26 
COMMONSENSE METHODS FOR GROWING 
GOOD STRAWBERRY CROPS 
Strawberries are grown successfully in 
every State in the Country. They are rela- 
tively easy to grow. Beginners can pro- 
duce fine crops by following common 
sense methods. 
WHEN DO THEY BEAR? Standard varieties set 
in March, April or early May 1945 will bear their 
best crop in May or June 1946. Everbearing varieties 
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 abundance, 
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- -Follow a hoed crop to make 
less weeds and grass to contend with in the straw- 
berries. 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 growth 
of green crops such as peas, beans, clover, sowed 
corn, weeds, grass, etc. All these rot guickly 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 appli- 
cations 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 burn- 
ing 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 
WHEN SHOULD PLANTS 
BE SET? 
EARLY.' EARLY! EARLY! 
The most important single thing in 
growing 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 and 
in states far North. In all states it 
means 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 be- 
come established while the soil is 
still cool and moist. With late set- 
ting good results are very unlikely 
unless soil and moisture conditions 
are entirely favorable. 
