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Create an easy-to-water strawberry pot

Of The Morning Call

Strawberry pots, those multi-pocketed pots that our mothers filled with hens and chicks, are attractive and space-saving. They are ideal for decks, patios and small balconies, but they can be difficult to maintain.

If you water from the top, the bottom plants dry out. If you soak from the bottom, you need a large tub and a lot of time, and even then, the top doesn't get properly watered.

There is a solution. Using a drill and a few common items, you can create a tube that will make watering these pots a simple chore. The project will take less than an hour once you have assembled the components.

The first thing to do is to decide what sort of plants you want to grow. The easiest solution is to use only one kind of plant. Strawberries are an obvious choice, but you can try any small plant. If you opt to combine plants, consider an herb pot or a combination of short flowering plants on the side and a mix of trailing and tall plants in the top. Be sure to select plants that have similar growing needs.

Second, select a pot. While plastic pots are available, terra cotta and glazed ceramic pots are the most common. A small pot will have three or four pockets on the sides and a larger hole in the top. Larger pots, obviously, will have more holes. Calculate the number of plants you will need -- counting one plant for each side hole and whatever you plan for the top. You also need to measure the inside depth of the pot. If you select terra cotta, presoak the pot to keep the water from wicking away from the soil into the pot walls.

You'll need some gravel to fill the drain tube. Decide what you are using before you select the pipe material. The gravel must be small enough to fit in the tube.

Now it's off to the plumbing department to find PVC pipe (white plastic pipe). Pipe is usually sold in full lengths or half-lengths (a half-length will be more than enough for several pots). Select a diameter between one and two inches. (I used a 1-inch pipe with pea gravel; driveway stone would require a larger pipe). Get a half-length cut and if the clerk isn't really busy, ask to have your section of pipe cut into the correct length for your pot, (which you should know since you already measured the inside depth of the pot).

If you have the pipe cut to the exact depth of the pot, it will extend above the soil. This may be unsightly at first, but the plants will soon conceal it and the pot is easier to water with the pipe end exposed. If you need to cut your own, use a PVC pipe cutter or saw (if you have one), a power miter saw or a hacksaw.

Now, you will need the drill and a 1/8-inch bit. Clamp the pipe down (or have a very trusting friend hold it) and drill a series of holes at even intervals around and down the pipe. I put four holes evenly spaced around the pipe at two-inch intervals. This is easier if you mark the pipe before starting to drill.

The rest is easy. Fill the tube with the gravel and cover the ends with some sort of mesh. A piece of pantyhose works well and is easy to tie (I just put the pipe in the leg, cut the pantyhose, and tied the end. Other options would be a bit of screening or some netting -- anything to keep the gravel inside.

You're ready to plant. This is the time to add slow-release fertilizer or water-retention crystals to the soil for even better results (an optional step, but a good idea). Place the tube in the center of the pot and fill around it with potting soil. Press down lightly (tamp) as you go until you reach the first holes. Place your plant in the hole and backfill with soil. Continue filling the pot and planting the holes until you reach the top. Now add your top plants and fill in with soil to firm.

Now, water the pot. Be sure to pour water down the tube to distribute it (like a mini-sprinkler system) throughout the depth of the pot. Keep the transplanted pot in shade for a few days, then position it in the proper light conditions for the plants you selected.


 Drill with 1/8-inch bit
 Pipe cutter or saw (if you are cutting your own pipe)
 Strawberry jar
 Potting soil
 Plants
 PVC pipe
 GravelPanty hose (netting or screening)

Sue Kittek is The Morning Call's Garden Keeper columnist.

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