People Are Using Dollar Store Laundry Baskets As Strawberry Planters and It’s Pure Genius
Man, people are so clever. I wish I was that clever.
But until then, I will just take advantage of learning from all of these geniuses amongst us.
Take this neat trick for example, People Are Using Dollar Store Laundry Baskets As Strawberry Planters and It’s Pure Genius!
First off, you might be wondering WHY people are doing this and it’s simple…
The baskets make it easier for the strawberries to grow out and down and it makes it easier to harvest the strawberries once they are ripe and plentiful.
Basically, it saves your back too which is awesome!
With that being said, here’s what you need:
- Plastic Dollar Store Hamper (the kind with the holes on the outside)
- Garbage Bag
- Strawberry Plants
- Dirt
- Some sort of PVP pipe or tube to stick in the middle for watering
Then like Julie said, you do this:
Grab a couple of laundry baskets like these at the Dollar Store….use a plastic trash bag to line it and fill it with dirt. Start at the bottom of the basket and use a steak knife or scissors to cut through the plastic liner and insert the strawberry plant Work your way up to the top and be sure to skip a few holes so it doesn’t get crowded. Insert a piece of 2 inch pvc pipe with holes drilled into it to make watering easy peasy. Cut off the excess plastic liner at the top and you’re done! Before long you’ll have plenty of strawberries to enjoy!
Julie Morgan
And there you have it, an inexpensive planter for your strawberries that’ll cost just a few dollars and is way easier to plant and harvest strawberries.
Smart, right?
Oh and don’t forget, make sure you paint some rocks to look like strawberries to keep the critters away from stealing your strawberries!
Where’s the best place to put your baskets? Full sun, part sun, east ,west, north or south
How do you protect the strawberry planter for the winter?
Just to clarify. Do you completely bury the plant under the soil and just poke holes in the sides of the bag?
@Jamie McCormick, I don’t think you completely bury the plant. Use a steak knife or scissors to make a hole in the trash bag liner, wherever you want to place a plant so plant root is in the dirt and rest of plant is on the outside of the basket. Put some gravel at the bottom before adding dirt and poke a couple of holes around the bottom of bag to ensure proper drainage, hope this helps!
How many plants will go into one of these baskets.
Wonderful. Brilliant. I know for a fact that strawberry plants can and will survive being buried under snow for days. I live above 4000 ft in mountains. Squirrels, rats, skunks and raccoons will want to help themselves, so encircle your tower or hillock with chicken wire. Also, put some under the planter too. This is a great spacesaver idea.
What I’m wondering is using the plastic bag idea, does the water if not absorbed evenly make the bottom row too wet. Therefore rotting the lower portion?
@Wendy Newbury, drill holes for drainage. Problem solved.
@Wendy Newbury, the bottom of the barrel is the last area to get the water. Poke a couple holes in the bottom of the bag so excess water can drain out. I usually use a few handfuls of gravel or stones in the bottom, before I throw my soil in. The purpose of the bag, other than the obvious keeping in the soil, helps to maintain the moisture longer, so you don’t need to water as often. These baskets or hanging bags work really well for balconies and small patio areas.
How do you keep Squirrels away from them.
@Kim, do a Google search for things that squirrels don’t like, and put that around the area. Could be anything, like coffee grounds, egg shells, that type of thing. One of the other readers also suggested putting chicken wire around the baskets as well. That works great! I do it for my bulbs after I plant them. Lay a square of chicken wire over top, and few inches under the soil, and they can’t dig up the bulbs! Works like a charm!!
@Kim,
I purchased mesh bags that cover the plants and berries on Amazon. They allow sunshine and water in but keep bugs, birds, varmints out. They come in different sizes.
Awesome
My garden is organic. Do you have a suggestion to avoid using the plastic liner/garbage bag?
@Carol, you could use a burlap bag or canvas but be careful about watering.
Well since the hamper itself is NOT food safe, I wouldn’t recommend using that, either
Burlap works great
Do they over winter or do you have to replant every year??
@WENDY, My mom has in the backyard and they go out every year we live in Rhode Island
@Jeanette, so she brings the basket inside/say the garage thru the winter?
What a great idea! I’m living in a very “confined” place these days. Thank you so much!
Those things dry-rot and crack apart in 2 weeks from laundry.
…just put the dirt in a messy pile in the yard and plant your strawberries, it’ll keep you from having to sift all the little pieces of plastic out of it in May.
@Tommy Callahan, what kind of laundry are you washing? I’ve had one for 6 years no issues.
@Siobhana Flanagan, I was wondering the same thing. I have one that is 8 years old. It is fine. Not cracked or broken.
@Tommy Callahan, Are you talking about the liner or the basket cracking apart in 2 weeks???
Love the idea di you put the seeds all the way down?
@Laura Osegueda, You’d be planting plants you buy, not seeds.
fabulous and it can be adapted for other plants
Meget smart??
This picture shows also having burlap but it’s not mentioned in the directions?
@Jen, I’m following for that answer.. would think burlap would be better
@Diane, I was thinking I would use the black fabric that some people use to try to “keep” weeds from coming up in your gardens.
@Diane, I am thinking they are trying to go with cheap…..I might even think about using chicken feed bags
@Diane, I’m looking for burlap bags. My Lowes, Home Depot, or Walmart doesn’t have them.
@Diane, if you see the landscape fabric like a bag it will work awesome!