Early setting helped us grow beds of Premier like these even in a dry year 
How Early? 
Just as soon as weather permits getting ground 
ready. In the South, February, March and early 
April. In the middle states, March and April. 
In the Northern states, April. Also, the first half 
of May in late seasons and in states far north. 
Why so Early? Experience has taught that 
strawberries live better and grow better if they 
can become established early in the spring while 
the soil is still cool and moist. Late set plants 
are more likely to run into hot, dry conditions 
which make good results unlikely if not impos- 
sible. Furthermore, investigations have shown 
that runner plants made early are much more 
fruitful than those made in late summer or fall, 
see page 13. Early spring planting, therefore, 
tends to promote a larger percentage of highly 
productive, early set runner plants. If ordering 
plants be sure to order early enough so that 
they can be at hand as soon as the ground is 
prepared. Results of experimental studies on 
the growth and development of strawberry 
plants near Washington, D. C, published in 
1930, showed high growth rates for plants during 
days where average daylight temperatures were 
from 68 to 75 degrees F., while lower or higher 
temperatures slowed up the rate of growth 
greatly. This checks with the experience of 
growers who know that strawberry plants often 
start out in spring and make a very rapid growth 
until the first hot days of midsummer. Then 
the growth is checked until the cooler days and 
nights of late summer and early fall. This in- 
dicates one more reason for early setting to give 
the plants full advantage of the favorable grow- 
ing temperatures of late spring and early sum- 
mer. 
Care of Plants 
Set plants on arrival if possible. It will help 
if roots of the plants can be dipped in water and 
allowed to "plump up" for some time before 
setting. If plants have become quite dry and 
withered in transit it will help to let them stay 
in the water for two or three hours, perhaps 
longer. When this is done, however, they should 
be set fairly soon after being taken from the 
water. At any rate have them thoroughly mois- 
tened and plump when planting. If anything 
prevents immediate planting and the weather is 
cool, the top of the crate should be taken off 
and the plants loosened in the crate, still keeping 
the roots covered with the packing material. 
Placed where it is cool, plants will keep like this 
for two or three days on early shipments. When 
plants are received late and lots of growth has 
been made, or where longer delays in setting are 
unavoidable, plants should be heeled in in some 
shaded or protected place. Dig a V-shaped 
trench, open the bundles, spread them out in 
thin layers with buds just even with the surface 
of the ground, then firm the soil back against 
the roots of the plants. If necessary . several 
layers of plants can be heeled in the same place 
with one or two inches of soil between each 
layer. Wet the soil and plants thoroughly when 
heeling is done. A covering of straw or other 
mulching material will protect these plants in 
case it gets quite cold before setting can be done. 
If cold storage facilities are available nearbv, 
plants received early can be kept for several 
weeks in excellent condition in case weather 
conditions have prevented immediate setting. It 
may be better to keep them this way and set 
them when ground can be put in good condition 
than to set them attSnce in land that has not 
been properly prepared. A small lot of two or 
three hundred plants could be kept in fine con- 
dition for many days in the family refrigerator 
or ice box if there is room. 
Clipping the Roots 
Some growers clip the roots of strawberry 
plants before setting. If not cut too short it 
does no harm. However, it is not necessary nor 
helpful if you can get the roots of the plants in 
the soil without being doubled up. It is better 
to clip the roots somewhat than to have them 
doubled up in the ground. Where a horse-drawn 
transplanter is used it is probably better to clip 
the roots anyway to expedite handling the plants 
unless they are very small. 
Distance to Plant 
We recommend setting plants in rows 3*2 to 4 
feet apart, or even as much as iV 2 feet if the soil 
is very fertile. The plants should be set 15 to 30 
inches apart in the row, depending on the va- 
riety, the condition of the soil, earliness of set- 
ting and the vigor of the plants used. If these 
things are all favorable, plants can be set safely 
at least two feet apart, but if set late in the sea- 
son when the plants have become weakened with 
new growth and blossoms, or if the soil is not in 
good condition they should be set as close as 15 
inches to 18 inches apart to insure a good stand. 
In small garden plots or where the hill system 
is used, distances can be varied to suit individual 
plots. 7,000 plants per acre is a safe number to 
calculate for larger plantings. 
Plants Required for Various Planting 
Distances 
Rows 
In the row 
Total per acre 
3 ft. 
apart 
18 inches 
9,680 plants 
3 ft. 
it 
24 
7,260 » 
3y 2 ft. 
it 
IS 
a 
8.297 " 
sy 2 ft. 
ft 
24 
a 
6,223 " 
4 ft. 
it 
IS 
tt 
7.260 « 
4 ft. 
it 
24 
a 
5.445 « 
3 ft. S in. 
(i 
20 
a 
7,12S " 
Too Shallow Just Right Too Deep 
8 
