26 



COMMONSENSE METHODS FOR GROWING 

 GOOD STRAWBERRY CROPS 



It is our aim always to make these cultural sug- 

 gestions helpful. Due to the great revival of interest 

 in garden crops, we believe many of our customers 

 this year will be men and women with little or no 

 experience in raising strawberries. Under such 

 conditions it should be most helpful to give direc- 

 tions which are very brief and very clear. This we 

 have tried to do. 



WHERE WILL STRAWBERRIES GROW? 



They will grow successfully in every state in the 

 country. 



WHEN DO THEY BEAR? Standard varieties 

 set in March, April or early May 1943 will bear 

 their best crop in May or June 1944. Everbearing 

 varieties set in early spring produce berries in late 

 summer and fall of the same year. 



WHAT KIKTD OF SOIL AND LOCATION ARE BEST ? 



Any soil that makes good yields of garden or Eeld crops will 

 produce strawberries in abundance, whetber tbat 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 

 rteeply sloping field rather than up and down to help prevent 

 erofion, 3. Following a hoed crop makes less weeds and grass 

 to contend with in the strawberries. 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 ail, 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. 



ROW 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 

 b«d. 



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 com, weeds, grass, 

 etc. All these rot quickly 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 e<jually good if 

 one of these applications 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 burning 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 

 ferthizerB will net prove beneficial if plenty of stable 

 manure of any kind has been applied. On some soils chemical 

 fertilixers will be very helpful. 600 pounds per acre of any 

 fertilizer containing 3 to 6"^ of organic nitrogen and 5 to 

 IC^c 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 am- 

 monis should not be used in these applications as they will 

 injure either roots or leaves if they come in direct contact. 

 Organic nitrogen materials like tankage, fish, dissolved bone, 

 cotton seed meal, dried blood, etc. are safe to use. Any form 

 of phosphorus is O. K. 



Whatever the soil preparation and earlier treatment it is 

 well to examine the plant beds in late August or early Septem- 

 ber. If the growth is satisfactory and the leaves have a rich 

 dark green appearance, no further fertilizer treatment is 

 necessary. If growth is not satisfactory at that time apply as a 

 top dressing directly on the plant beds about 600 pounds per 

 acre of 6-8-2 or any fertilizer mixture your dealer has contain- 

 ing 4 to 6<^c of nitrogen, 6 to lO^c of phosphorous and 2 to 5% 

 of pK3tash. Apply only when foliage is thoroughly dry and 

 brush loose material off the leaves at once. This is important. 



An application of 600 pounds per acre means about 1 

 pound for each 20 feet of row. 



WHAT ABOUT LIME? If other crops, weeds or grass 



have made a good growth on the land you have selected for 

 strawberries, it does not need lime. However, if you want to 

 get scientific and have your soil tested for acidity a pH range 

 of 5.7 to 6 is best, 5 to 7 is satisfactory. 



WHEN SHOULD PLANTS 

 BE SET? i 



EARLY! 



EARLYI 



EARLYI 



The most Imjporlant lizigle thing in 

 gxowiiig ftiawl^mes tuccMrfolly it to 

 set tha plants. EARLY. With no other 

 crop that you grow is Mily t^ing fc ALL 

 EMPORTAmr. 



la &m So«&om State* t&la moaas ftbruasj, Maxeh 

 aad early ApxiL la tbe Middle StMim, Marc^ ud 

 ApriL In the Northers ^ate« Apxa or Ibe fiz^ baU of 

 May la late sea*«u asd is stalaa far N«&. Xn all 

 •teio* it i&ea&s fuai as eazlT «• ^ we a th er pemiii 

 yoa to get &e grooad ready and tbe ^aats aet. 



A good sfaad aad growth ate easy il plaats are set 

 •mHjr ao tbey eaa beeme e «t«hU « he d while the Mil 

 is ^m cool aad boIsL With late s^tiag good lenlis 

 axe Tery naUkely aalecs soil aad moistaxe o^idttfoas 

 are eatizely iarorable. 



if 70U want a bumper crop 

 of berriet in 1944 Mt plants this SPRINGI Do 

 not delay until too latei Fall setting (even if 

 pknts live) will meem little or no crop until 

 &e Mason of 1945. 



