some extra feeding. Large flocks in one field often 
trample plants badly. Watch out for dogs. 
” 
IS MULCHING NECESSARY? Mulching is neces- 
sary for winter protection in all the northern states 
and would be helpful in many fields as far south 
as Virginia and Kentucky. In addition to giving 
protection from cold, mulching helps to keep down 
weeds and grass, to conserve soil moisture and to 
keep the fruit bright and clean. 
The mulch should be applied in the fall after 
frost and light freezes (25 to 28 degrees F.) have 
occurred but before hard freezing (20 degrees F. 
or lower). It should be removed, (at least partly) 
soon after growth starts in the spring. 
Wheat straw and marsh grass are considered the 
best materials. Rye straw, pine needles, coarse 
strawy manure and various kinds of hay are satis- 
factory. In some sections sawdust has been used 
with good results. Use whatever you have or can 
buy at a reasonable price. 
WILL IRRIGATION PAY? If you have irrigation 
it will certainly pay to use it for strawberries, es- 
pecially just before fruiting time. However, irriga- 
tion is not necessary. Most of the fine berry crops 
in this country are produced on good strawberry 
soil that holds moisture well because stable manure ~ 
and green crops have been added or because of a 
high water table. 
‘Evidence piles up that irrigation during the 
danger hours will save a strawberry crop from 
_ severe frost and freeze damage with temperatures 
as low as 20° F. 
DO STRAWBERRIES NEED SPRAYING? When 
good varieties are selected and clean healthy 
plants are used, strawberries do not need spraying 
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as a rule. Red stele has become serious in some 
areas. It is avoided by using clean plants on un- 
infected soil. Red stele can be largely ignored on 
‘infected soil by using resistant varieties. Stele- 
master and Surecrop have triple red stele resistance. 
Sparkle, Temple, Fairland, Redglow and Vermilion 
have high resistance to the most common form of 
Ted stele. If you use these kinds red stele need not 
make much of a dent in your berry profits. 
Captan sprays or dusts are proving helpful in 
reducing fruit rot which can be serious any year, 
especially bad in wet seasons. Captan can be 
mixed with applications to control Clipper. Captan 
dusts are now a standard practice with us. Hill 
system or well spaced plants help to prevent berry 
rot. The Clipper, sometimes present near wooded 
areas, can be controlled by two applications (25 to 
35 lbs. each) of proper dust mixture. Consult your 
County Agent or follow manufacturers’ directions. 
Some results in 1957 indicate that under certain 
conditions early Captan sprays fully protected berry 
beds from the worst known infestation of leaf spot 
and leaf scorch which practically destroyed the 
berry crops on other fields in the area. 
RENEWING OLD BEDS. Most commercial growers 
pick one crop of strawberries and then destroy the 
planting. Generally this is justified. However, 
when plantings are on good soil, free from weeds 
with little insect or disease damage, a second 
crop may be had economically. To renew beds, 
don't plow away the old bed. Cultivate middles, 
remove weeds and grasses and possibly fertilize. 
On thickly set beds remove some of the excess 
plants. Don’t be afraid of hurting the beds. We 
have used a heavily weighted (100 lbs.) drag very 
effectively. Train new runners to any vacant places. 
Mostly the second crop of berries is bourne on the 
same plants that produced the first crop. 
HELPFUL HINTS 
Some New—Some Old 
1. To control spittle bugs and tarnish plant bugs 
which cause malformed berries (nubbins) spray 
thoroughly one time with 50% D.D.T. 2 lbs. per 100 
gallons of water as late as possible before plants 
bloom in spring. 
2. How much virus free plants outyield ordinary 
stock depends on the vigor of the non-virus free 
plants. At the Ohio Station 68% average increase 
was obtained on virus free Catskill, Sparkle and 
Premier. In New Hampshire 83% increase on the 
same three varieties. In Massachusetts 35% on 
four leading varieties, and in Nova Scotia on four 
varieties 310% increaser the amazing increase 
probably due greatly to lack of plant growth of the 
ofdinary stock. 
3. A new spray MH-3 has been used to reduce 
runner formation and prevent crowded rows. In the 
test a well-spaced row of plants resulted. We doubt 
if this is ready yet for commercial use. 
4. When sawdust is used as a mulch, the soil will 
need extra nitrogen. Seven or eight pounds of am- 
monium sulphate per 100 lbs. of sawdust has been 
suggested. The Colorado Station states ‘Sawdust 
is a good mulch, conserving moisture, supressing 
weeds and improving heavy soil with no significant 
effect on the pH of the soil.” 
5. Chlorodane will pay. About 10 lbs. per acre of 
actual chlorodane broadcast with fertilizer (25 lbs. 
40% material). Many of the things necessary for 
growing top notch planting stock (page 3) a berry 
grower cannot afford to do—the use of chlorodane 
is one of the things he can and should do. It's 
fairly cheap—it's very good. 
6. There are indications that sprayed applications 
of growth regulating materials will increase the 
size of berries and total yield. We doubt if these 
are yet ready for general use. 
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