Pyramid bed for strawberries. How to make a strawberry bed: vertical and tall with your own hands Making a pyramid bed with your own hands

Garden strawberries, or, as they are commonly called, strawberries, are everyone’s favorite delicacy. The labor required to grow it is considerable, but during the harvest period you will feel that you have won a great victory. And in order to enjoy not only the sweet taste of red berries, but also the aesthetic appearance, there is an excellent way - growing strawberries in pyramids.

General concepts

The method received its name because of the shape of the structure that is being built for planting. It consists of several steps located one above the other. Moreover, each next one is smaller in size than the previous one. The steps can be connected to each other or suspended above each other. The structure narrows upward and takes on the shape of a pyramid. This is one of the types of vertical planting, used for growing not only strawberries, but also flowers, herbs, and hanging plants.

Choose a place for strawberries that is as lit as possible, since the crop does not tolerate darkening. Frequent watering will be required, so access to a water supply source should be as convenient as possible. Given that all tiers require maintenance, structural elements must ensure accessibility to the upper “floors”.

It should be borne in mind that the smaller the feeding area allocated for one plant, the more often it is necessary to water the strawberries.

For the device use various materials: wooden boards, plastic shields, metal corners or plates, burlap, plastic film, old car tires of different diameters, etc. Remnants from construction are quite suitable: bricks, stones, blocks. General principles Let's look at the structure of the pyramid using a wooden frame as an example.

The shape of the structure can be rectangular, round, triangular and others. The length of each side should be calculated to ensure a distance between plants of at least 25 cm. Therefore, the size can be chosen to be any multiple of this number. Each subsequent box is 50 cm smaller, then the number of plants with each row up will decrease by two, which will ensure cultivation in optimal conditions. Given this scheme, you can easily calculate the number of tiers and seedlings for planting.

Work order

1. The area for the garden bed is cleared of weeds and leveled.
2. The base is covered with mesh or geotextile.
3. The first box is installed, pre-treated with an antiseptic.
4. Cover with prepared fertile soil and compact.
5. A pipe with holes for watering strawberries and improving air exchange is fixed in the center.
6. A layer of compost and manure is formed in a cone shape around the pipe along the height, which will serve as fertilizing and heat the bed when rotting.
7. Install the next box and fill it with soil. It should be remembered that the soil layer on the side of the manure layer must be at least 20 cm, since when planting in manure root system plants may die even with sufficient watering.

The procedure for assembling a pyramidal bed from other materials is similar, but if its width is small, then you can do without a pipe in the center and water directly under the plant.

Planting

Growing plants vertically is not much different from traditional ways, but some points should be paid attention to.

• Since the feeding area in the pyramids is limited, planting must be done in well-prepared soil. Its composition includes humus or black soil, peat, sand (2:1:1). Dolomite flour, chalk or wood ash and mineral fertilizers are added.
• The soil must be filled in at least 7-10 days before planting so that it is compacted and evenly saturated with moisture.
• For vertical planting, you can use any variety of strawberries. different terms maturation. Plants with powerful aboveground part will require a more sparse landing, and the distance between steps must be increased. Considering this, it is better to choose varieties with low tops. They will look most impressive, that is, with repeated fruiting during the growing season. All summer long the plants will delight you with both flowers and ripening berries. Proven cultivation hanging varieties, which hang down the lashes.
• Planting is carried out with seedlings with a good root system, rooted rosettes of the first or second order. Plants are buried in such a way that root collar was at the level of the soil surface - neither higher nor lower.

When immersing the roots into the hole, you must ensure that they are positioned strictly vertically. Plants with bent roots will not provide good growth and productivity.

Planting care

Growing in pyramids requires regular watering due to the fact that the area is limited and the plants cannot tolerate a lack of moisture. This is perhaps the main concern. Most effective method watering – drip irrigation system. To preserve moisture, cover the soil with mulching materials (film, textiles, sawdust, straw).

During the growing season, loosen the soil and remove weeds. Mineral fertilizing is done: in the spring, a dose of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) in a ratio of 3:1:4, during the period of ovary emergence - 2:1:4, after harvesting - 2:1:3.

