How to grow more and more strawberries on the same plot of land? Growing in plastic PVC pipes is becoming a popular alternative to traditional flower beds due to the fact that vertical systems save space, do not deal with weeds or slugs and allow the harvest of clean fruits without contact with wet soil…
The traditional cultivation of strawberries in flower beds automatically brings with it a previously lost battle with weeds, slugs and rot, which can destroy even the most beautiful fruits just before harvest. But modern Dutch farmers rely on innovative vertical and horizontal systems that make the most of space. This revolutionary method of gardening consists of transferring plants from the ground to hanging structures created from ordinary plastic PVC pipes. The material, which for most do-it-yourselfers lies useless in the corner of the garage or workshop, thus becomes the basis for an unprecedented harvest of pure fruits without unnecessary hard work.
Also watch the following video and you will be able to boast of a huge harvest of strawberries:
Use every centimeter
The method is extremely popular among owners of small gardens, terraces or balconies, where fierce battles are fought for every centimeter. But the tubes can be layered on top of each other in ingenious cascades or hung on the walls, so that we can harvest many times more strawberries from a single square meter than from a classic row. In addition, plants in these artificial troughs, because the fruits hang freely in the air, do not touch the wet ground and dry almost immediately after rain.
Pipes and drill…
The preparation of such a cultivation channel alone takes a skilled person only one afternoon and requires only basic tools. It is only necessary to drill holes with a diameter of around ten centimeters in the thicker plastic pipe at regular intervals, which will serve as a future home for the young seedlings. A very important step during assembly is the insertion of the second, significantly thinner tube with small drilled holes directly in the middle of the main tube. Why? It is an ingenious system that ensures even watering along the entire length of the system. Without this inner irrigation core, water would only flow to the first plants, while the rest would suffer from drought.
Drip irrigation will be best
Once the construction is complete, it’s time for proper implementation to determine future success. The entire space must now be mixed with perlite, which can hold water perfectly, but at the same time remains airy. Strawberries grown in the limited space of plastic understandably do not have the ability to pull roots deep, which is why they are fully dependent on the regular supply of liquid nutrients in the dressing. Automatic drip irrigation combined with occasional fertilizing ensures that the bushes do not suffer and invest all their energy in the formation of giant and sweet fruits.
Plantation without work and worries
In addition, this Dutch trick brings invaluable relief for human health, especially for tired backs and joints. When taking care of a “plantation” located in this way, we do not have to crouch near the ground for hours, the skin essentially falls off and the collection itself takes place in a completely comfortable upright position. In addition, the plastic wall functions as a perfect natural barrier, through which the vast majority of common soil pests, including voracious snails, cannot reach the ripening fruits. Sometimes it’s just good to look around the world and get inspired.
