My shed roof strawberry field

Evening all.

I thought I'd share this with your for your light entertainment. I've stuck cut-up 4 pint milk bottles to my shed, with the intention of growing strawberries up there. Here goes.

First one, a couple of weeks or so ago. It hasn't actually taken me all this time as such, I started it then had to abandon it until we'd accumulated more bottles.



Project resumes yesterday. Got enough bottles.



The compost you see there is mostly rotted manure and a bit of general purpose compost.



And here it is with the first batch of new residents having moved in.





Clearly I'm going to have to add more compost/manure in places, but its ok for now. I need to reinforce my shed a bit because its a bit dilapidated as it is, and I reckon I've just added about 20 stone in weight to the roof.

I only half considered water flow, but when I tested it it was spot on. The bottles sort of route the water so the whole lot waters fairly evenly, which is bonus.

 

Wont it weigh a lot more when soaked through and plants have grown? or if you gtet a heavy rain wont some compost wash away?
Im worried the sheds going to collapse xx

 

Top marks for ingenuity
Looks like an very interesting project I'll be interested to see the results. At least you know the shed roof won't blow off!

 

I did give it a good soak before planting. My estimate of 20 stone is based on it being wet. The dry weight of the compost and manure is probably only 2 or 3 stone.

I expect a small amount of compost to wander off, but I don't think significant amounts will wash away because of the way I've arranged the cut up bottles to stop it sliding too much.

Me too Joolz, me too. I'm going to reinforce the shed at some point.

 

Nice one

When we've sorted out your brickwork, we could do that on your main roof too

 

How will you protect them from the birds?

 

I haven't thought that far ahead if I'm honest. I've never had too much trouble with birds pinching things to be honest (except one bird years ago who tried to pinch a full packet of regal kingsize off me). I might just let the strawberries take their chances and if we do have a problem, then I guess I'll have to get some netting.

 

Plastic windmills might work and are cheap enough..if you do get any bother from the birds,cant wait to see all your strawberries x

 

Did you make an honest woman of her?

 

CL1 - you are as mad as a box of frogs,
Jenny

 

Thats exactly what i said to myself jenny..word for word!
and then i started wondering about my potting shed roof..space going to waste

 

ps - there's a full moon tonight ( attracts frogs in boxes)................

 

Im sure i seen them growing from somebody elses roof on gc in the past?(not their complete roof though)was it lolimacs ? it was someone with chickens im sure

 

Ziggy posted a photo of some in cut down plastic containers on a wire fence at a Garden event I think?

 

Someone else on here has done something similar. I think that's where I got the idea. Can't remember who did it though.