Watering and fertilizing plants must be done in the morning or evening under the bush, avoiding contact with leaves and fruits.

In order to prevent freezing of plantings in winter period cover the pyramids with any synthetic covering material or pine branches.

This method of growing strawberries has certain advantages, but it also requires additional time and money to set up structures. However, it will provide aesthetic pleasure throughout the summer and a good harvest of fresh berries with proper care.

It is difficult to arrange compact plantings if there is not enough space in the garden. This is especially true for such an exquisite crop as strawberries. Many experienced gardeners invent different ways– pipes, frames, pyramids. As it turns out, this is not such a difficult matter - all you need is some imagination.

What is a strawberry pyramid

This wooden structure, built of planks, filled with soil.

This design looks very attractive, and it is not difficult to make.

Growing is carried out vertically - so that the roots are directed downwards, as if planted in an ordinary bed, but raised above the ground.

The design is quite simple, you can build it yourself using improvised means.. The principle of the pyramid is that the lower layers of plantings are not blocked from access by the upper layers sun rays and just light. The beds themselves are arranged in the form of steps– the seedlings are arranged in several tiers, and the tiers look like an ordinary planted horizontal bed.

Advantages

Even this one small design can accommodate several dozen strawberry roots.

The main advantage of the pyramid is that it is possible to save space in the garden, in addition to planting a large number of seedlings in a relatively small area. Another plus is the beautiful aesthetic appearance - it looks like an exotic flower bed.

Board cutting diagram.

To summarize the above, we can highlight the following:

Due to the fact that the plants are located at an elevation and practically do not come into contact with the soil, the root system is much less susceptible to rotting. This method of cultivation makes it possible to avoid infection with gray rot, infection with slugs, and cabbage.

Resistance of strawberries to fungi when planted in a pyramid

But the culture also acquires conditional immunity to infection and spread of fungal diseases.

Due to this prevention is simplified– the number of preventive sprayings is reduced or therapeutic treatments. Among other things, caring for plants is simplified - it is convenient to pick off the first flower stalks and shoots.

The pyramid can also be made collapsible and stored in a barn for the winter.

Reviews from gardeners

• It is easy to loosen the soil, remove possible weeds, and apply mineral or organic fertilizers.
• Watering the beds is simplified– several tiers are watered at once.
• Fruit ripening time is reduced , simplifies harvesting– no need to bend over all the time.
• Many gardeners use pyramid beds as element landscape design – looks great both during the flowering and fruiting periods.
• The building can be decorated climbing plants– bindweed, wild grapes.

Selection of material and mechanism for constructing a pyramid

When deciding to build a pyramidal structure for strawberries, you should take into account the possibilities - availability required material, skills and imagination.

This structure can be built from various raw materials - wood, metal, polyethylene, plastic, but, in addition to the above materials, the following means can be used:

• unnecessary tires;
• a set of old pipes of different lengths and diameters;
• bags for construction needs;
• plastic bottles;
• empty containers - barrels or boxes;
• flowerpots.

From these materials you can create not just a strong pyramid - you can depict a beautiful decorative element on your site. For long-term service, it is advisable to use raw materials that can stand firmly for several years - from one to four years.

In most cases, gardeners choose wood- boards or long beams. The structure, which is made of wood, is usually built with three or four corners, while several steps are erected - tiers.

It is more difficult to make a high pyramid, since it is necessary to calculate the sufficient rigidity of the structure.

Location determination

If there is space for a vegetable garden on your personal plot, then choosing a location should not be a problem.

Otherwise, you will have to choose a place right in the yard, and in this situation it is worth showing your imagination and installing a vertical bed in the form decorative element landscape design. The same decision should be made if you want to install a structure in an apartment environment - you will have to figure out how to decorate the frame in the form of a beautiful flower stand.

Pyramid with strawberries in the apartment

If the installation is carried out in an apartment, the optimal place for this will be a balcony - it is advisable that it be insulated and tightly closed in the winter.

For the balcony it is better to come up with something compact, for example, a small rack based on pots.

