Garden

[Icegoddess]

I recently bought and received the Roberta's strawberry collection.  I was actually surprised at how healthy the plants were when I received them considering my previous experience with them.  I know I should know better, but.....

Anyways, I bought a pretty blue glazed strawberry pot to put them in.  There was 6 holes and 6 plants, so now I need to figure out what to put in the top so I'm looking for suggestions.  The pot will sit in my garden in front of my house which I am attempting to make a butterfly garden.  It's really the only sunny spot in our yard besides out in the middle of the lawn. I am in zone 7 and the garden faces west, so will get the hottest sun of the day.  I plan to bring it into the garage for the winter.

[Kachina624]

@Icegoddess  You have some nice-looking plants in a beautiful jar.  I imagine they will soon become quite bushy and you'll be glad there's nothing planted in the top.  Maybe you can train a runner to take root there.  I wouldn't put anything in the top as its going to be plenty full.  Take a picture for us later. 

[MalteseMomma]

Keep them away from squrriels .they love to eat them     

[pattypeep]

@Icegoddess I would love to see you add something in the top that doesn't trail as you wouldn't want it to shade the berries. I would plant something to attract bees as well as butterflies to assist in pollinating your berries. Bees are really attracted to blues. Perhaps upright lobelia? Walk through the nursery and see what strikes your fancy. Your pot is beautiful.

[ValuSkr]

---

@MalteseMomma wrote:

Keep them away from squrriels .they love to eat them     

---

Birds will nibble on them too.  

I have a strawberry pot that size and it wasn't practical.  It's too small to yield many berries.  It needs to be on a stand so runners can hang.  Then I had to drape bird netting over it so its few berries wouldn't be nibbled. Finally gave up and now it sits empty in the basement.  Guess I should fill it with sedum . hens & chicks.

[JustJazzmom]

Strawberry pots are great for growing herbs in each opening too.

[pattypeep]

@ValuSkr I used to have a strawberry pot and put hens and chicks in it and it was adorable. I am thinking about picking one up this year.

[SydneyH]

My neighbor grows them in a tall laundry basket, I'm jealous....

[Icegoddess]

Thanks everybody.  Sounds like I'll lose my harvest to the squirrels and birds since there's nowhere I could put it that would protect it from them, but I really wasn't expecting a bountiful harvest.  It's more about the experience.

[tototwo]

@Icegoddess ~ where did you get that beauuutiful blue pot?  I've been looking all over for a big strawberry pot for creeping sedum.  Can't find one I liked until I saw yours! 

(btw, I don't think you're supposed to eat strawberries their first year anyway, so the birds and squirrels may be doing you a favor)