How To Grow Strawberries 
SOIL AND LOCATION 
The strawberry will thrive in a great variety of soils and locations. Almost 
any land that will produce good crops of corn or general farm crops will produce 
strawberries, providing the soil is not water-logged for any portion of the year. 
In some cases strawberries do surprisingly well on light, sandy land, providing 
fertilizers are used. Gravelly soils, especially if they contain some clay or loam, 
are often good. Again this fruit is sometimes produced abundantly in some- 
what heavy clay loams. Thriving as it does in almost all kinds of soils that 
are not wet and cold, it is impossible to recommend any one kind of soil that 
will give the best results. 
While the strawberry will thrive at least fairly well on almost any good 
farm land, still for commercial success with it the soil should fulfill certain 
requisites without which large profits in a commercial way cannot be realized. 
First, the soil should be capable of supplying the plants with large quantities 
of wateratalltimes. Second, good drainage should be provided, either naturally 
or artificially. The presence of an abundance of water for the use of the plant 
is not at all necessary with good drainage. Soils which are naturally well 
drained are usua!'ly found to be drought resistant, so that they supply the plants 
with moisture in a dry time. A soil which bakes or becomes hard in a dry time 
is not suitable. It is important that the soil be mellow and easily worked. It 
should dry out quick enough on the surface, so cultivation may be resumed 
soon after a rain, as cultivation of a plant is one of the primary requisites. 
Strawberries usually do best on comparatively new land. Land from which 
forest trees have recently been cut, so that it contains the decaying leaf mould, 
and the spongy condition incident to newly cleared forest, is usually suitable 
to strawberry growing. Such land, however, should have the sprouts well 
subdued and should be workable to facilitate cultivation of the plants. 
PREPARATION OF THE LAND 
The land should be well plowed, either in spring or fall. If it is light, 
mellow and well drained it is best to plow it in spring for spring set plants, as 
weeds may then start less quickly. If the soil is heavy or cloddy it is usually 
best to plow in the fallin order to allow the frost to mellow and settle the soil. 
The plowing should at least be done when the soil is in the best condition for 
plowing; that is, when it is neither too wet nor too dry, but when it turns up 
mellow and in workable condition. Ground which is rendered lumpy or ‘harsh 
by plowing when it is not in good condition may be spoiled for strawberries 
more easily than for most othercrops. The plowing should be thoroughly done. 
It should be as deep as the kind of soil requires and it should be turned in such 
manner as to cut the entire furrow. Cutting and covering does not pay in 
plowing for strawberries. 