If the frame small size, it can be installed on the windowsill. It is important that the location vertical flower bed was on the south or southwest side. As a last resort, maximum light access should be provided– you can equip artificial lighting using a special lamp.

When to plant seedlings

In some cases it is possible to plant until mid-September, but in these circumstances it is necessary to place the plantings in such a place that do not expose new gardens to the first frosts- in an apartment, on a closed balcony.

Preparatory work and drawings

In order to produce a high-quality and durable pyramid, it is worth calculating the parameters using drawings.

Scheme of a pyramid made of planks.

1. Next you need to prepare wooden boards and nails for joints - size from 20 to 50 millimeters.
2. Take a hammer, plane, spirit level.
3. But you will also need pipes made of asbestos cement or PVC, in which there are holes with a diameter of ten millimeters.
4. To fill the cavities of the flowerbed, you will need a soil mixture - chernozem, sand, peat, humus.
5. It is advisable to treat all surfaces with drying oil.
6. Better to avoid processing chemicals due to the fact that these products will affect the quality and size of fruits, the level of development and adaptation of seedlings.

Selection of connecting grooves

Construction mechanism

First you need to determine the dimensions of the pyramid.

Approximate measurements should be:

• Rabitz– two hundred and forty by two hundred and forty centimeters,
• first level- two hundred twenty by two hundred twenty, twenty-five centimeters,
• second level is one hundred and seventy by one hundred and seventy, by twenty-five centimeters.
• Third floor is 120 by 120 by 25 centimeters, the fourth tier is seventy by seventy by twenty-five centimeters.
• Highest tier- twenty by twenty, twenty-five centimeters.

The base is a board about forty millimeters thick. When all the pieces are ready, connect them using nails and glue.

You can use screws and metal corners for greater strength. The lower tier is filled with compost with a small gap of 6 cm for subsequent feeding. Next, the soil is compacted. In a similar way install all floors of the pyramid. There can be from three to nine tiers.

We fill in fertile soil and plant strawberries.

Features of landing

At each level of the structure, a specific planting method is used.

1. They start from the lowest floor - seven seedlings on each side.
2. The next level is five bushes on each side.
3. The third and fourth rows are three bushes on each side, the top level is two seedlings at the base of the pipe.

Caring for plantings consists of regularly watering the seedlings, but you cannot rely on any conventional scheme.

Watering is carried out as needed. Feeding is carried out using liquid nutrient mixtures. Among other things, it is worth taking care to protect plantings from low temperatures and providing sufficient lighting .

Garden strawberries produce a good harvest of tasty berries only in good light and in a high area. To get a larger harvest from a smaller area, we recommend growing strawberries on a pyramid. This perfect option for owners of low, marshy areas.

When planting strawberries on a pyramid, it is possible to grow two to three times more plants and get a larger harvest. Strawberries planted on a high bed are more convenient to process. Landscape design lovers can transform the idea of ​​growing on a pyramid by making a more interesting, beautiful and elegant pyramid structure for their garden.

When growing strawberries on a pyramid, they do not freeze, are less damaged by rodents, mole crickets, and slugs, and do not suffer from gray rot.

Construction of a simple pyramid or high bed for growing garden strawberries

When growing garden strawberries on a pyramid, lighting the berry bushes is important, so place the pyramid in a lighted place where there is no shadow from trees or buildings, and therefore it is better to make the pyramid low so that all strawberry bushes grown on the pyramid receive enough sunlight.

If you want to make an elongated pyramid with a rectangular base, we recommend placing such beds from north to south so that all strawberry plants are better illuminated.

If the area is susceptible to invasion by rodents, moles, and mole crickets, then to counteract strawberry pests, we recommend laying a fine mesh at the base of the pyramid.

As the bottom tier of the pyramid, we dig a high square or round bed 1 m wide. When digging a bed of 1 m2 area, add 7 kg of humus, 250 g of ash and one rate of fertilizer for garden strawberries. To reduce the acidity of the soil, the bed for strawberries is prepared in advance: two years before planting the strawberries, you can add 300 g of lime per 1 m2.

