will make them dry and withered by May 1st or 

 soon after. In setting- plants with a heavy top 

 growth, when roots are set at the proper depth 

 the long-, large stems and leaves make the plants 

 seem top-heavy and there is a tendency to set 

 the plant too deep. If the plants are to live the 

 buds must not be covered and the soil must be 

 pressed firmly about the roots. When the weather 

 is cool and soil conditions are good, such late-set 

 plants generally prove satisfactory. If soil con- 

 ditions are bad it is almost impossible to get a 

 good stand and grow^th. "We know of several ex- 

 periments by the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture and State workers where plants have been 

 dug in March w^hile they w^ere still dormant 

 and put in cold storage. They were held at 32 

 degrees F. and taken out at intervals for plant- 

 ing. In every case such storage plants have 

 proved better than freshly dug plants after 

 April 15th and far better after May 1st. Where 

 storage facilities are available we recommend 

 this practice for those who cannot usually set 

 plants by May 1st or earlier. 



Manure and Fertilizer 



Chemical fertilizers are not always needed. 

 Soils that are naturally fertile and have had 

 frequent applications of stable manure may not 

 need the addition of any chemical fertilizers. 

 A rank healthy growth of plants with vigorous, 

 dark green foliage is evidence that the fertilizer 

 is not needed. Barnyard manure supplying- 

 humus, nitrog-en and some mineral elements is 

 the best fertilizer for stra-wberries. It should 

 be applied broadcast and disced into the soil 

 before plants are set. On very heavy soils it 

 may be best to plow it under. Equally satis- 

 factory results are usually had if a heavy appli- 

 cation has been made to the previous crop. 



As a plant grower and starter we use about 

 700 lbs. per acre of a mixture composed of 1500 

 lbs. dissolved (acidulated) bone and 500 lbs. 

 Superphosphate. We have had very fine results 

 from this mixture put in the drill and thoroughly 

 mixed with the soil before plants were set. It 

 can safely be applied broadcast but it is not as 

 effective as putting it under the plants or using 

 it as a side dressing soon after plants have 

 started growth in the spring. Other organic 

 forms of nitrogen like tankage or cottonseed 

 meal, mixed with superphosphate, would be a 

 satisfactory substitute for the dissolved bone and 

 superphosphate. The formula should be fairly 

 high in both nitrogen and phosphorus. Salts of 

 nitrogen and potash should never be put on 

 where they come in contact ^vith the roots of 

 strawberry plants. These materials in complete 

 fertilizers have killed many plants in tlie past, 

 the dying out occurring througliout the summer 

 as the plants become gradually weakened. Wet 

 weather and thorougli mixing with the soil tend 

 to lessen the chances of injury. 



Fertilizers for fruiting beds are most effective 

 when applied in late summer or early fall. Dur- 

 ing the last of August we use about 600 lbs. per 

 acre of a mixture made up as follows: 200 lbs. 

 nitrate of soda, 200 lbs. sulphate of ammonia, 

 200 lbs. tankage, 200 lbs iish, 1100 lbs. dissolved 

 bone, 100 lbs. muriate or potash. It is most im- 

 portant that foliage be thoroughly dry when 

 applications are made and that any which lodges 

 on the leaves be brushed off promptly. Appli- 

 cations in late summer tend to aid in the de- 

 velopment of fruit buds, strong crowns and 

 large leaf area per plant. Spring applications 

 are not recommended except where land is very 

 poor or where the plant growth has been weak 

 the preceding fall. Where spring applications 

 are made they should be put on before growth 

 has started. It is sometimes best to make spring 

 applications on two year old beds where the 

 fruit buds formed may be plentiful but vigor not 

 up to standard. 



Any standard fertilizer mixture w^ith 3 to 8 % 

 nitrogen, 5 to 10% of phosphorus and 1 to 3 % 

 of potash would be satisfactory for late summer, 

 early fall or early spring application to fruiting 

 beds. However, let us repeat that it must be put 

 on when foliage is thoroughly dry and any loose 

 material on the leaves brushed o_fi: at once by the 

 most convenient method. 



