FALL WORK IN THE STRAWBERRY PATCH 



THOSE who have had experience in 

 strawberry growing know how es- 

 sential it is that the patch be kept free from 

 weeds and in excellent condition during the 

 first season. If weeds are allowed to go to 

 seed they must be fought throughout the 

 fruiting season or a greatly decreased crop 

 wull be harvested and more work is entailed 

 in obtaining the diminished returns. The 

 successful grower continues frequent culti- 

 vation until the growing season is ended. 



Very few varieties of strawberries are 

 capable of withstanding the hardships to 

 which they are subjected during the winter 

 and spring months in Ontario unless 

 some protection is given. There are, 

 however, winters when no covering is re- 

 quired, but it requires little time to add suf- 

 ficient mulch each fall to ensure a healthy 

 vigorous patch in the spring. Besides be- 

 ing an insurance, some mulch can be used 

 wnich enriches the ground as well. It is 

 not so much the heavy frosts which do dam- 

 age to the plants ; it is the alternate freez- 

 ing and thawing of early spring when the 

 snow has melted from the patch. 



PUTTING ON THE MULCH. 



The time to apply the mulch depends on 

 the season. Most growers recommend put- 

 ting it on as soon as the ground is frozen 

 hard enough to carry the horses and wagon. 

 In no case should it be applied before growth 

 ceases. Different materials are used in dif- 

 ferent sections. Much depends on what 

 can be obtained most readily. Strawy 

 horse manure is most commonly applied. It 

 is an effective mulch and the ground is fer- 

 tilized by the finer particles being washed in 

 by the rains. Straw alone is sometimes 

 used, while swale hay is excellent for pro- 

 tection but does not contain the manurial 

 element. It is not wise to put on too heavy 

 a covering. It should be worked in well 

 amongst the plants in the bare places and 

 sufficient on top to hide the plants. Light 



straw could be applied in greater quantities 

 than could some of the other mulches. 



As a general rule the covering is removed 

 in the spring as soon as danger of hard 

 freezing is past. Bright sunny days and 

 frosty nights are most disastrous. It is not 

 wise to remove all the covering at once. 

 The best plan is to rake the coarser parts of 

 the mulch off the plants between the rows 

 where a surface mulch is required to keep 

 down. weeds and conserve moisture during 

 the spring and summer. Besides, a mat is 

 afforded to the pickers while harvesting the 

 crop and the sand is prevented from splash- 

 ing on the fruit during rains. 



Some growers apply a liberal mulch in 

 the fall and leave it on late in the spring to 

 retard the crop. With judicious mulching, 

 covering the tops of the plants as well as 

 the soil, the flowers and fruit can be re- 

 tarded a week or lo days. Care must be 

 taken, however, not to leave the covering 

 on too long or bleached weakly plants will 

 result. 



" I cultivate my strawberries frequently 

 through the summer," said Mr. Wm. G. 

 Horn, of Clarkson, " and always put on a 

 mulch as soon as the ground is frozen hard 

 enough to get on it with the wagon. Al- 

 most every enterprising grower in this sec- 

 tion applies a mulch of some kind. Coarse 

 strawy horse manure is best. The finer 

 manure helps to fertilize the soil while the 

 straw protects the plants from frosts. 



" In the spring when growth is nicely 

 started I pull the coarser stuff between the 

 rows to conserve moisture and serve as a 

 mat for the pickers. The crop can be de- 

 layed some time by leaving the mulch on, 

 but if left there too long the plants are in- 

 jured." 



" I use horse manure as it comes from 

 the transport stables in Toronto for mulch- 

 ing my patch," remarked Mr. H. Pickett, 

 another successful strawberry grower, of 



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