Gardeners Tool Bag

How to Turn a Plastic Pipe into a Strawberry Planter

There is nothing quite as lovely as the taste of a fresh strawberry, fresh from your own garden. Whether with cream, ice cream, made into jam or as part of a pie, they are a delicious treat and a favorite of all gardeners, from seven-year-olds to seventy-year-olds.

The only problem is, they are so popular that you can often soon run out of space for the plants in your garden! A great way to make the most of limited garden space and have numerous delicious strawberries during their growing season is to turn a plastic pipe into a strawberry planter.

Step 1: Assess Your Pipe

 

In order to know how many holes you will need in your pipe, you will need to know how much space is inside it.

Measure the pipe from the top to the bottom and record the figure in inches. Then measure the diameter of the inside of the pipe in inches, divide by two to get the radius and record the figure.

Calculate the volume of the inside space with the following formula: length x radius x radius x 22/7. Strawberries require about 300 cubic inches of soil per plant, so divide your pipe’s volume by 400 to see approximately how many plants it can support.

• As an example, a 6-inch diameter pipe of 5 feet in length.
• 60 inches x 3 inches x 3 inches x 22/7 = 1,697 cubic inches
• At 400 cubic inches per plant that pipe could support around 7 plants

Step 2: Prepare Your Pipe

 

Carefully cut 3-inch holes in the pipe, evenly spaced from each-other along the length. Place a rock or two into the bottom of the pipe to stop soil falling out. Make a narrow tube the same length as your pipe from mesh or wire, and fill it with drainage material, such as gravel and insert it into the pipe.

Then fill the pipe with potting soil from the top opening so the drainage tube stays in the middle. Fix your pipe to its final position.

Step 3: Insert Your Plants

 

Working from the bottom upwards, place each plant into the pipe from the outside, roots first. Water each plant and ensure it is firmly placed in the soil.

The pipe can be placed alongside a wall, hung horizontally on a fence or secured vertically for an even smaller footprint. It is also a visually unusual way of growing strawberries, bringing an interesting touch to your garden.

Even better, this recycling helps you to save money on planters so you can spend more money on other hobbies like classic parts for your car!

Guest Author Byline:  Susan Connolly contributed this guest post. Passionate about hobbies and leisure she likes writing about everything from cars to gardening.