Sneaky Strawberries in Hanging Baskets 🍓

Is it even the summer holidays if you haven't eaten a strawberry straight off the plant while it's still warm from the sun? Strawberries are incredibly easy to grow, but they have one major enemy in the Irish garden: Slugs.

Our damp climate means slugs are everywhere, and they love strawberries just as much as kids do. The solution? Grow your strawberries up high in hanging baskets where the slugs can't reach them!

What You Need:

• A hanging basket lined with moss or a coir liner.
• Peat-free compost and some slow-release organic fertilizer.
• Strawberry Plants: Buy 3 or 4 small established plants from the garden centre (growing from seed takes too long for an impatient gardener!). Look for "Everbearing" varieties so you get fruit all summer.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Prep the Basket: Mix a handful of fertilizer into your compost and fill the hanging basket about halfway up.
2. Position the Plants: Take the strawberry plants out of their plastic pots. Arrange them so they are near the edges of the basket—this allows the strawberries to dangle over the side beautifully!
3. Fill it Up: Add more compost around the plants, making sure they are tucked in securely. The soil level should be just below the rim of the basket.
4. Hang and Water: Hang the basket in the sunniest, most sheltered spot you have. Water it thoroughly.