Growing Strawberries – Hill System

Who doesn’t like to eat strawberries? I guess it is hard to find people who don’t. That is the most wanted fruit but also very easy to grow if you know how. I will explain here the easiest way outdoors and in one of my next articles you will get chance to learn how to do that on your balcony or any other small space. That way you can have freshly picked strawberries to eat, decorate your cake etc. which is impossible to get on the market.

First I would like to say that when you get strawberries for planting, you should know that life cycle of that strawberry is 4-5 years. During the first year you will get less strawberries and it would triple in the second and the third year, to again get a bit less in forth. That is why planted strawberries are replaced with new every 4 years.

Prepare soil well and make sure it is humus rich. Make hills for planting either 2 rows or 4 rows of strawberries. You will need black mulch foil which can be found in every better equipped agriculture store. Some foil already comes with holes for planting while on other you will ave to make holes. Besides black mulch foil, you will need drip irrigation system.

Strawberries should be planted at least 25 cm distance in row, and same distance should be between rows. That will allow proper growth. Therefore, plan well what foil size you need, which depends on number of rows you want to plant on those hill, 2 or 4. Prepared soil hill and flatten on top so that 2 or 4 rows of strawberries can be planted there. Cut drip irrigation tape to be longer than hill on both ends and place it right on the middle. Then spread black mulch foil over that hill, fixing edges all around with more soil. That way foil will stay on place and grass won't grow under. Make sure then that tape is right between rows of holes. Close one side of drip irrigation tapes and connect other to drip irrigation system.

Bring strawberries and start planting, placing them in those holes. Make sure to close each hole with soil, that will prevent air coming under, otherwise grass can start growing and lift foil. When you finished planting strawberries, start drip irrigation system until you see soil before and after hills is well wet, and same with soil around strawberries which is used to close holes.

This way you won't have to worry about grass next 4 years and strawberries would be easier to pick and completely clean. Hill system with drip irrigation also saves water and strawberries are bigger and ripen earlier for about 7-10 days.