26 



COMMONSENSE METHODS FOR GROWING 

 GOOD STRAWBERRY CROPS 



Strawberries are grown successfully in 

 every State in the Country. They are rela- 

 tively easy to grow. Beginners can pro- 

 duce fine crops by following common 

 sense methods. 



WHEN DO THEY BEAR? Standard varieties set 

 in March, April or early May 1945 will bear their 

 best crop in May or June 1946. Everbearing varieties 

 set in early spring produce berries in late summer 

 and fall of the seime year. Fall setting is not a good 

 practice in most cases. 



WHAT KIND OF SOIL AND LOCATION ARE BEST? 



Any soil that makes good yields of garden or field 

 crops will produce strawberries in abundance, 

 whether that 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 

 steeply sloping field rather than up and down to 

 help prevent erosion. 3 — Follow a hoed crop to make 

 less weeds and grass to contend with in the straw- 

 berries. 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 all, select land that holds moisture well 

 because (a) it is naturally springy (b) it has a high 

 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. 



HOW 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 bed. 



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 

 corn, 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 io 20 tons per acre. This 

 is the best of all preparation for a fine crop of berries. 



Results are almost equally good if one of these appli- 

 cations 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 burn- 

 ing 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. 



SHOUIiD CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS BE USED? On 

 very fertile garden soils none is needed. On most 

 good soils fertilizers will not prove beneficial if plenty 

 of stable manure of any kind has been applied. On 

 some soils chemical fertilizers will be very helpful. 

 600 pounds per acre of any fertilizer containing 3 to 

 6% of organic nitrogen and 5 to 10% 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 ammonia should not be used in these 



WHEN SHOULD PLANTS 

 BE SET? 



EARLY! EARLY! EARLY! 



The most important single thing in 

 growing strawberries successfully is 

 to set the plants EARLY. With no 

 other crop that you grow is early 

 spring setting so ALL IMPORTANT. 



In the Southern States this means 

 February, March and early April. In 

 the Middle States. March and April 

 In the Northern States April or the 

 first half of May in late seasons and 

 in states far North. In all states it 

 means just as early as the weather 

 permits you to get the ground ready 

 and the plants set. 



A good stand and growth are easy 

 if plants are set early so they can be- 

 come established while the soil is 

 still cool and moist. With late set- 

 ting good results are very unlikely 

 unless soil and moisture conditions 

 are entirely favorable. 



