DIY: Making as Hanging Strawberry Basket Tree

You don’t need big patch of ground in order to grow your own fresh, delicious strawberries. This simple strawberry basket tree provides a hanging strawberry patch that’s as attractive as it is productive. All you need is a sunny spot, a few simple materials, and a couple hours of free time.

Strawberry Basket Tree: closeup

You don't need big patch of ground in order to grow your own fresh, delicious strawberries. This simple strawberry basket tree provides a hanging strawberry patch that's as attractive as it is productive. All you need is a sunny spot, a few simple materials, and a couple hours of free time. You can grow up to 40 plants on this one tree — plenty for cooking, salads, and, of course, eating fresh!

Start to finish time: 2 hours

Experience level: Beginner and up

Tools we used

  • Post hole digger
  • Level
  • Drill

Materials we used

  • 8-foot post*
  • 10 16-inch plant hooks
  • 10 14-inch flat wire hanging baskets with coconut liners or 10 Bonnie Plants Patio Ready strawberry hanging baskets
  • 2½-inch deck screws
  • 50-qt bag premium potting mix, such as Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix
  • 30 to 40 strawberry plants** (not necessary if you buy Patio Ready plants)
  • Drip irrigation kit for containers/hanging baskets (optional)
  • * We used the trunk of an old cedar tree, but you can use a pressure-treated 6×6.

    ** We planted Loran strawberries because they send out very few runners and can be planted closely together, but any variety will do.

How to build it:

Choose an area with a lot of sun. Dig a hole with the post hole digger, making sure it's at least 18 to 24 inches deep to support the weight of the post with filled baskets.

Mark where you want the hooks to go, then pre-drill the screw holes. Attach the hooks with 2½-inch deck screws. (These will hold the baskets more securely than the screws that come with most plant hooks.)Place the post in the hole and use the level to ensure it's standing straight. Fill the dirt back in around the post and tamp it down. (If desired, you can pour dry concrete mix around the post and add a pint or two of water to set it.)

Fill each basket with premium quality potting soil, such as Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix, then plant 3 to 4 strawberry plants per basket. Water plants to settle them in.

Hang a basket on each hook, shortening the chain as needed. (You can also hang pre-planted strawberry baskets from your local garden center.)

A word about watering: Hanging baskets tend to dry out quickly in the summertime, so adding drip irrigation is highly recommended. You can purchase a drip irrigation kit for containers online or at a garden supply store; follow package directions to install. If you prefer to water by hand, do so only around the outer circle of soil in each basket, where there's more air circulation. This will help keep the strawberry plant foliage drier, so disease will be less likely to take hold.

Lastly, be sure to feed your strawberries regularly with Miracle-Gro® LiquaFeed® Tomato, Fruits & Vegetables Plant Food to provide all the nutrition they need to produce big, beautiful berries!

Strawberry Basket Tree design and photography by Van Chaplin.Article written by Su Reid-St. John.

The Strawberry Basket Tree does double duty as hanging garden and eye-catching landscape element.
The Strawberry Basket Tree does double duty as hanging garden and eye-catching landscape element.
Use 2½-inch deck screws to securely anchor the hooks.
Use 2½-inch deck screws to securely anchor the hooks.