Strawberries in pipes

[redser]

Hi,
Has anyone planted strawberries in lengths of pipe before? I can get a 20 foot length of 5 inch diameter wavin pipe. Thinking of filling it and cutting sections out to plant the runners into. I've no more space in beds so I need to plant my runners in some sort of containers. I think it would be a good space saver but I don't know if it would give enough room for the roots to make healthy happy plants. What do you think?
Thanks

[Bigmallly]

You might stand a better chance if you cut the pipe into 4 or 5 lenghts, stand the pipes upright, cut holes in the pipes and plant the strawberries in tall towers so to speak. Just another option.

[lottie dolly]

had a google to see what wavin was,is it the one that is coiled,a stronger version of the tumble dryer pipe,if so,cannot see how you could cut planting holes into it's lenght without it collapsing,

[Bigmallly]

had a google to see what wavin was,is it the one that is coiled,a stronger version of the tumble dryer pipe,if so,cannot see how you could cut planting holes into it's lenght without it collapsing,

With something like this LD.........

[redser]

Thanks a lot. Sorry for the confusion, Wavin is just a brand. It's thick PVC pipe, so this wont collapse. Good idea to go vertically. Bit of standing and staring needed I think to see how I could use it best.

[peanut]

I once used some various lengths of plastic piping that was left after the builders had gone to plant assorted herbs in.....I stood them upright, grouped them together, filled with soil and planted herbs in the tops, it looked really good.
Can't see why that kind of thing couldn't work with Strawberries.

[veggiechicken]

Watering is usually the issue with the tower type planters!

[redser]

Yes that's what I'm wondering about now. A leaky pipe down the middle maybe. It's a puzzler

[peanut]

You could always mix in a few water retaining granules with the compost.

* I tend to repot my container grown Strawbs annually when they've finished for the year because of the risk of Vine Weevils.

[tamsin]

The strawberry towers you buy (wide anabout 2' high) have a leaky pipe down the middle. I think I'd go for that (make sure its tough enough pipe not to collapse) OR maybe a length of that fabric membrane stuff to act as a wick - you could have in come out a hole near the bottom and in to a bucket - self watering!

[veggiechicken]

Yes that's what I'm wondering about now. A leaky pipe down the middle maybe. It's a puzzler

Try this http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...els_63902.html

[redser]

Thanks again. I think lying flat would be easiest to water. Just have it at a very slight slope and run a drip tube from a reservoir in one end and let the water run through, any excess could leak out a hole the other end. But vertical would be best for space saving. Plus I could plant in holes right round the pipe. Leaky pipe could be high manintenace as it would be on the plot. Just not sure if capilliary matting would draw the water up high enough to wet the soil to the top. Only one way to find out

[redser]

Try this http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...els_63902.html

Well that's put me right off the vertical method
I think lying them flat could work though.
Thanks

[lottie dolly]

seen them before VC,aprox 3 years ago,we did the same with a blue water barell,holes were drilled,then used a bits of small guttering to support the plant and compost at the bottom of the hole,we put a 6in pipe down the center with holes in filled with gravel,i don't know what went wrong,the plants never seem to get wet,no matter how much water they had,from the top,downd the pipe,as well as spraying all round the outside,the only thing that grew was,weeds,all the small self saved runners from the lottie died of,i still look at it and think,did i have to many holes in the barell bottom,or what,there was i thought what a good idea,

[lottie dolly]

With something like this LD.........

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thanks BM,we have a set of them,i thought it had some metal or strong plastic spiral to make it flexible to bend lol,