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 straw- 
berries 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 un- 
likely if not impossible. 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 
Dlants 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 indicates one more 
reason for early setting to give the plants full advantage 
of the favorable growing temperatures of late spring 
and early summer. 
Too shallow 
Just right 
Care of Plants 
Too deep 
Set plants on arrival if possible. It will help if roots 
of the plants can be dipped in water and allowed to 
"pump 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 moistened 
and plump when planting. If anything prevents im- 
mediate 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 un- 
avoidable, 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 nearby, plants 
received early can be kept for several weeks in excell- 
ent 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 at once in land that has not 
been properly prepared. A small lot of two or three 
hundred plants could be kept in fine condition 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 3H to 4 feet 
apart, or even as much as 4^ feet if the soil is very 
fertile. The plants should be set 15 to 30 inches apart 
in the row, depending on the variety, the condition of 
the soil, earliness of setting and the vigor of the plants 
used. If these things are all favorable, free growing 
varieties can be set safely at least two feet apart, but 
if set late in the season 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 
3 
3^ 
4 
4 
3 ft 
Rows 
ft. apart 
ft. 
ft. 
ft. 
ft. 
ft. 
8 in. 
In the row 
18 inches 
24 
18 
24 
18 
24 
20 
Total per acre 
9,680 plants 
7,260 
8,297 
6,223 
7,260 
5,445 
7,128 " 
Heeling in Plants 
9 
