Patio gardeners enjoy easy access and the health benefits of fresh fruit by growing strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) and blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) plants in containers. Grow three main types of strawberries, June-bearing, day-neutral and ever-bearing, to extend the harvest season from spring through fall. June-bearing strawberry plants produce full-size berries in one large harvest in the summer. Day-neutral plants produce small amounts of fruit from summer through fall. Ever-bearing strawberry plants produce a crop of strawberries in spring and again in fall. Strawberries grow most reliably in USDA planting zones 5 through 8. Strawberry plants self-pollinate, so you do not need to grow two varieties for fruit production.
Newly introduced dwarf blueberry varieties provide home gardeners the opportunity to grow blueberries in small spaces. Cultivars including "Sunshine Blue" and "Patriot" grow to just 3 to 5 feet tall. "Top Hat" grows to 2 feet. Blueberry plants grow most reliably in USDA planting zones 3 to 7. Blueberry plants produce fruit in the summer months. Dwarf blueberry plants self-pollinate, but growing two varieties increases fruit production. Strawberry and blueberry plants require four to six hours of direct sunlight daily.
Grow dwarf blueberry cultivars in containers at least 24 inches wide and 16 inches deep. The extra space provided in a half-wine barrel will allow the blueberry plant to grow larger. A variety of containers provide adequate conditions for strawberry growth including grow bags, clay strawberry pots and hanging baskets. Strawberry plants grow in containers with 6-inch minimum depth and 5-inch medium width, but produce more fruit when grown in larger containers. Blueberry and strawberry plants require good drainage. Containers should have at least three drainage holes in the bottom.
Place 1-inch of gravel in the bottom of the container. After moistening potting soil formulated for azaleas, fill the container half-full. Remove the blueberry plant from its nursery container and cut any circling roots on the bottom. Adjust the soil level so the blueberry plant sits 4 inches below the rim of the container when placed in the center. Add more soil to cover the roots, gently patting the soil to remove any air pockets. Top with 4 inches of pine bark mulch, ensuring the mulch does not make contact with the plant.
Use a commercial potting soil formulated for fruits and vegetables to plant strawberries in containers. When planting in a grow bag or strawberry pot, add soil to just below the level where you will place the first plant. Gently remove the plant from its commercial container and place the crown in the hole from the outside of the bag or pot, ensuring the crown stays straight and does not form a "J". Add soil to just under the level of the next hole and repeat the process until the pot is full. If you plant in a hanging basket or traditional pot, add soil until the pot is three-quarters full. Remove the strawberry plant from its nursery container and adjust the soil level to ensure the plant sits at the same depth it was planted in the nursery container. Add soil until only the top of the crown is exposed. Gently press down the soil to remove any air pockets.
Poke your finger beneath the soil line to determine if containerized blueberry plants need water. Water thoroughly when the soil is dry 4 inches below the surface. During the first year provide strawberry plants 1 inch of water per week. After year one, water strawberry plants thoroughly once weekly or when the soil is dry at least 4 inches beneath the soil line.
Fertilize blueberry plants with 1 ounce of 12-4-8 general purpose fertilizer and with 2 percent magnesium at planting time. Lightly fertilize each spring and fall with a water-soluble fertilizer labeled for use on blueberry plants. After fertilizing, always check the soil pH and adjust with peat moss or pine bark to ensure it remains acidic, in the 4.5 to 5.0 range. Top-dress strawberry plants with potting soil formulated with fertilizer for fruits and vegetables in spring and fall.
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