Strawberry planters - earth falling in out of holes when watered- tips?

[swanriver]

I have a nice large terracotta strawberry planter with holes in side. Tried it with geranium and lobelia last year, and had a problem with watering (soil immediately washed out)

Any tips for lining when putting in strawberry plants or is it just a question of waiting for roots to knit soil together...
I have the plants ready to go in (small pots)
bbSunday.

This happens with my strawberry planters too. I just bide my time - within a couple of weeks the roots do knit everything together. I think it helps, too, if you pack the compost tightly.

Perhaps if you wait a couple of weeks until the plants are big enough more or less to fill the holes?

Try mixing in some water retaining granules, they swell up and hold the soil together a bit more.

Personally for strawberries I use individual pots - the plants grow bigger and give you more fruit.