Cultural Suggestions 



Selectinfir and Preparing: the Land. No one should hesitate to set strawberry plants on account of cli- 

 mate or soil. They are grown successfully in semi-tropical Florida and as far north as Canada and Alaska. 



They are grown successfully on light sandy types of soil and on heavy clay soil, altho, like most other 

 crops, they respond very quickly to fertile, well drained soils that are full of humus and retentive of moisture. 



If your neighbors or others in your locality can grow strawberries, you can, too. But even if no one 

 in your section does grow them, that ia no reason why you should not attempt it. It may even be an added 

 reason why you should, because it might leave a better market for your crop or surplus over what you need 

 for home use. 



In aelectingr a soil, keep in mind that any gaod garden soil will prednee strawberries successfully. If 

 planting a larger acreage, it is well to select a field that has been planted to some hoed crop such as potatoes, 

 beans, cabbage, where the growth of grass and weeds has been kept down and not allowed to go to seed. 



It is also well to remember that one of the most essential requirements for strawberries at fruiting 

 time is plenty of moisture. Any soil that has had good crops of cow peas, clover, rye, or any other cover crop 

 turned under will be full of humus and therefore more retentive of moisture, as well as looser and more 

 easily worked in the case of heavier soils. 



Sod land should be avoided if possible as the white grubs winter over in such land and eat off the 

 young plants soon after they are set the following spring. If you have no other land available, plow the land 

 in the fall, harrowing it during the winter and early spring as often as you can, and many of the grubs 

 will be killed out. 



The land selected should be plowed in early spring. If the field has been selected the preceding fall 

 and rye planted, a heavy sod of rye plowed under in early spring will help, altho, of course, it is not neces- 

 sary. After the ground is plowed in the spring it should be harrowed thoroughly. If stable manure is to be 

 used (see manure and fertilizer below) we like it best spread broadcast on the land just after it is plowed. Then 

 the land, either with or without the manure, should be disced thoroughly, and, if necessary, dragged to level 

 it up so that a nice, soft, even planting bed is available. 



Our ideal one year's preparation for a given piece of land for strawberries would be to broadcast the 

 land as heavily as possible for the preceding crop. In this section, that crop would be sweet potatoes, be- 

 cause they are usually kept free of weeds and grass, and when dug there is a very helpful quantity of leaves 

 and vines left in the ground. If dug early, there is also opportunity to plant rye and have a good sod to turn 

 under in spring. The special point we want to make here is that the residual effect of stable manure (especial- 

 ly if quite coarse) applied to previous crop has given us just as good (perhaps better) results as when applied 

 same year plants are set. 



Another point. If you want to plant strawberries and have no field following a hoed crop available, 

 plow down grass and weeds before they go to seed and while they are still green. Green weeds and grass plow- 

 ed under are valuable in adding humus and retaining moisture but dried out growth is of little benefit. If this 

 kind of land is used, though, watch the hoeing closely the following summer. 



Setting the 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 often- 

 times near the surface of ground. A spade, trowel or dibble are the tools most often used in setting the 

 plants. Where one of these is used, they are set down the prepared 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 enough dirt is filled in near the crown of the plant so that 

 the top of the roots will not be left exposed. Where the fertilizer is not put under the plants, the rows can mere- 

 ly 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. 



Clipping the roots is not necessary nor helpful if you can get the roots of the plants in the soil with- 

 out being doubled up. It is better, however, 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 any way to expedite 

 handling the plants, unless they are very small. 



TIME TO SET PLANTS 



Early Spring is the logical, natural, most successful and satisfactory 

 time to set Strawberry plants. So don't neglect setting some plants this Spring 

 thinking you can make it up by early Fall planting. It can't be done. 



How early. Just as soon as weather permits getting ground ready. In the South, February and March 

 and early April. In the Middle States, March and April. In the Northern States, April. 



Be sure to order early enough so that plants can be right at hand as soon as your ground is ready. 

 Early setting pays big — the plants start quicker, grow better and make better beds than plants set late. 



When a plant grower in the latitude of New York or Massachusetts can dig plants, berry growers in 

 those sections should be setting their plants. This is a big advantage we can give growers in those latitudes. 

 We can dig and ship plants earlier and have them right at hand for early planting, 



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