k^^^-'H 





^^ « 



* * ? $ 



« •* 



u * 



f * * * 



r * 



af t^. 



* «• * * 



* •« 



^ S 



I& 4 * f 



^ <¥ 



* ^ 



4J. J?} * ^ 



t * 



FOR BEST RESULTS WITH EVERBEARERS 



(/S£ THE SAWDUST MULCH SPACED PLANT SYSTEM 



The Ohio Station reports that the best development in everbearing straw- 

 berry production demonstrates that the largest yields, greatest ease and econ- 

 omy of operation and highest profits are to be secured by following a four-row 

 bed type planting system. (See diagram and picture below.) 



In this system the plants are set 

 one foot apart in rows which are 

 one foot apart. A two-foot alley or 

 middle is left between each 4-row 

 bed. The 4-row system produces 

 high yields in August which are 

 maintained during the remainder of 

 the season. 



The plants should be set just as 

 early in the spring as the land can 

 be prepared — late March or early 

 April. The first crop of weeds will 

 usually appear within two or three 

 weeks after planting. These should 

 be controlled by hoeing. After this 

 first hoeing the entire area should 

 be covered with a layer of sawdust 

 one inch thick. This mulch is very 

 important for conserving soil mois- 

 ture and suppressing weed growth. 

 Later weeds, if any, must be removed by pulling because hoeing would mix the 

 sawdust with the soil and eliminate its mulch effect. 



All blossoms which develop on the new set plants should be removed until 

 early June, or later if plant growth has not been vigorous. After fruit production 

 starts berries may be harvested about twice each week until frost stops growth 

 in October. The sawdust mulch helps to conserve soil moisture during late sum- 

 mer. If an extended drought occurs the crop can be greatly increased in size 

 and quality by the use of irrigation. All runners should be removed from the 

 plants as fast as they develop. This is essential if highest yields are to be secured. 

 "The sawdust mulch appears to give adequate protection over the v/inter period. A thin 

 renewal layer may ±>e needed in the fall if the spring application was too light. A full inch 

 of mulch should be maintained." 



The spaced-plant sawdust mulch system comes high per acre, with more plants and much 

 hand labor required, but numerous reports have indicated in small and medium sized plantings 

 that a carefully managed patch will give high profits. 



This Ohio system and variations of it have been used in recent years in many other states 

 to enable growers to get far more satisfaction from ever-bearers than they did before. 

 (See page 19.) 



VARIETAL RESISTANCE TO STRAWBERRY DISEASES 



Red stele is a subject of continuing research. At least five different races of red stele 

 root rot have been identified. Among the varieties with resistance to the most common form 

 are Midway, Redglow, Sparkle, Stelemaster, Surecrop, Temple and Vermilion. Stelemaster 

 and Surecrop have resistance to other races of red stele and seem to be your best bet where 

 red stele is a major problem. 



Varieties have varying degrees of resistance to verticillium wilt. This disease is only a 

 problem in some areas of the north and we have never seen it on our farms here in Mary- 

 land. Verticillium wilt, which causes "summer dying" of strawberry plants, has been par- 

 ticularly bad when strawberry plants have followed a susceptible crop such as tomato, 

 Irish potato, eggplant and pepper. 



Dr. Varney of New Jersey reports the following information: Among the resistant varieties 

 are Catskill, Surecrop, Robinson, Premier, Temple, Tennessee Beauty and Gem. The varieties 

 with an intermediate degree of resistance include Blakemore, Redglow, Empire, Fairfax 

 and Albritton. The most susceptible variety to verticillium wilt is Earlidawn. Among those 

 varieties with a high degree of susceptibility are Dixieland, Redstar, Midway, Jerseybelle, 

 Midland, Missionary, Pocahontas, Armore and Sparkle. 



26 



