4 C. S. Perdue's Strawberry Plant Farms 



Growing Strawberries 



CULTURAL INSTRUCTIONS, ETC. 



Any type of soil that will grow truck or garden 

 crops or land that will grow good crops of corn. 

 wheat, etc., will produce strawberries. It is desir- 

 able for best results to plant on land that is improved 

 with barnyard manure or on naturally good soil, 

 also by plowing down heavy foliage crops the fall 

 or summer before plants are set fills it with humus 

 which is very essential for successful strawberry 

 growing. The land should be well prepared before 

 plants are set and mark the rows about SV2 to 4 

 feet apart and plants set about 12 to 15 inches apart 

 in the rows; with all the roots set straight in the 

 ground and pack soil firmly around each plant. If 

 the roots are clipped off a little, especially the large 

 size plants, it will make setting better and easier. 



Early spring is the proper time to set strawberry 

 plants, as soon as weather conditions will permit 

 getting the ground ready. In the South, February, 

 March and early April; in the Middle States, March 

 and April; in the Northern States, April. There is 

 much that could be said about the culture of straw- 

 berries, but different locations and different types of 

 soil make it impossible to give any definite set of 

 rules, but they will respond quickly to good culti- 

 vation and good soil. Cultivation should begin soon 

 after plants are set in the spring and continued 

 frequently to insure good growth of the plants and 

 to keep the rows free of vegetation during the sum- 

 mer months. Some hand work with the use of a hoe 

 at intervals is also necessary during the entire grow- 

 ing season. 



Most all strawberries are grown by the matted row 

 system — that is to leave about all the runners on the 

 parent plant to take root and make a wide row or 

 fruiting bed, leaving enough room in the alley for 

 the convenience of the pickers. 



Manure and Fertilizer — Barnyard manure should 

 be broadcast on the land after it is plowed and 

 thoroughly worked in the soil as this method is very 

 essential to the growth of the plants. It is also 

 beneficial if used on the crop preceding strawberries. 

 If necessary to use a commercial frtilizer it should 

 be applied broadcast on the land and thoroughly 

 cultivated in the soil before the plants are set. It is 

 almost impossible to give the definite amount of 

 fertilizer, also analysis of same required per acre, 

 as that will depend on natural fertility of the land, 

 variety of plants set, etc., as varieties like Chesa- 

 peake and Big Joe will require more per acre than 

 some of the other varieties like Blakemore and Bell- 

 mar. 



If it is necessary to make application of commer- 

 cial fertilizers at any time after the plants are set 

 do not apply when plants are wet as it will injure 

 them. If applied when plants are dry it is better to 

 use a broom to brush fertilizer off the plants. Do 

 not set out the plants in rows where fertilizer has 