Fertilizer elements. We believe that most 

 soils have sufficient potash for strawberries nat- 

 urally present in them or left over from fer- 

 tilizers applied to other crops. It is contended 

 in some places that good results have been ob- 

 tained by its use. Wj© have included 2% of 



potash in our summer application for insurance 

 only. We have never seen any direct benefit 

 from its use. A fairly high percentage of phos- 

 phorvis should be included in any fertilizer ap- 

 plication for strawberries. Tests generally have 

 shown a good response to its use. Nitrogen 

 is the most important fertilizer element for 

 strawberries. Contrary to popular opinion, the 

 proper amount of nitrogen does not make berries 

 softer except as it makes them larger. An 

 excess of nitrogen will make berries softer and 

 more subject to rot. The main reason for rec- 

 ommending late summer applications to fruiting 

 beds is that the nitrogen is used in stimulating 

 fruit bud formation and strong crown develop- 

 ment rather than a rank vegetative growth 

 which is more likely from spring applications. 

 For Everbearing strawberries, fertilizers 

 should be similar to those for standard varieties 

 except that three or four applications can be 

 made during the summer and fall to help in- 

 crease size and quantity of berries ripening dur- 

 ing that period. 



Soil Acidity and Lime 



strawberries grow best in a soil that is slightly 

 acid. Thev grow satisfactorily in soils running 

 from sliglitlv sweet to moderately acid. They 

 wall hardly grow at all in soils that are mod- 

 eratelv sweet or very acid. For those familiar 

 with idH tests for soil acidity we can say that 

 the optimum is from 5.7 to 6. The range of 

 satisfactorv growth is from 5 to 7 and they will 

 survive within a range of 4 to 8. Experiments 

 in Virginia and elsewhere demonstrate that 

 strawberries will thrive under more acid condi- 

 tions if there is a large content of organic mat- 

 ter. T\^here strawberries have been planted on 

 soils that are quite sweet Ammonium Sulphate 

 should be substituted for Nitrate of Soda in fer- 

 tilizer applications. If lime is to be used to 

 correct a verv acid condition w^e would prefer 

 to have it applied to the previous crop or at 

 least during the fail preceding spring setting. 



Even though strawberries are known as an 

 acid soil crop, yet some soils are so acid that an 

 application of lime will be of great help. On the 

 other hand, unless excessive amounts of lime 

 have been added, very few soils need be avoided 

 on account of their lime content. 



Cultiyation 

 TTnpnvpr the Ends ^^^ plants should be 



LJULU>t?r I lie JJUU» cultivated and hoed 

 soon after they have started growth after being 

 set out. It is very important at the first hoeing 

 to uncover the buds of any plants which may 

 have been planted too deep or have become cov- 

 ered after planting. If this is not done very early 

 manv of these plants will die. Most of them will 

 not recover in time to amount to anything even 

 though they might live all summer. On heavy 

 soils this is even more important and in some 

 cases is the biggest single factor in failing to 

 get a good stand of vigorous growling plants. 



Cultivate often enough to keep the surface of 

 the ground from becoming crusted and to keep 

 down the grass and weeds. It is not necessary 

 to practice deep cultivation. A depth of one to 

 one and one-half inches is deep enough for the 

 hoe, or perhaps slightly deeper with the horse 

 cultivator. Frequent cultivation should be given 

 even though weed and grass growth is not a 

 serious problem. It is important to remember 

 also that two cultivations made in time are much 

 more helpful and much less work than one made 

 after grass and weeds get bad. 



Frequent hoeing and cultivation make larger, 

 stronger fruiting beds and a better crop of 

 berries TVe have found this to be especially 

 true in getting a good bed of Chesapeake and 

 other varieties which normally do not make 

 many plants. 



Cutting the Blossoms 



Blossoms should be removed from newly set 

 plants as soon as they appear. To allow them 

 to set berries and mature them involves a drain 

 on the vitality of the plants. Removal of blos- 

 soms aids the' plants in overcoming unfavorable 

 conditions and in starting growth and runner 

 production quicker. This has much added im- 



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