The Canadian Horticultun^ 



Floral Edition 



)1. XXXIX 



PETERBORO, MAY, 1916 



No. 6 



Factors of Success in Strawberry Growing 



F. L. Gable, Dominion Fruit Inspector, Toronto 



WHAT soil is most suitable for 

 strawberries? No iruit, plant 

 or weed will thrive on as 

 iiany different soils as the strawberry, 

 >ut which soil is best? It is generally 

 <lmitted sardy loam will produce the 

 greatest crops of berries, provided it is 

 V ell manured and cultivated, although 

 I great many berries are grown on 

 'Cavy lands successfully. The straw- 

 perry requires an abundance of moist- 

 ure although damp soggy soil on low 

 md is absolutely useless for growing 

 liem. Safe advice to give an inexperi- 

 iiced grower with only ordinary farm 

 md to choose from would be to use the 

 i>ot where the greatest variety of farm 

 crops do the best. The nearer it ap- 

 proaches what is considered good gar- 

 den soil the better. 



Do not plant strawberries on ground 

 not previously cultivated for two years 

 jis it is apt to be infested by cut-worms, 

 \\ hite grubs or other harmful pests. It 

 is also apt to be full of weeds and grass 

 seed. The best land is that which has 

 been in a hoe crop the previous year, 

 ' (corn is not so good), it being both free 

 from insects and weeds. 



To prepare that ground. It is best to 

 plow in a good coating of manure be- 

 fore planting. This can be applied es- 

 pecially heavy if well rotted. It is also 

 advisable to broadcast agricultural lime 

 at the rate of one-half ton per acre. 

 Your ground should be well cultivated 

 as early as possible in the spring. The 

 earlier you get your plants set the bet- 

 ter, as strawberries thrive in cool, moist 

 weather and cannot stand much heat 

 and drought. 



The dig^ng of plants and their se- 

 lection should be done carefully. Only 

 good healthy plants should be used. 

 These should have the dead leaves 

 pulled off and the plants should be 

 well trimmed. In buying plants make 

 sure that they are trimmed ready for 

 planting and do not allow the wind or 

 sun on plants. They should be covered 

 with a wet bag or cloth and the plants 

 kept thoroughly wet until planted. The 

 rows sh ould be three and a half to four 



•Extract from an address delivered before the 

 members o( the Norfolk Fruit Growers" Asso- 



'^latfoM, 



feet apart and the plants set from 

 eighteen inches to thirty inches apart 

 according to the variety. The spade is 

 useful to use in planting, as by a little 

 experimenting you will find you can 

 make a good wedge-shaped opening 

 and by spreading the roots out in this 

 opening and tramping the plant in well 

 ■Vi'ith the crown just above the earth 

 you will find your plants will grow 

 nicely. 



As soon as your plants are set, culti- 

 vation and hoeing should begin. Con- 

 tinue It each week throughout the sum- 

 mer. Do not allow weeds to get a 

 start. The blossoms rhould be picked 

 off. Do not allow runners until after 

 July 1st, when they should be allowed 

 to run, but placed in the row each way 

 from the mother plant. If properly 

 placed you w-ill soon get a matted row. 



Strawbei-ries are troubled somewhat 



with fungus diseases which may reduce 

 your crop unless controlled. This is 

 easily done by spraying well in the 

 spring, aftei' growth begins, as well as 

 two or three times when they start 

 growing again after picking. 



Another point in strawberry grow- 

 ing which is often neglected, although 

 it pays the best of all, is mulching with 

 straw or very coarse manure. About 

 four good loads of straw to the acre 

 applied just after the ground is frozen 

 and raked off between rows in the 

 spring after the plants start growing, 

 will not only protect your plants 

 through the winter, but will hold them 

 back in the spring safe from late frosts. 

 By raking this off in the row it helps 

 to keep the moisture during the sum- 

 mer drought, when moisture is a neces- 

 sity. It also helps to prevent having 

 sandy berries. 



A well-loaded Ducbess apple tree in the orchard at the CentraJ Experimental Farm, Ottawa. 



