Thursday, May 17, 2012

How to Plant Hanging Strawberries & Tomatoes

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

A hanging flower pouch is not limited to flowers, but instead can be used to plant edibles. These bags contain slits or "X"s that can be filled with any combination of plants, but to be successful these plants need to be friends not foes. This garden concept is referred to as companion gardening. Tomatoes and strawberries are not typical companions in the garden because tomatoes can carry verticillium or root-rotting disease and strawberries can suffer from this disease. To eliminate this problem, only use tomatoes and strawberry plants that are resistant to verticillium.

Mix potting soil, perlite, sphagnum peat moss, and compost in bucket.

Fill hanging flower pouch with 1/2 inch of soil mixture. Push tomato plants roots first through the two "X" located near the bottom of the bag.

Add the soil mixture to the bag using a hand spade. Continue to add until the next set of "X"s are reached.

Push two strawberry plants through the two "X"s and fill in until the next set of "X"s are reached.

Continue with this process until all "X"s are planted with strawberries and water the plants in through the top of the planter.

Lay hanging flower pouch on garden table for two weeks. Hang flower pouch and add soil mixture to within 1/2 inch of the top of the pouch. Plant two strawberry plants in the top and water in until the pouch starts to drip.


It is important to lay the bag down before planting the top. The two week period gives the strawberry plants time to take root in the bag before being hung.

Hang flower pouch in an area that receives at least eight hours of sun a day.

Water often this type of planter dries out quickly.


Do not use garden soil in the soil mix.

http://www.howtoplantstrawberries.com

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