Is this big enough?

[ohflipit]

I have brought some full size half barrels for planting strawberries and also a blackberry bush. They came with one large drainage hole. Is this enough or do I need to drill more? If it makes a difference I have lots a stones to put in, both large and small.

Sorry if it's a daft question - I'm very new to gardening!

Thank you!

That should be fine I think! You should smash up some old pots (or get some stones) to stick in the bottom- this will help water to drain through and percolate right to the bottom where it can escape through the hole.

Not sure if it might be worth waiting until next spring for your strawberries because they won't do much until then. When they do start growing, cut off the stringy bits that stick out and plant them- they will grow into new plants!

@AngelicaElizaAndPeggy thank you, that's great news, I really didn't want to have to get my drill out!

The strawberries are already here! I didn't keep snipping the runners so on my six strawberry plants kept having babies over summer and I now have 30+ plants! Lesson learnt for next year!

Have you got any old crockery that you could use as crocks? The drainage hole there is quite large so you will need to cover it over but at the same time, not block it up. Crocks from broken pots are best for this as one piece curves over the hole and keeps your compost in but it doesn't stop it allowing water to drain out. Stones are OK but less ideal as they will add a lot of weight to your pot to do the same job.

Next year cut off random runners (unless you want to increase your plant numbers) as the parent plants will be expending their energy on that rather than flowers and fruit.

(There are no daft questions, we are all learning! )

Advice is turning against putting a layer of stones in the bottom - reduces soil volume and turns into a quagmire. But it is worth putting something over the hole to stop it getting blocked with soil. Can also be worth standing the barrel on "feet" to raise it off the ground and ensure good drainage. On the other hand, drainage is the least of your problems during dry periods.

For anyone else reading this - best to let the runners develop their own roots before potting them up and snipping them.

Thank you @MereDintofPandiculation and @TheNoodlesIncident. You both seem rather knowledgeable about strawberries so may I ask another question? My veg trug will next year have 10 - 12 strawberry plants in it, but tonight I counted 33! All the babies have been growing independently of the parent plant for a few weeks so have their own roots. Should I give them another couple of weeks then move them to their new beds / positions in the trug or are they best left where they are until the spring? Some are in strange positions (very close to the side or each other) but not sure if they'll stay small over winter or best to move them now. Thank you!

You can do either but I would move any that are cramped and leave the rest until spring, as they will be working on their root systems at the moment. As the days shorten and temperatures drop they will simply suspend all operations and sit and wait winter out

You could then pot up some of them and pass them on to other people if you like (always nice to do plant swops!) as you have rather a lot now. Give them a feed when spring arrives and you see signs of new growth in the centre of the plants. Any plant feed will do to begin with, but to promote flower and fruit production, a tomato feed will be best.