First things first: “climbing” strawberries aren’t actually natural climbers. Unlike ivy or peas, they don’t have little tendrils or sticky pads to grab onto a fence on their own. They’re basically just regular strawberries that produce extra-long runners, and it’s up to us to “train” them to go vertical. Since they can’t hold on by themselves, you’ll need to give them a hand by tying the shoots manually. Here’s how to get it done.
Securing Your Strawberries: The Best Methods
If you head to your local garden center, you’ll find plenty of gadgets designed to keep plants in place. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel here! Twist ties or ring binders (which you can cut to size) work great. If you prefer a more natural look, garden twine or raffia is a classic choice—it blends right in and does exactly what it’s supposed to: give those runners some support.
No matter which tie you choose, you’ll want to start securing the runners of your climbing strawberries as soon as you plant them. If you’re planting in containers or a raised bed, you can often find plants that already come with a small trellis. Otherwise, you can easily pick up a standalone support system. Great options include:
- Climbing towers
- Trellises
- Climbing pyramids
The best part about growing strawberries vertically? It makes harvesting and maintenance a total breeze. You can say goodbye to kneeling on the ground and hello to saving your back! Plus, it won’t take long at all before your strawberries start reaching for the sky.
DIY Ties: Finding Materials Around the House
If you don’t feel like spending extra money on garden ties, just take a look around your house—specifically your closet. In fact, if you’ve been looking for an excuse to declutter your wardrobe, this is it! Old clothes can be a goldmine for plant ties.
You can use almost anything you find, as long as it meets two criteria: it needs to be stretchy and it needs to be strong. T-shirts or leggings with a high spandex content are perfect. Nylon stockings or pantyhose are even better because they are incredibly elastic but won’t snap. Even old gauze bandages work in a pinch. Just make sure the material is soft so it doesn’t “strangle” or damage the delicate strawberry runners. For example, even if your old jeans have some stretch, the denim is usually too rough for this job.
