Can I ignore the holes on strawberry pots?

[BrightNewLife]

I bought 4 gorgeous terracotta and glazed blue strawberry pots, thinking they were all lovely and Mediterranean-y, off FB marketplace.

Now I realise they are meant for small clusters, herbs or, straws, but I bought geraniums (fairly large) to go in them.

Question: how else can I use the pots without buying more plants? Is it madness to think I can just plant at the top and ignore the holes? Should I squeeze the geraniums through the holes?

Can't you use some sort of liner?

You might find the water just runs out of the side holes when you water it, so a liner is probably best. A plastic bag will do.

I'd probably buy some lobelia or similar to cascade out of the holes, while having the geraniums (I assume you mean pelargoniums?) in the top.

Ime, it's fairly hard to get strawberries to sit right in the holes. A liner could work, but might look a bit odd?

The pots sound absolutely lovely.

Could you pick up some small plants to fill the holes? It's difficult at the moment with garden centres being shut but my local supermarket had some six-packs of something recently...Petunias or Alyssum, some sort of bedding plant. They would look awesome.

Why not divide the geraniums?
I have pelargoniums and they have never suffered from being divided?

Or strawberries, I have strawberries in my ceramic pot, mine is blue and glazed too.

Line with black plastic and plant the top. If you manage to get bedding plants for the sides cut the lining and plant through (this will be better for the plants as they will retain moisture better)

IME it's really hard to get the water to the lower "pockets" without washing out the compost.

I'd put succulents in the holes so their roots hold the compost in place but they don't need a lot of water, then the geraniums in the top.