We water the high bed abundantly and specially compact it for growing strawberries, so that the roots of the plant remain in the ground during natural subsidence of the soil. We enclose a high bed with a continuous decorative fence or boards 13 - 15 cm wide, holding the high wall of the bed. The top edge of the board can be rounded so that it is convenient to rest your hand while processing strawberries. We recommend choosing a fence flush with the garden bed or with a rounded top to protect the stems of strawberries grown on the pyramid from breakage.

Stepping back from the edge of the bed 30 cm on each side, we install a second formwork of the same height and pour the prepared soil into it, water and compact the soil. This way we get a two-tier pyramid for growing strawberries. Sprinkle the path near the pyramid with sand.

If you make the bottom bed 1.5 m wide, you can make a three-tier pyramid. On the second tier, also, retreating 30 cm from the edge of the bed on each side, we install new formwork for the third tier of the pyramid.

Construction of a multi-tiered pyramid for growing garden strawberries

You can also arrange a higher pyramid for growing strawberries, but then it is better to grow small-fruited strawberries on the shady side (they will bear fruit later and produce larger berries) or grow shade-loving plants.

A multi-tiered pyramid is made at the base of a square or round size from 220x220 cm to 250x250 cm. Orient the pyramid diagonally to the south to ensure the most favorable lighting, more bushes of grown strawberries. The height of the pyramid tier varies from 25 to 30 cm. We protect the vertical walls from drying out and crumbling with a continuous decorative fence or wooden board as wide as a wall, from 25 to 30 cm. The steps of a multi-tiered pyramid are made 50 cm wide.

For a nutritious base, pour a layer of peat 10 cm thick into the base of the pyramid. In the center of the pyramid we install a pipe with a diameter of 10-12 cm and a height equal to the height of the pyramid. The lower end of the pipe must be welded or the pipe must be installed on a rigid base. You need to make holes in the pipe with a diameter of 1 cm. The holes are placed evenly on the pipe, at the same level with two opposite holes, every 5 cm along the length of the pipe, orienting them in different directions. They are needed to water the inside of the pyramid through a pipe.

To combat frost, we will supply the pyramid with a biofuel element. On each tier of the pyramid, we place compost mixed with organic and mineral fertilizers around the pipe. On the lower tiers we lay compost in wide circles, moving to the upper tiers we narrow the circles of compost; on the upper tier there is no need to lay compost, limiting ourselves only to a mixture of soil and fertilizers.

The construction of the pyramid can be extended over several weeks. The soil on the pyramid for growing garden strawberries must be compacted. By making the pyramid gradually, with pauses between the construction of tiers, rain and time will contribute to the natural compaction of the soil. You can manually compact a raised bed using heavy watering and a hand roller.

How to grow garden strawberries on a pyramid

Let's talk about the features of planting and caring for garden strawberries on a pyramid or high bed.

We recommend planting garden strawberries in July-August using seedlings to obtain a harvest in the next season. It is better to grow strawberries on the upper tiers of the pyramid low-growing varieties, for example, Kubinskaya, Podarochnaya, Primorskaya, and also the varieties Victoria, Zenga-Zengana, Purpurovaya, Rannyaya Maxepayxa, Festivalnaya grow well. On the lower tiers of the pyramid, we recommend growing tall bushes of garden strawberries Idun, Marieva Maxepayxa, Redcoatlet, Shuekron.

It is good to grow nearby on a multi-tiered pyramid different varieties garden strawberries, so the plants are better pollinated.

We plant strawberry seedling bushes on the lower tier of the pyramid after 30 cm, and on the top - after 25 cm, because low-growing strawberry bushes are planted there. Add 2 tsp of superphosphate to each well. We straighten the roots, cover them with earth and knead it. Then we water the strawberry seedlings with a saturated solution of potassium permanganate, mulch with peat, humus or wood shavings, protecting the berries from rotting. We make sure that after the first watering the heart of the strawberry rosette is at ground level. If the socket sank lower, carefully pull it up.

