Raised Strawberry Bed

I know I've mentioned before, the struggle I've had with finding just the right place for strawberries.  I also mentioned a few weeks ago, there are several experiments going on around here.  I'm a literal person, and strawberries are called what they are because they do best when surrounded by straw.  When winter comes, it's best to cover them with straw and they'll peek back through in the spring.  When establishing the strawberry patch, straw around the plants keeps moisture in and weeds down, so the straw is really vital to healthy strawberries.

I got a real deal on some bales of straw, then I got a great vision of plan.  So far, it's working well.  I've actually harvested a few berries.  It's the best in raised bed gardening and square foot gardening, I've yet to experience.  The entire plan takes 13 bales of straw, weed cloth, and about 200 pounds of topsoil.  Stay with me here, it's not nearly as involved as you might think.

I lined up three bales of straw end to end.  Then three more parallel to that, but left the width of a flake of straw between.  Then did the same thing again!  Three rows of three bales parallel with about a foot and half space between.  You can have as many bales end to end as you choose, but three parallel is the maximum as well as the most economical and efficient.  My fenced area didn't allow for longer straw rows.

Next I broke two bales and placed two flakes flat between the rows of bales.  I then covered the flat flakes of straw with weed cloth between rows, the full length of my project.  Then it was just a matter of pouring topsoil on the weed cloth, filling the gap between the parallel straw bales and planting my bedding plants.


As for the remaining two bales.  I set them at the end to prevent soil washout.  One bale is wide enough to protect both rows.