How to make a strawberry bed

How to make a strawberry bed

Discover how easy it is to grow delicious strawberries, with our simple guide to creating a strawberry bed.

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
At its best
At its best

Plant is not at its best in January

Plant is not at its best in February

Plant is not at its best in March

Plant is not at its best in April

Plant is not at its best in May

Plant is at its best in June

Plant is at its best in July

Plant is at its best in August

Plant is not at its best in September

Plant is not at its best in October

Plant is not at its best in November

Plant is not at its best in December

To do
To do

Do not To do in January

Do not To do in February

Do To do in March

Do To do in April

Do To do in May

Do To do in June

Do To do in July

Do To do in August

Do To do in September

Do To do in October

Do To do in November

Do not To do in December

Growing strawberries in a raised bed makes them easier to pick and highlights the fruits, pretty leaves and clusters of cottagey flowers. It’s also a good option if you have very heavy soil.

Discover how to grow strawberries all summer.

You can make your strawberry patch any size you like, but this 1.2m x 1.2m bed will accommodate nine plants – enough for several punnets of juicy fruits. The willow-hurdle edge adds a rustic touch and is practical, too – on windy sites, it stops the straw blowing away. It also makes a convenient prop for covering the crop with netting should you need to keep birds at bay.

Growing strawberries in a raised bed makes them easier to pick and
highlights the fruits, pretty leaves and clusters of cottagey flowers.
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You Will Need

  • Willow edges (4)
  • Timber plants and pegs, or a wooden pallet cut into planks
  • Strawberry plants (9)
  • Wire, galvanised, plastic-coated or copper
  • Hammer
  • Spade
  • Wire cutters

Total time:

Step 1

If using a pallet, remove four planks by sawing through the frame flush with one edge of each plank. Leave 8-10cm lengths of frame protruding from the other side to act as pegs, securing them with nails. If using planks, cut to length. Nail a peg at each corner to hold them together, sinking the pegs into the soil.

How to make a strawberry bed - nailing the planks together
How to make a strawberry bed – nailing the planks together

Step 2

Dig over the soil where you want the bed, taking care to remove roots and perennial weeds. Use a spade to make a shallow trench, 5cm deep. Position the prepared timber edging, knocking the pegs into the ground to secure them in place.

How to make a strawberry bed - timber placed in trench
How to make a strawberry bed – timber placed in trench

Step 3

Make sure the frame is square and nail the corners together. Fill around the inside of the frame with soil and firm lightly in place. Add more soil to the bed, mixing in plenty of bagged soil improver or compost. Firm up the bed by lightly treading with your boots.

How to make a strawberry bed - fixing the frames together
How to make a strawberry bed – fixing the frames together

Step 4

Position your plants roughly 45cm apart. Make planting holes with a trowel, setting the plants in place and firming soil around the roots. Water the whole bed to settle the soil around the roots.

How to make a strawberry bed - positioning the plants
How to make a strawberry bed – positioning the plants

Step 5

Position sections of willow border edging, pushing them into the soil to make an attractive boundary to the bed. This will stop the strawberry foliage flopping onto surrounding plants. Take care not to snap the edging when pushing it into the ground.

How to make a strawberry bed - planted strawberry plants
How to make a strawberry bed – planted strawberry plants

Step 6

Use thin galvanised, plastic-coated or copper wire to secure the corners of the willow edging. Push the end of the wire through the woven end and thread it back three of four times. Twist the ends of the wire together and cut off the excess with wire cutters.

How to make a strawberry bed - securing the willow fencing together
How to make a strawberry bed – securing the willow fencing together
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Other ideas for your strawberry frame

You could use reclaimed timber for the frame, or buy a raised bed kit from a DIY store.

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