When planting strawberries on a pyramid, it is possible to grow twice as many plants, and it is more convenient to process the strawberries. To cover strawberries from spring frosts You can cover it with covering material. In summer, during the flowering and fruiting period of strawberries, you can put up arcs and cover them with covering material. In the fall, it is convenient to cover the pyramid with spruce branches for the winter, it is easy to hill up strawberry bushes, and in winter, throw snow on it.

To prevent diseases, we recommend spraying the strawberry bushes grown on a pyramid once every two weeks before flowering in the spring with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (2 g per 20 liters of water); you can water the bushes with a warm, weak solution of potassium permanganate.

In the first spring after autumn planting of strawberries, add ash 1 tbsp. spoon under the bush in dry form, since during the growing season for good harvest Strawberries need potassium. We feed with organic and mineral fertilizers containing microelements necessary for growing

strawberries with dense foliage, for setting buds for the next season. To 12 liters of water add 1 liter of chicken or goose droppings or 500 ml of cow or goat droppings, as well as 50 g of superphosphate. We pour one liter of the resulting fertilizer under each bush of large-fruited garden strawberries. For small-fruited strawberries, 500 ml of this fertilizer is enough. For a multi-tiered pyramid, the watering rate can be increased by moving to the lower tiers. Moreover, we water not on the leaves or at the root, but around the bush at a distance of 5-10 cm from the outlet. After watering and fertilizing, it is worth loosening the soil to lock in moisture and improve the absorption of microelements by the plant.

We carry out loosening and weeding carefully so as not to damage the strawberry roots growing close to the surface.

The strawberry crop grown on the pyramid ripens a week earlier, thanks to good conditions growing. The average yield of large-fruited strawberries grown on a pyramid reaches 700 g per bush.

During the strawberry flowering period, the multi-tiered pyramid is irrigated only through the built-in pipe. The rest of the time, you can combine regular watering and watering through a pipe.

In the fall, after fruiting has ended, you can apply nitrogen fertilizing; during this period, there will be no strong thickening of the grown strawberries. We recommend that after harvesting the entire harvest, feed the garden strawberries with compost or manure humus and complete mineral fertilizer at the rate of 700 ml of humus and 40 g of fertilizer for each bush.

To prevent diseases, we recommend spraying strawberries grown on a pyramid two or three times in July-September with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (2 g per 20 liters of water). Pour 4 tbsp urea solution per 10 liters of water. In the third autumn of growing strawberries, you can prune old leaves.

You can grow other plants on the pyramid, not just strawberries.

We've known for a long time. This means it’s time to master vertical ridges. And the most common and convenient option for vertical growing is strawberry pyramids. Growing strawberries in pyramids is very popular all over the world because, first of all, it is beautiful and not as difficult as it seems.

You can build a strawberry pyramid with your own hands from scrap materials. Today we will talk about what kind of pyramids for strawberries there are and how to build such beauty on your site.

Growing strawberries in pyramids (multi-tiered or cascading beds) is beneficial to owners of small summer cottages, where there is always not enough area for planting. And here is a tall structure with several floors, and strawberries growing on each floor - a dream!

Advanced gardeners say that strawberries are warmer in the pyramids, a special microclimate is created there, and the tiered design of the beds protects against excess moisture.

In tiered beds, it is easier to carry out all the manipulations for processing the bushes: pruning, removing tendrils, mulching, and even picking the berries themselves.

If necessary, pyramids can easily be covered with film for the winter.

The pyramidal structure can be sprayed against pests faster and better than a conventional one, because the treatment covers several tiers at once.

Finally, a pyramid-shaped bed strewn with ripe berries is a chic element of the landscape design of our summer cottage. Still the best option decor that pleases the eye and brings harvest.

What types of pyramids are there for strawberries?

