Vertical beds for strawberries: varieties, production, features of growing

Aesthetic decoration of the infield, balconies and loggias - the main task of landscape designers. Innovative development in this direction was vertical beds, which allow not only to decorate the area, but also to get a tasty and healthy harvest of fragrant berries. For the construction of this design requires a minimum amount of physical and material costs.

Experts advise a competent approach to the choice of the required variety. For vertical cultivation, breeders developed a large number of ampelous and remontant types of berries, each of which has its own individual properties and characteristics. Vertical design with flowering plants will be a highlight and decoration of any corner of the house or garden.

Vertical beds are an innovative method of obtaining organic crop in a small area. This method has several advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• rational use of the territory;
• harvesting a pure harvest without rot, due to the lack of contact of the fruit with moist soil;
• protect strawberries from dangerous pests;
• no weeds and no need for weeding;
• uniform and timely application of mineral and organic fertilizers;
• care and harvesting with minimal physical exertion;
• high aesthetic performance.

Disadvantages:

• frequent watering;
• quick drying of the soil;
• the obligatory introduction of the necessary fertilizer complex;
• soil freezing in winter.

Experienced gardeners use several forms of garden structures - vertical, stepped and tiered. The most prominent representatives of these structures are the following landing areas.

• Garden bed - used for planting climbing varieties of this crop. For its installation used PVC pipes for water and sewage. Dignity - reliability, transportability, low weight.

• Of car tires - economical type of vertical design. The disadvantage is the presence of toxic compounds.

• Layered - suspended type vertical structures made of plastic pipes, cut along. Plugs are installed on the end edges, and parts of the structure are interconnected by a strong braid or twine. Rows consisting of several levels can be placed on the trellis, fences, tree branches and the roof of the summer house.
• Pyramidal - landing containers are mounted from waste wood, iron sheets and other building materials. Dignity - environmental friendliness, durability, a long period of operation. Disadvantages - a lot of weight, the complexity of transportation.

• Furniture bed - The basis of this design is a table with drawers. This structure is a simplified analogue of the pyramidal beds.

• From the barrel - a popular representative of the product, for the manufacture of which you can use barrels of metal, plastic or wood.

To prevent the soil from drying out, it is necessary to add hydrogel to the nutrient soil or install drip irrigation.

Vertical landing beds can be designed and made by hand, without the involvement of specialists. To accomplish this task it is necessary to have a minimum set of construction tools. Building materials for vertical landing containers can be different types of materials:

• flower vases;
• barrel packaging;
• car tires;
• roofing construction residues;
• wood containers;
• PVC packaging;
• water and sewer pipes;
• PVC bottles.

Constructions of car tires are the most durable. Over the years, not only will they not lose their shape, but they will also retain their decorative qualities. For the installation of this design, you must put the prepared tires on each other and connect them. Disadvantages - the content of toxic substances in automobile rubber, which has a negative impact on human health.

The construction of flower pots of various sizes and diameters has high aesthetic indicators and will adorn any design project. Advantages - low weight, mobility, the ability to complement the design with additional decorative elements. This design can be placed on balconies, loggias, terraces and verandas.

Vertical beds of PVC bottles - the most economical design option. Advantages - mounting plastic containers on any vertical surface. Disadvantages - a small amount of bottles,

The beds, made of barrels, can be a decoration for your backyard. The surface of this design can not only be painted in the desired color, but also apply decorative painting, corresponding to the general style and decorative direction. One of the main drawbacks is the complexity of transportation to a new place. To save the plant in winter, it is necessary to take measures to insulate the structure and create a protective shed.

The design made of plastic pipes has the smallest number of drawbacks and is the most popular among experienced gardeners and novice gardeners. The optimum height of the structure should not exceed two meters. Installing high beds will create difficulties for watering and caring for plants. The main stages of self-installation of vertical products:

• preparation of pipes with a diameter of 20 cm and 2 cm. Thin - of smaller diameter - must be longer than the main pipe;
• Drilling small holes in the upper part of a thin pipe, winding it with a string;
• sawing holes in a thick pipe with a diameter of 100 mm at a distance of 30 cm from each other in a checkerboard pattern;
• valve installation on the lower hole;
• installation of auxiliary pipe in the main;
• the filling of nutrient soil and abundant watering;
• planting prepared seedlings in the cut holes.

For the installation of vertical structures it is necessary to choose solar areas protected from strong wind currents and drafts.

The main task of the gardener is to ensure timely and regular watering of the planted plants, the frequency of which can reach up to two times per day in summer. After developing a strong and healthy root system, experienced gardeners recommend reducing the amount of water for irrigation. The first flowers must be removed. The optimal number of whiskers on a single plant is 4 pieces. To obtain a stable yield, it is necessary to make mineral and organic fertilizers. After the end of fruiting, remove all dry and damaged leaves.

In order to preserve strawberries in the winter period of time, it is necessary to remove the beds in warm places prepared in advance or to cover them with special material.

The choice of strawberry varieties for vertical beds - the main task of the gardener. Planted berries should not only give a high-quality and stable crop, but also have high decorative indicators. Experienced gardeners are advised to choose remontantnye berries and ampelnye culture.In the agricultural market, you can meet a large number of the required varieties, and professional consultants and breeders will help you make the right choice and purchase the necessary variety that meets all the requirements.

The most popular and popular varieties for vertical cultivation.

• "Queen Elizabeth" - the most popular variety of berries. Harvesting is carried out throughout the summer. Fruits have an even rounded shape without bulges. The flesh is thick and fragrant. When creating a comfortable environment for the growth and development of the plant, the amount of the crop can exceed 2 kg. Advantages - unpretentiousness, resistance to temperature fluctuations and the most common types of diseases.
• "Queen Elizabeth 2" - An improved hybrid of remontant strawberries. The amount of the harvested crop can reach up to 10 kg per 1 m2. Harvesting can be carried out in early May. The number of fruits on one plant exceeds 4 pcs. This variety has juicy and sweet flesh.
• "Ostara" - A climbing variety of Dutch breeders. Fruits are medium-sized with high taste. The disadvantage is susceptibility to the development of root diseases of various types.
• Alba - an early grade of ampelous strawberry. The fruits have an oblong shape and sweet and aromatic pulp. Advantages - resistance to low temperatures, long storage period and transportability. The amount of harvest from one bush reaches 1000 grams.
• "Homemade delicacy" - remontant variety with dark red berries. The flesh is very juicy with a pleasant tartness. Large flowers increase the aesthetic properties of this crop, and large berries allow you to harvest a good harvest.

Rational use of land has become an important task of modern man. The vertical bed is a universal garden for residents of large cities and owners of small suburban areas. This design allows you to get a harvest of fragrant berries, using the minimum amount of usable area. Inexperienced gardeners may find it difficult to use this method, but following the advice of professional summer residents, the vertical design will not bring much trouble and difficulty.

Step-by-step guide on creating vertical beds for strawberries from a pipe, see the following video.