1028 



Gardening for Amateurs 



Strawberry. Under glass ripe Straw- 

 berries may be had earlier than any other 

 fruit from February until they are plentiful 

 out of doors. The first step to take in grow- 

 ing Strawberries in pots is to look out for 

 vigorous runners about the first week in 

 July. Then fill as many 3-inch pots with 

 sifted loamy soil as plants are required, and 

 sink them slightly in the ground round the 

 old plants. Select the best^ runners and 

 place one on the centre of the soil in each 

 pot and peg it down as described in the notes 

 dealing with the Strawberry out of doors. 

 Roots will soon form, and in about three 

 weeks the stems should be cut through 

 and the runners detached from the parent 

 plants. In another fortnight they will be 

 ready for potting singly in 6-inch wide 

 flower-pots. Needless to say, the soil in the 

 small pots must be kept moist, or the runners 

 will make slow progress. The first or second 

 week in August is the best time to repot the 

 young Strawberries, and it is essential to 

 prepare a good compost. To a barrowful of 

 fibrous loam (turfy soil) add | bushel of 

 decayed manure, 1 quart of bone-meal, the 

 same of lime and of soot, mixing the whole 

 well together. Before starting to repot the 

 runners look out for mildew, and if the 

 greyish mould is seen on the leaves sprinkle 

 flowers of sulphur on both the lower and upper 

 surface. It is most important that the plants 

 be not repotted while the soil is dry ; they 

 ought to be watered some hours before, or 

 preferably the previous evening. 



Potting the Plants. The 6-inch pots must 

 be clean and drained by means of crocks 

 (pieces of broken flower-pots) ; the large piece 

 placed over the hole ought to be put convex 

 side downwards to prevent the entrance of 

 worms. On the crocks place a little of the 

 fibrous turf from the potting soil and make 

 it firm with a small wooden rammer. This 

 will prevent the drainage being clogged by 

 loose soil. Next put in so much soil as will 

 bring the surface roots of the runner to 

 within rather less than an inch of the rim of 

 the pot. Then proceed to fill the space all 

 round with the prepared soil, and make it 

 quite firm with the rammer. After potting 

 is completed, arrange the plants in rows about 

 6 inches apart in a sunny position, and 

 preferably on a base of sifted ashes. After 



every six rows leave an alley to enable 

 watering to be attended to properly. Sub- 

 sequently the chief work consists in keeping 

 the soil moist, cutting off all runners that 

 may form, and in destroying weeds. For 

 some weeks after the plants are repotted 

 considerable care in watering is needed ; 

 water ought not to be given until the soil 

 looks fairly dry, but when the 6-inch pots 

 are full of roots more water will be required 

 so long as bright weather continues. Late 

 in October the Strawberries are plunged in 

 a bed of leaves, or bracken, or some other 

 protective material is placed among and 

 about the flower-pots, both to protect the 

 roots from cold and the pots from injury ; 

 these are liable to be cracked by frost. In 

 case of severe frost it is as well to sprinkle a 

 little straw over them as an additional pro- 

 tection, for, of course, the roots are more 

 exposed in flower-pots than if they were 

 planted in the ground. 



Forcing. In order to have Strawberries 

 ripe in early February, a few plants must be 

 placed in a slightly heated frame or green- 

 house early in November, and plunged in a 

 small hot-bed composed of leaves and litter. 

 Although the hot-bed is not essential, it 

 excites the roots into growth and promotes 

 correspondingly early progress of the leaves. 

 Soon the flower stalks will put in an appear- 

 ance, and in due course the blooms will 

 open. A dry and airy atmosphere is neces- 

 sary to assist the flowers to " set " during 

 this period, and the plants ought to be placed 

 on a shelf near the glass, say within 18 inches 

 of it. The fruits do not form freely at this 

 dull season of the year, and such a position 

 is an absolute necessity when Strawberries 

 are forced early. This difficulty is less pro- 

 nounced as the days lengthen and the sun 

 gains more power. However, in growing 

 Strawberries in pots under glass the most 

 difficult point is always to ensure a satisfac- 

 tory set of fruit ; this is possible only in a 

 cool, dry, and airy greenhouse in which the 

 temperature of about 60 to 55 degrees is 

 maintained. 



Once the fruits have begun to develop they 

 may, if necessary, be forced in a warmer 

 temperature, though those that are " grown 

 cool " are invariably of the best flavour. At 

 no time should Strawberries be allowed to 