Pyramids for strawberries can be divided into two types: a pyramid in the form of a multi-tiered bed made of boxes and a stacked pyramid. The classification does not end there; when it comes to building strawberry “high-rise buildings,” the imagination of gardeners knows no bounds. See:

Classic multi-tiered pyramid for strawberries:

But if you put the box across, the view will be different:

Why not leave it at the strawberry pyramid external corners:

A pyramid bed can generally be round:

And even triangular:

Someone is building pyramids from old tires:

And someone is building shelves on wheels:

How to Build a Strawberry Pyramid: Step-by-Step Guide

One of the options for the strawberry pyramid is a multi-tiered bed made of boxes. To build such a bed we will need:

• Rabitz;
• boards, flat slate or other material for making boxes;
• wood-protective impregnation;
• screws or nails, drills;
• jigsaw, screwdriver or hammer, plane and level; roulette
• sewer PVC pipe (diameter 100 millimeters);
• earth, sand, peat, manure, compost.

Standard pyramid dimensions for strawberries:
240x240 cm - chain-link mesh;
220x220x25 cm - the first box;
170x170x25 cm - second box;
120x120x23 cm - third box;
70x70x25 cm - fourth box;
20x20x25 cm - last tier.

Step 1. Using a jigsaw, boards are cut to the required size. Boxes are made from them.

It is advisable to process the uppermost edge of the boards with a plane and round the corners so that the mustaches and strawberry stems are not scratched or cut by sharp edges. To extend the service life of the pyramid, the wood is impregnated with a protective compound.

Step 2. Holes are made in the pipe through which irrigation will be carried out: in the upper part with a diameter of 10 millimeters, in the lower part - 5 millimeters. The bottom of the pipe is plugged as tightly as possible so that moisture does not escape.

Step 3. In the place chosen for the garden bed, a chain-link mesh is laid out as the base of the future pyramid.

Step 4. The largest box is placed on the mesh and filled with soil (earth mixed with sand or peat).

Step 5. A pipe with holes with the closed end down is installed in the center of the box. It is advisable to cover the pipe with a mixture of compost and manure - fill it from the outside and compact it. This, roughly speaking, manure heap will serve as additional nutrition and heat source for the entire garden bed.

Step 6. The next box is placed on top and also filled with soil.

Step 7 All subsequent tiers are installed in the same way.

The strawberry pyramid is ready. All you have to do is wait a little until the soil settles, and you can plant young bushes. In the first tier, seven bushes are usually planted along each side, in the second - five, in the third - three, and in the fourth - two, and in the uppermost tier only two bushes are planted near the pipe itself. A total of 70 strawberry plants can be placed on a pyramidal bed. The agricultural technology for growing strawberries in pyramids is different in that all watering and fertilizing are carried out through a buried pipe.

Strawberry shelf: how to build it yourself

The second option for a vertical strawberry bed is a whatnot. To make a bookcase you will need:

• 11 boards measuring 200x50x2.4 millimeters;
• a block measuring 50x50x400 millimeters;
• drill, screwdriver;
• jigsaw or hacksaw;
• tape measure, square, protractor;
• self-tapping screws;
• fertile soil.

Step 1. Four two-meter boards are taken and the corners are marked: at one end of the board - 30°, at the other - 60°. Using a jigsaw or hacksaw, we make cuts along the marked lines, respectively, at one end of the board at sixty degrees, and at the other at thirty. The cuts are made along one side of the board so that the two-meter height is maintained. These will be the vertical edges - the basis of the pyramid.

Step 2. To fasten the side edges you will need a block. Two boards are laid with cuts at 60° to each other, a block is inserted between them and screwed together. Then they are placed vertically, the remaining edges are leaned against at angles of 60° and secured with self-tapping screws.


Step 3. On each of the four vertical edges, starting from the base, make six marks every 285 millimeters. Then measure the distances between all four edges in the area of ​​each mark at the same level. These distances are added and divided by four. This is how the length of the horizontal shelf edges for each level is calculated.

Step 4. The boards are cut according to the dimensions obtained: four pieces of each size. On the sides of future shelves, corners of 30° are cut. The corners are again cut off on one side of the board so that its length does not decrease. As a result, for each level of the shelf there should be four horizontal shelves.


Step 5. The fastened vertical supports and horizontal shelves are moved to the site of the intended bed. There the pyramid is finally assembled, securing each horizontal shelf with three screws where the marks were placed in the third stage.

Step 6. Using a level, install the finished pyramid so that the vertical supports are level and the horizontal shelves are at the same level.

