18 



COMMONSENSE METHODS FOR GROWING 

 GOOD STRAWBERRY CROPS 



WHERE WILL STRAWBERRIES GROW? 



They will grow successfully in every state in 

 the country. When they follow common sense 

 methods, beginners are generally successful. 



WHEN DO THEY BEAR? Standard varieties set 

 in March, April or early May 1944 will bear their 

 best crop in May or June 1945. Everbearing varie- 

 ties set in early spring produce berries in late 

 summer and fall of the same year. Fall setting 

 is not a good practice in most cases. 



WHAT KIND OF SOIL AND LOCATION ARE 

 BEST? Any soil that makes good yields of garden 

 or field crops will produce strawberries in abund- 

 ance, whether that soil is a light sandy loam or a 

 heavy clay. Here are some pointers. 1 — In rolling 

 country a sloping field gives better air drainage and 

 less injurious frosts. 2 — Run the berry rows across 

 a steeply sloping field rather than up and down to 

 help prevent erosion. 3 — Following a hoed crop 

 makes less weeds and grass to contend with in the 

 strawberries. 4--Avoid sod land that may harbor 

 grub worms which cut or injure your plants. 5 — 

 Change the place of the strawberry bed every few 

 years. It will help keep up the vigor and growth 

 and reduce the danger of a build up of disease and 

 insect trouble. 6 — A rank growth of weeds and 

 grass .-on a vacant lot, garden plot or unused field 

 indicates soil fertile enough to grow good crops of 

 strawberries. 7 — Most important of all, select land 

 that holds moisture well because (a) it is naturally 

 springy (b) it has a low water table (c) irrigation is 

 available or (d) because lots of organic matter in the 

 form of animal manures or green crops has been 

 incorporated in the soil. 



HOW SHOULD I PREPARE THE LAND? In late 

 winter or very early spring the land should be 

 plowed or (in small plots) spaded to a depth of 6 

 or 8 inches. Then with harrow or rake it should 

 be leveled off to form a smooth friable planting bed. 



Here are some things which are not necessary — 

 but which are very helpful in getting bigger, better 

 crops of berries: 



1. Plowing under in late summer a heavy growtn 

 of green crops such as peas, beans, clover, sowed 

 corn, weeds, grass, etc. All these rot quickly and 

 are much more valuable if plowed under while 

 still green. 



2. Early fall sowing of rye or wheat to give a 

 heavy sod to be plowed under in late winter or 

 very early spring. This will be easier to handle 

 if disced up thoroughly before plowing. 



3. Applications of horse, cow, hog or sheep 

 manure at the rate of 5 to 20 tons per acre. This 

 is the best of all preparation for a fine crop of 

 berries. Results are almost equally good if one of 

 these applications has been made for the previous 

 crop. Poultry manure is better when applied to the 

 previous crop but is helpful to current crop if full 

 of litter and only three to four tons per acre are 

 used. Excessive applications of poultry manure 

 may cause some burning especially in dry seasons. 



For small areas a good guide in the application 

 of horse, cow, sheep or hog manure is to figure 

 1 to 2 bushels for every 100 square feet. 



SHOULD CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS BE USED? On 



very fertile garden soils none is needed. On most 

 good soils fertilizers will not prove beneficial if 

 plenty of stable manure of any kind has been 

 applied. On some soils chemical fertilizers will be 

 very helpful. 600 pounds per acre of any fertilizer 

 containing 3 to 6% of organic nitrogen and 5 to 

 10% of phosphorus may be used. This may be 

 stirred into the soil down the row before the plants 

 are set or applied as a side dressing in one or 

 more applications after growth starts. Inorganic 

 nitrogen like nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia 

 should not be used in these applications as they 

 will injure either roots or leaves if they come in 

 direct contact. Organic nitrogen materials like tank- 

 age, fish, dissolved bone, cotton seed meal, dried 

 blood, etc., are safe to use. Any form of phos- 

 phorus is O. K. 



Whatever the soil preparation and earlier treat- 

 ment it is well to examine the plant beds in late 

 August or early September. If the growth is satis- 

 factory and the leaves have a rich dark green ap- 

 pearance, no further fertilizer treatment is neces- 

 sary. If growth is not satisfactory at that time apply 

 as a top dressing directly on the plant beds about 

 600 pounds per acre of 6-8-2 or any fertilizer mix- 

 ture your dealer has containing 4 to 6°o of nitro- 

 gen, 6 to 10°o of phosphorus and 2 to 5°o of potash. 

 Apply only when foliage is thoroughly dry and 

 brush loose material off the leaves at once. This 

 is important. 



An application of 600 pounds per acre means 

 about 1 pound for each 20 feet of row. 



WHAT ABOUT LIME? If other crops, weeds or 

 grass have made a good growth on the land you 

 have selected for strawberries, it does not need 

 lime. However, if you want to get scientific and 

 have your soil tested for acidity ,a pH range of 5.7 

 to 6 is best, 5 to 7 is satisfactory. 



WHEN SHOULD PLANTS 

 BE SET? 



The most important single thing in grow- 

 ing strawberries successfully is to set the 

 plants EARLY. With no other crop that you 

 grow is early spring so ALL IMPORTANT. 



In the Southern States this means February, 

 March and early April. In the Middle States, 

 March and April. In the Northern States April 

 or the first half of May in late seasons anH 

 in states far North. In all states it mea 

 just as early as the weather permits you to 

 get the ground ready and the plants set. 



A good stand and growth are easy if 

 plants are set early so they can become 

 established while the soil is still ccol and 

 moist. With late setting good results are 

 very unlikely unless soil and moisture con- 

 ditions are r nt 



