EVERBEARING STRAWBERRIES 



23 



WHY GROW THEM ? 



As excuses — any of these should do 



As reasons — one or more should apply to you 



(T) Everbearing strawberries make a delightful and useful crop for the home garden. They have become 

 very popular in recent years. 



(2) You don't have to wait very long. No other fruit crop can touch Everbearing strawberries for quick 

 returns. Plants are set in March or April. Berries are ripening from August to November of the same year. 



(3) Strawberries provide one of the best of all sources of Vitamin C (which cannot be stored in the body). 

 Everbearing varieties make possible a continuing and pleasing source of this vitamin all through late 

 summer and fall. 



® Although they have been grown for many years, they still have a novelty appeal. Lots of people still get 

 a real kick out of having nice fresh strawberries from their own vines, so far out of the regular season. 



® They have a good record as a money crop. Growers who had fairly heavy yields of berries in small 

 garden plots found the surplus so easy to sell at good prices that they increased their plantings. Now 

 many fall berries are shipped profitably even to wholesale markets. 



® Some everbearing varieties make a very good regular spring crop. This gives the growers a second 

 chance. If the expected summer and fall crop does not come up to expectations (and fall crops are not 

 as sure as spring crops), there is a good spring crop coming along anyway. Mastodon and Green Mountain 

 are the best spring croppers among the Everbearers. 



HOW ARE THEY GROWN? 



Everbearing varieties are grown 

 just like other strawberries 



They have the same soil and moisture requirements, require the same cul- 

 tural methods and give the same response to extra care and attention. Inasmuch 

 as Everbearing varieties during the £irst few weeks mxist build up the strength 

 and vitality to produce fruit as well as to continue growth, it is especially import- 

 ant that they have the good care which all strawberries should have. 



Here are a few of the more important things to keep in mind. 



Set good strong plants on well prepared land and set them early. If the plants are not set early your 

 efforts are wasted as far as the fall crop is concerned. 



(D Cut off the spring blossoms as soon as they appear and remove the summer, blossom clusters at each 

 hoeing until about the middle of July. 



(3) Everbearers are often grown by the hill system, as it is thought the plants produce mo?e fruit if runners 

 are removed. Where this system is used plants may be set closer together. Plants 18 inches apart in rows 

 2 feet apart are not too close for hill culture. 



Everbearers give a greater response in fall fruit production to liberal applications of stable manure 

 broadcast before planting than to any one thing we can mention. 



All the Everbearers have cycles of fruiting. None of them bear every day from midsummer to freezing 

 weather. In Maryland, Gem and Gemzata stand the heat better and are by far the most productive in 

 August and early September. Mastodon and Wayzata are at their best a little later and Green Mountain 

 is the latest to reach its best production. Commercial growers therefore may want several varieties to 

 assure continous fruiting. 



Yields. Everbearing plants set early on good, moist soil should yield one pint or more per plant during 

 late summer and fall. Much better yields are often obtained. Yields as high as 2 quarts per plant have 

 been recorded. 



