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. 
Early spring planting, therefore, tends to promote a 
larger percentage of highly productive, early set run- 
ner 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 plants 
near Washington, D. C, published in 1930, snowed 
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 sum- 
mer 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. 
MT 
ill 
mmmwm- 
Too shallow 
Just right 
ft 
Too deep 
Care of Plants 
Set plants on arrival if possible. It will help if roots 
of the plants can be dipped in water and allowed to 
"plump 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 33^ to 4 feet 
apart, or even as much as 4K 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 
Rows 
ft. apart 
3 
3 ft. 
3H ft. 
3M ft. 
4 ft. 
4 ft. 
3 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 
Methods of Setting Plants 
Where commercial fertilizer is to be used under the 
plants, rows should be run out 3 or 4 inches deep with a 
one-horse plow, the fertilizer drilled into these rows 
and thoroughly worked in. Then the soil should be 
thrown back into these furrows and again leveled off. 
Where considerable acreages are planted, a horse- 
drawn transplanter such as is used for sweet potatoes, 
tomatoes, tobacco, etc., is often used. To do a good 
job this way, however, requires skill and experience, 
if the crowns of the plants are to be left at the proper 
level with the roots extending straight into the ground 
and not set on a slant, oftentimes near the surface of 
the ground. This method requires a driver, two- 
operators and another man to walk behind to fill in 
missing plants, reset those too high or too low and to 
firm the soil around the plants. A spade, trowel or 
dibble are the tools most often used in setting plants. 
Where one of these is used, they are set down the pre- 
pared row with the roots of the plants spread out as 
much as possible and the bud of the plant just at the 
surface of the ground. It is also important to press 
the ground firmly against the roots and to see that dirt 
is filled in near the crown of the plant so that the top 
of the roots will not be left exposed. (See sketch for 
proper depth of planting.) Where the fertilizer is not 
put under the plants, the rows can merely be laid off 
with a marker and the plants set by any of the methods 
suggested down the marked row instead of down the 
fertilized row. 
25 
