Caring for Your Hanging Strawberry Basket
Bring home the joy of fresh strawberries right from your porch, patio, or backyard.
Our hanging strawberry baskets are filled with everbearing strawberry plants, which means they can produce berries multiple times during the growing season. They are also perennials, so with proper care, they can keep growing and producing for years to come.
What to Expect
Your hanging basket may already have blooms, green berries, or ripe fruit when you bring it home. Strawberry plants are living plants, so production will vary based on sunlight, temperature, watering, and care.
With the right attention, your basket can provide delicious berries throughout the season.
Sunlight
Strawberries love sunshine.
Place your hanging basket in a location that receives:
- At least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day
- Morning sun is especially helpful
- More sun usually means better flowering and fruit production
If your basket is kept in too much shade, the plant may grow leaves well but produce fewer berries.
Watering
Hanging baskets dry out faster than plants in the ground, especially in warm weather.
Watering tips:
- Check the basket daily
- Water when the soil feels dry about 1 inch down
- Water thoroughly until water begins to drain from the bottom
- In hot weather, you may need to water once or even twice a day
Try not to let the basket dry out completely, but also avoid keeping the soil constantly soggy.
Fertilizing
To keep your strawberry plant healthy and productive, feed it regularly during the growing season.
Espoma Berry-Tone Organic Plant Food
Improves soil with beneficial microbes
👉 Best all-around recommendation
Specifically made for strawberries and berries
Organic, slow-release, won’t burn plants
We recommend:
- A balanced fertilizer or one made for berries/fruiting plants
- Feeding every 2 to 4 weeks, following label directions
- Avoid over-fertilizing, which can cause lots of leaves but fewer berries
If you prefer organic gardening, compost tea, fish emulsion, or other gentle organic fertilizers can also help.
Picking Fruit
Pick berries when they are fully red and ripe.
For best results:
- Harvest regularly
- Gently pinch or snip the berry stem
- Do not pull too hard on the plant
Frequent harvesting encourages the plant to keep producing.
Removing Runners
Strawberry plants often send out long stems called runners.
These runners can form new plants, but in a hanging basket they may also take energy away from fruit production.
What to do:
- If you want more berries from your basket, trim most runners off
- If you want to try growing new plants, you can root a runner in soil and start another strawberry plant
Seasonal Care
Because these are perennial strawberry plants, they can come back year after year with proper care.
During the growing season:
- Keep watered
- Fertilize regularly
- Remove dead leaves and overripe fruit
- Watch for pests or disease
In colder months:
- Protect the basket from severe freezing temperatures
- In very cold weather, move baskets to a sheltered area if possible
- You can also overwinter the plant in a protected spot such as a garage, shed, or covered porch
The plant may go dormant in winter, but should begin growing again when temperatures warm up.
Repotting and Refreshing
Over time, strawberry baskets may outgrow their container or the soil may become depleted.
You may want to:
- Repot into a larger hanging basket or container
- Refresh the soil annually
- Thin older plants if the basket becomes overcrowded
This can help keep the plant vigorous and productive.
A Few Helpful Tips
- Give your basket plenty of sunlight
- Keep the soil evenly moist
- Harvest berries often
- Trim runners if you want better fruit production
- Protect plants during winter
- Enjoy the fact that your plant can keep producing for seasons to come
Questions?
We’re always glad to help.
If you have questions about caring for your hanging strawberry basket, reach out to Jones Strawberry Farm through our Facebook page or website.
Enjoy your berries!