Step 7 Fill the shelf pyramid with soil, starting from the lower shelves. Compact the soil well. And then young strawberry bushes are planted.

As you can see, growing strawberries in pyramids is not for lazy people - on initial stage some effort is required. But there is nothing supernatural in the construction of strawberry pyramids; almost everyone can do this task.

Delicious, sweet, aromatic strawberries are a favorite summer berry for adults and children. Strawberries are not only a delicious delicacy, but also a useful medicine from nature itself. It contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals, which have a powerful tonic effect on the body, help with digestive problems, heart and kidney diseases. That is why every gardener tries to make several beds of strawberries on his plot.

Over many years of cultivating strawberries on summer cottage gardeners have come up with many ways to grow this berry in a greenhouse, greenhouses and on open ground. Strawberry beds can also be different. Let's take a closer look at what kind of beds there are, what their advantages are, how quickly and how large a harvest can be obtained from them.

Vertical beds for strawberries made from pipes

IN Lately Vertical beds for strawberries are becoming increasingly popular. The advantages of such a bed include:

1. Increased yield. The beds will be located upwards and from one square meter m2 you can get several times more berries than with conventional horizontal planting. Strawberries will not fall to the ground, which means that the berries will not rot or spoil. Vertical beds for strawberries will help those who have infertile or unsuitable soil for growing this berry, because such a bed can always be filled with soil suitable for strawberries.
2. Weed control. While growing strawberries, gardeners are faced with the constant growth of strawberries. Vertical beds do not allow the weeds to grow and take root, and there is simply no room for weeds in such a bed.
3. Ease of care. During watering, harvesting, fertilizing and other agricultural operations, you do not have to bend down and walk around each bed in turn each time. Vertical beds do not need to be dug up or re-formed after watering.

Vertical beds are made from metal mesh, fabric or pots, but the most popular material is plastic pipes. They are easy to get, they do not rot and keep the beds in shape. Making such a bed is easy and simple, the main thing is to know a few secrets.

It is better to immediately assemble a large bed in the place planned for it, otherwise you will face the acute issue of transportation. Strawberries are a light-loving plant, so do not place the beds in the shade.

High-quality soil is the key to a large, tasty harvest. Strawberries grow well in sandy or sandy-loamy soil. Before pouring soil into the pipe, you need to thoroughly fertilize the soil.

A vertical bed needs close monitoring of soil moisture. In hot weather, it dries out faster, so you will need to water the plants more often.

So, after you have decided on the location and soil, you can begin building a vertical bed. For this you will need drainpipe made of wide diameter PVC in which the plants will be placed, a narrow tube 10 centimeters longer for watering, tools, fabric, twine, soil and strawberries.

In a small tube you need to drill many small holes at a distance of 10-15 centimeters from each other. The holes are located on 2/3 of the tube, 1/3 remains blind. To prevent the plant's roots from clinging to the holes, the pipe must be wrapped in fabric (burlap is ideal for this) and secured with a rope. The lower end of the pipe is wrapped with electrical tape.

Now we take a large pipe and make holes in it using a drill and a chisel with a diameter of 20 cm and at the same distance from each other. We leave 15 cm of “blind” pipe from the end. If you leave one vertical part of the pipe without holes, you can lay the pipe on the ground in the fall to overwinter. The bottom hole of the large pipe must be closed with a plug.

So, the preparations are complete. Now you need to secure the pipe where you plan to grow your strawberries. Pay special attention to this moment! A pipe filled with earth is quite heavy, and if it is not secured enough, it can fall at any time.

Insert a narrow one into a large pipe and pour 10 cm of gravel downwards, fill the rest of the space with soil, and strawberries can be planted in the holes made in the pipe. The vertical strawberry bed is ready!

Pyramid beds: a complete guide, optimal sizes

Another popular type of DIY strawberry bed is a pyramid-shaped bed. Such a bed can have three, four or even five corners! A triangular bed will allow you to make the row wider, while a square one will make it more convenient to care for plants. When you choose the size for the beds, try not to make them too wide, so that in the future it will be convenient for you to care for all tiers of plants.

