Not a fan of growing strawberries directly in the ground?
Me neither … mostly because of slugs.
Well, this method uses nothing but old milk crates and fabric pots to create a space-saving tower that produces more berries than ever.
The best part?
The plants naturally weave their runners through the crate openings, creating a living wall of green leaves and red berries!
Supplies You’ll Need
- 3-4 sturdy milk crates
- 3-4 five-gallon fabric grow pots
- High-quality potting soil
- 12-15 strawberry plants
- Cable ties (optional, for securing crates)
- Hand trowel
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How to Build a Milk Crate Strawberry Tower
- Start by cleaning your milk crates thoroughly with soap and water. Let them dry completely.
- Place your first milk crate in a sunny spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Make sure it’s on level ground.
- Put the first fabric pot inside the bottom crate and fill it with potting soil, leaving about 2 inches of space at the top.
- Plant 4-5 strawberry plants in the first level, spacing them evenly around the edges of the pot.
- Stack the second crate on top and repeat the process with another fabric pot and plants.
- Continue stacking and planting until you reach your desired height (3-4 crates is ideal for stability). Secure with cable ties if you live in a windy area.
- Water thoroughly until you see water seeping through the fabric pots.
A Word of Caution: One reader mentioned that she tried something similar one year and lost her whole crop because, as the soil settled, it pulled the strawberry plants down and buried the crowns.
If you’re new to planting strawberries, it’s very important that the top part of the crown stays above the soil line.
One potential solution to this is to fill your grow bags up, water deeply, add more soil, rinse and repeat for a week or more. Then plant and place inside the milk crates.
REMOVE THE GUESSWORK FROM GARDENING!
These garden plans include 10 themed garden blueprints—complete with beneficial pairings, proper spacing & more!
Care Tips
- Water regularly, checking the soil moisture daily during hot weather
- Feed with balanced organic fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during growing season
- Remove runners that don’t naturally find their way through the crate holes
- Harvest berries when fully red and ripe
A Few Points to Consider
Choose ever-bearing strawberry varieties for continuous harvests, and position the tower where you can easily access all sides
Consider adding a simple, sprinkler-style irrigation system for easier watering.
In cold climates, wrap the tower with burlap during winter for protection
Not only does this vertical design save valuable garden space, but it also keeps the berries elevated and clean, away from soil-dwelling pests.
As the plants grow and send out runners, they’ll naturally create a beautiful, productive green column that’s both practical and eye-catching.
Remember to check the soil moisture more frequently than ground-planted strawberries, as vertical gardens can dry out faster.
With proper care, your strawberry tower will provide fresh berries all season long while adding a unique architectural element to your garden.
Sounds great!! Where do you get milk crates?? Joyce Decker 🌻
I’ve gathered them from family and friends over the years.
You might check with local restaurants, but they also sell them online in 4 packs here – https://amzn.to/4gll7qM
Did you cut holes into the grow bags &/or crates for the strawberries to grow through to grow through the crates? You failed to mention that. I don’t think the strawberries can push through the grow bag without cutting a hole through it!
No, the strawberry runners will grow out of the the top of the grow bag.
In the beginning, when they first start putting out runners, you may need to help them find the holes in the milk crates.
This is an older post so I don’t know if you’ll be able to respond or not. I am a visual person. Could you post pics of the process so we can see it take shape? Or recommend a site that has the pics? I would love to do this as all my strawberry attempts have failed. Thanks!
I’m sorry I don’t have in-progress pictures.