Irrigation 



Various forms of irrigation are used by 

 growers in different sections. Overhead irriga- 

 tion is used successfully in many places. In 

 addition to supplying moisture, proper handling 

 of this method may enable a grower to ward off 

 light frosts by keeping a fine mist in the air on 

 frosty nights. The big advantage, however, is 

 in providing adequate moisture. The main dis- 

 advantage is that it wets the foliage and plants 

 causing them to be more likely to rot than if 

 kept dry. 



Surface irrigation is used mostly in the west 

 where water supplies are available for this pur- 

 pose. Canvas Hose Irrigation is a new and 

 promising method of irrigating small plots of 

 garden crops as well as larger areas of straw- 

 berries. It has several advantages over over- 

 head irrigation, chief of which are that water 

 can be supplied at somewhat less expense, the 

 foliage and fruit of plants are not wet and the 

 method is flexible enough to adapt itself to any 

 type of water supply. We have not used this 

 method extensively ourselves but can give some 

 information about it and supply the name of 

 manufacturers to those who are interested. 



In conclusion we want to point out that while 

 irrigation is helpful it is not necessary for good 



results. Most of the good berry crops in this 

 country are produced on good strawberry land 

 that has been well filled with organic matter 

 by the addition of stable manure or growing- 

 green manure crops. 



Perfect and Imperfect Varieties 



Perfect flowering varieties planted alone will 

 mature a crop of perfect fruit. Imperfect flower- 

 ing varieties should have perfect varieties 

 planted with them, at least one row for every 

 five or six. "When two varieties are used in equal 

 amounts, they are often alternated three or four 

 rows of each. Alternating plots of different 

 varieties made necessary by one of them being 

 imperfect are a nuisance to the grower at har- 

 vest time. In our price list perfect flowering 

 varieties are followed by "per" and imperfect 

 varieties by "imp." 



Spraying 



Spraying is not usually necessary in growing 

 strawberries successfully. Care in purchasing 

 healthy plants, and in selecting varieties im- 

 mune or resistant to disease and insects is much 

 more important. 



Making Everbearers Do Their Best 



For best results Everbearing strawberries, 

 which must make their plant growth as well as 

 bear their first crop within a few weeks after 

 setting, need some extra care. 



1. Good strong plants should be used and set 

 early in order to insure a good start. 



2. Blossoms should be cut off until about July 

 15th to 20th. As it takes about one month from 

 blossoms to berries, picking would start about 

 August 20th. Cutting all blossoms until August 

 15th would probably increase the average size 

 of berries produced but would decrease total 

 yield. 



3. The hill system is best. Lack of total pro- 

 duction in the fall has been the chief criticism 

 of Everbearers. Careful experiments show that 

 removal of runners not only builds up stronger 

 individual plants but increases blossoms and 

 fruit production. This checks with years of ob- 

 servation that Everbearing plants in matted 

 rows which have made few runners or none al- 

 ways have the most berries. However, good re- 

 sults are often obtained from matted rows unless 

 they have been allowed to get very thick and 

 crowded. 



4. The second fall crop will be far better if 

 the plants are not allowed to produce the regular 

 spring crop. Blossom cutting which would be 

 necessary is far easier if plants are grown by 

 the hill system or in very thin narrow rows. 

 This practice may not be profitable, however, so 

 try it in a small way until you know. 



5. Mulching. Experiments indicate that sum- 

 mer mulching increases total yield little or none. 

 However, by helping keep down weeds it reduces 

 labor and by keeping berries clean and bright 

 it increases the value of the fall crop. 



6. Fertilizer. Everbearing varieties which are 

 expected to do so much so quickly need heavier 

 fertilizing than regular kinds. A heavy applica- 

 tion of barnyard manure before setting would 

 be fine. Fertilizer as recommended on page 12 

 should be used at planting time with a later ap- 

 plication in July or early August. At this time 

 use the 9-5-0, which contains no potash. Apply 

 fertilizer when plants are thoroughly dry and 

 get it off the leaves. 



7. Ample moisture increases size and yield of 



Everbearing strawberries. It also increases the 

 efficiency of fertilizer applied. It is important, 

 therefore, to select land naturally springy or 

 well filled with organic matter. Many good 

 crops are produced without irrigation, but one 

 of the largest and most successful growers of 

 Everbearers says : "I do not really think there 

 would ever be a season with enough moisture 

 but that irrigation would almost double the 

 yield of berries and give a much better quality." 

 Any method of getting the water applied would 

 be satisfactory. 



8. Planting distances. Everbearers are grown 

 in wide or narrow matted rows, in hill or hedge 

 rows, or by the hill system. With matted rows, 

 plants are set about 18 inches apart in rows 3Mj 

 feet apart. In the hill or hedge rows plants are 

 set somewhat further apart and the rows about 

 3 feet apart. Runners are trailed clown the rows 

 to fill in the hill rows or somewhat thicker hedge 

 rows. In the hill system rows should be about 

 2V2 feet apart with plants 12 to 15 inches apart 

 in the row. Any system is satisfactory where 

 plants are kept well spaced, although we rec- 

 ommend not more than five or six new runners 

 from each plant set. Probably the hill system, 

 with all runners removed, although requiring 

 more plants, will give the greatest total yield 

 per acre for the fall crop. 



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