CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 



STRAWBERRIES are grown successfully in every state. They are easy to grow and even 

 beginners can be proud to share their berries with their friends. In addition to growing straw- 

 berries for the wholesale fruit market, processing industry and home gardens production for 

 the retail farm market, and "Pick-Your-Own" type of sales has become very popular and 

 profitable. It is not uncommon for producers near metropolitan areas to net $1,500 per acre 

 from "Pick-Your-Own" strawberries. 



BEARING: Standard varieties set in the Spring of 1974 will bear their best crop in May 

 or June of 1975. If the plants are well cared for; grown on a good, well-drained loam soil 

 and plant spacing kept to about 6 inches per plant, they will produce good crops of fruit 

 for 2 or 3 additional years. Everbearing varieties set in the spring produce berries in late 

 summer and fall of that year. 



SOIL, LOCATION AND PREPLANT SOIL 

 AMENDMENTS: Any soil will produce a 

 fair crop of strawberries provided certain 

 practices are observed and the site is not 

 completely shaded by surrounding trees. 



1) Well-drained loams, clay loams, and sandy 

 loams, however, are the best. 



2) If the site is located on' a hillside or 

 rolling land, the rows should run across the 

 slope. Rolling land provides better air drain- 

 age and, therefore, less frost problems and 

 also better water drainage. 



3) If a well-drained site is not available, the 

 home gardener can build a pyramid or barrel 

 planter (write for instructions). 



4) If frost is a problem, strawberries can be 

 covered on frosty nights with newspaper or 

 plastic. 



5) Sites that have such perennial weeds as 

 Johnson grass, quack grass, nut grass, Ber- 

 muda grass or wire grass should be avoided. 

 Chemical herbicides can be used to eradicate 

 these pests but this should be done at least 

 two years prior to planting strawberries. Con- 

 sult your County Extension Agent for ma- 

 terials and rates. 



6) Strawberries grow very well following blue- 

 grass sod; however, grubs are a serious prob- 

 lem. If pesticides are not used to control the 

 grubs, a cultivated crop should be grown for 

 one year after plowing up the sod and before 

 planting the strawberries. 



7) If possible, change planting sites every few 

 years as disease and insects build up in the 

 soil, when growing the same crop for several 

 years. Sunrise, Surecrop, Redchief, Guardian 

 or Catskill should be planted if tomatoes, 

 peppers, egg plants or Irish potatoes have been 

 grown on the site the previous year. 



8) Stable manure or a cover crop grown the 

 year before planting strawberries will improve 

 strawberry production. 



9) Soil tests are beneficial and should be 

 taken the year before planting strawberries if 

 possible. If the tests indicate that lime and 

 phosphorous are needed, it should be plowed 

 under prior to planting strawberries. If the 



soil pH is not 6.0 or above and phosphorous 

 medium, you should consult your University 

 or County Extension Agent for recommenda- 

 tions. 



LAND PREPARATION: In late winter or 

 very early spring, the land should be plowed, 

 or in the case of garden plots, spaded to a 

 depth of 6 to 8 inches. It should be worked 

 into a smooth, friable condition immediately 

 prior to planting. The following suggestions 

 are not requirements, but they will improve 

 the size of your strawberry crop, as well as, 

 the quality of the fruit. 



1) Sow a green manure crop of peas, soy- 

 beans, sowed corn, sudan grass etc. the sum- 

 mer before planting the strawberries. In the 

 fall, disk the green manure crop prior to 

 plowing it under. This blends the organic 

 matter into the soil and avoids problems 

 created by a dense vegetation layer at the 

 bottom of the plow furrow. 



2) If soil erosion is a problem, a winter cover 

 crop of rye or winter oats should be planted 

 in early September. This should be disked 

 and p^wed as described above, in early spring 

 (February, March, April — Depending on geo- 

 graphic location). 



3) If horse, cow, sheep, poultry or hog 

 manure is available, it can be used as a re- 

 placement for the green manure crop. Rates 

 of 5 to 20 tons per acre can be applied with 

 hog, sheep and poultry manure being applied 

 at the lower rate and horse and cow manure 

 at the higher rate. Stable manure should be 

 applied in the fall prior to planting the straw- 

 berries and disked and plowed in the same 

 manner as that described for green manure. 

 A good guide for garden plots is to apply 

 2 bushels of manure for every 100 square 

 feet. 



PLANTING DISTANCES: This is determined 

 by variety, type of cultivating equipment avail- 

 able and cultural system used. (i.e. matted 

 row or hill system). Varieties such as Sure- 

 crop, Blakemore and Robinson which are 



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