30 



THE SAWDUST MULCH 



SPACED PLANT SYSTEM 









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The Growing Plants 



The Plan 



EVERBEARERS HAVE COME ALIVE 



iv/tA the development of 

 THE SAWDUST MULCH SPACED PLANT SYSTEM 



The Ohio Experiment Station, with Su- 

 perfection, reports 7,000 quarts per acre 

 the first year. 



The Iowa Experiment Station reports 

 yields as large or larger than Ohio. 



The Kentucky Experiment Station re- 

 ports, with irrigation, 14,000 quarts per 

 acre the first year with both Superfection 

 and Gem. 



From Alabama Mr. Alfred M. Borman, 

 of Jefferson County, writes, "In April I or- 

 dered 100 Superfection plants from you 

 and used the sawdust mulch system de- 

 scribed in your catalog. These plants 

 have grown and produced beyond all 

 expectation. I am very well pleased with 

 them and the sawdust mulch system." 



The Ohio Station report states that the 

 latest developments in everbearing straw- 

 berry production demonstrates that the 

 largest yields, greatest ease and economy 

 of operation and highest profits are to be 

 secured by following a 4-row bed type 

 planting system. (See diagram and pic- 

 ture.) 



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 sys- 

 tem produces high yields in August, 

 which are maintained during the remain- 

 der 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 moisture 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 a week or two later if plant 

 growth has not been quite vigorous. Af- 

 ter fruit production starts berries may be 

 harvested about twice each week until 

 frost stops growth in October. The saw- 

 dust mulch helps to conserve soil mois- 

 ture during late summer. If an extended 

 drought occurs the crop can be greatly in> 

 creased 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 winter pe- 

 riod. A thin renewal layer may be needed 

 in the fall if the spring application was 

 too light. A full inch of mulch should be 

 maintained." ' 



The spaced-plant sawdust mulch sys- 

 tem comes high per acre, with more 

 plants and much hand labor required, 

 but numerous Ohio growers have demon- 

 strated in small and medium sized plant-, 

 ings that a carefully managed patch will 

 give high profits. 



