
Okay, that's a good thing to have such a depth of snow protecting your strawberries from the icy winter temperatures, I agree with Mazerolm, they should be just fine! I now have about six strawberry varieties and yet have not chosen a favorite, though 'Delizz; has always performed very well with it's true everbearing qualities and most fruit being held off of the ground and yes, the flavor very good as well. 'Albion' on the other hand were nothing but a big waste of time with only giving a small sprinkling of fruit during the entire summer, then to come on strong in late September and October when frost is upon us, I worked them under after four years of wasted time and energy with a large patch dedicated to them. I later did some research to find that this variety does not do well in far north locations or high altitudes, though apparently works very well for many other places.
...See More
digdirt2
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I agree. In theory it gives you more room for plants in the same base footprint - up rather than out.

But is really doesn't because of all the wasted space under the second tier etc.. So you end up with the same number of plants in 2 tiers as if you had planted all of them in the one bottom bed.

Depends on the type - June or Everbearing, but crowding can be a problem because of runners. You plant the bed with wide plant spacing to begin with as the plant runners (avg. 2-3 ea.) will fill in the bare spots as the plants grow. Individual plants have a limited life span so the new plants from the 1st year's runners become the fresh plants for year 2 and their runners become the new plants for year 3 when the 1st year plants are usually finished and pulled, etc.

But tiers do have a visual appeal for some.

Dave
rgreen48
6 years ago
If a person is planting in a tall pot, or a cylinder-shaped container and holes are cut to stick plants around the sides, then there is an increase in sq. ftage. There are popular containers sold for that purpose, and I've even seen DIY tv shows where they attach pallets to the side of a house for vertical growing space.

I can imagine the visual appeal of a cascade of strawberry plants growing down and around the pyramid bed, but the large one shown is not very practical. As mentioned, it's far too wide to reach the upper tiers for maintenance and harvest. It's also expensive and a lot of soil. I suppose a similar structure with something like stacked plastic milk or soda cases making the rising tiers could make it a bit easier to build.
Lisa G
Original Author
6 years ago
The benefit to tiered beds is they are easier to harvest (for me, anyway). We decided against the pyramid style because it didn't seem to leave enough surface area for root growth or runners.

Ultimately we decided on something a bit different...it will take more soil but will be very practical for planting a variety of things if I decide I don't want that many strawberries. We're using cedar that is not as thick as the boards pictured (ours are 1" thick and 5 1/2" tall). The bottom tier will be 11" high and the highest tier will be around 26-28" (can't remember what my husband said). We wanted something attractive since this bed will be right next to our lawn and weren't necessarily concerned with maximizing planting space. The whole thing will be a 6x6' square.
rgreen48
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I think that's a nice looking bed. I would only suggest that you find a similar sized structure and try to reach into the center. 6' x 6' means you have to reach in 3'. Few people can comfortably make such a reach. The boards used for the one in the photo are wide enough to climb on, but it sounds like you won't have that feature. Perhaps you can find a way to include a 'step' of sorts.
digdirt2
6 years ago
Keep in mind that 1 x s tend to bow out over time once you get much past 3' in length without center supports of some kind.

Dave