The advantage of a pyramid bed is that it saves space: the pyramid shape will allow you to plant a large number of berries in a small area. The upper tiers of the pyramid will not block the sun from the lower ones, and all berries will receive the same amount of light. Unusual shape beds will not only make it easier to access plants and save space, but will also decorate your garden plot.

A pyramid bed can be made from metal, tires or old plastic bottles, but more often there are options from boards. They are easier to find and connect to each other than metal, and they look much neater than plastic. In addition to boards and nails, you will need paint, which will enhance the garden bed and protect it from moisture and pests.

It is better to use boards 3-5 cm wide. The lower base walls can be made of thicker wood. The optimal length for the bottom boards is 1 meter. They can be fastened at the corners with nails or using metal strips or screws. Try to firmly connect the boards to each other, because the strength of the structure depends on this. In the future, your bed will have to withstand strong earth pressure.

After you have secured the bottom floor, fill it with soil prepared for planting strawberries and tamp it down lightly. The next tier is made smaller on each side by 25-30 cm. This space is enough to grow strawberries on the lower tier. The next tier can be installed at an angle of 90 degrees or slightly more to increase the planting area. It is important not to overdo it with the angle so that the lower tiers have enough light.

In total, the pyramid can have from 3 to 7 tiers. Do all subsequent floors according to the same scheme, maintaining the proportions.

Hanging and multi-tiered beds: advantages and disadvantages

Another way to save space on your plot and get a rich harvest of strawberries is to use hanging or multi-tiered beds.

Hanging beds for strawberries are essentially the same as vertical ones. They save space, allow you to turn an ordinary garden bed into a garden decoration, facilitate weed control, and simplify watering and fertilizing plants. To create such a bed, you can also use pipes cut in half lengthwise. Plugs are placed at each end of the pipe to prevent soil from spilling out.

The resulting gutters can be hung one below the other on a house canopy, tree, gazebo or fence. You can choose the length of the bed and the number of levels yourself, depending on the location where your hanging bed will be located in the future. It can be secured using rope or steel wire.

Multi-tiered beds for strawberries can be organized using racks, tires or old furniture. Purchased racks are often used in greenhouses for the industrial cultivation of strawberries, but ordinary gardeners can also afford such structures.

Pots with strawberries are installed on each tier of shelves. If you install shelving in the greenhouse, this will shorten the period of growing berries. Using tires is a simple but unattractive option.

Several tires are placed on top of each other, prepared soil is poured into them and strawberries are planted. When using old furniture, the principle is the same. The boxes are pulled out, soil is filled in and the plant is planted.

Optimal bed size for maximum yield

When creating a bed for growing strawberries, be guided by two principles: the berries must have a place to full growth and development, and you should be comfortable caring for the plant.

Each bush should have enough light, space and air to ripen. If you plant rosettes of strawberries, leave a distance of 40-60 cm between them, if you plant the berries in a row - 15-20 cm. There should be a strip of 40 cm between the rows - it can be used to create a passage.

If it's going to be a vertical or pyramid-shaped bed, size it so you don't have to reach too far for the plants at the top or in the center. If these are the usual horizontal beds, make convenient passages between them. The optimal width for such a bed is 1 meter with two convenient passages on the sides.

Magic diaper for strawberry beds

To increase yield and protect plants from weeds, gardeners use film. Even if you are used to growing strawberries in a horizontal bed and don’t want to change anything, you will definitely need the magic film for strawberry beds.

Now on the market there is a large selection of both the film itself and manufacturers. When choosing a film for strawberries, you need to focus on several parameters: the width and thickness of the film, color and, of course, durability. The most inexpensive film is Chinese. However, this option is the most short-lived. Israeli film has the best price-quality ratio.

Mulching film primarily makes the gardener’s work easier. Weeds do not grow on soil covered with film; it needs to be fertilized and watered less often. At the same time, the film improves the quality of the soil, preventing it from hardening due to condensation, protects the plant from sudden frosts, has a beneficial effect on the development of roots, and improves the quality of berries that do not come into contact with the ground. Strawberries remain clean even after heavy rain and watering.