My Heart's Desire

Thinking outside the box with square foot gardening!

I am trying out the square foot gardening method this year. I am training my vining crops, cucumbers, melons and squash to grow vertically on a trellis. Well the other day I went hog wild and bought 50 strawberry plants. So I researched space saving ways to grow them. I combined my strawberry planters with my trellis. Take a look at what I came up with.

Here's how I did it!

1 - 10 ft  3" PVC Pipe

1- 10 ft 1 1/2" PVC Pipe

2 - 3" x 1 1/2" PVC T Pipe fittings

2 - 3" PVC Drain covers

Strapping and screws

Nylon Trellis netting

Zip Ties

I cut the 3" pipe into two 5ft lengths and drilled 25 1" holes into each Pipe. Capped clean cut end with drain covers and coffee filters to keep dirt in but allow for drainage. Fit T's onto rough end of 3" pipe. Strapped pipes to raised bed frame. Measured inside length between 1 1/2 T fitting and cut 1 1/2" pipe to fit. Insert pipe between fittings. Secured netting to pipes with zip ties. I will fill 3" pipe as I go planting the strawberry plants that are to arrive any day. Top of T pipe is open for watering. It can be covered as well if you have critter issues. TADAH! My trellis will not only hold up my vining plants it will be growing strawberries for me to eat and pick without getting down on my hands and knees.

Hope this gets you thinking of how to make things do double duty. I am growing 3 cucumber plants, 3 squash, and 3 cantaloupe in a 2x4 raised bed as well as 50 strawberry plants. Now that's what I call maximizing space.

Marcia