4 C. S. Perdue's Strawberry Plant Farms 



after plants are set in the spring and continued 

 frequently to insure good growth of the plants and 

 to keep the rows free of vegetation during the sum- 

 mer months. Some hand work with the use of a hoe 

 at intervals is also necessary during the entire grow- 

 ing season. 



Most all strawberries are grown by the matted row 

 system — ^that is to leave about all the runners on the 

 parent plant to take root and make a wide row or 

 fruiting bed, leaving enough room in the alley for 

 the convenience of the pickers. 



Manure and Fertilizer — Barnyard manure should 

 be broadcast on the land after it is plowed and 

 thoroughly worked in the soil as this method is very 

 essential to the growth of the plants. It is also 

 beneficial if used on the crop preceding strawberries. 

 If necessary to use a commercial fertilizer it should 

 be applied broadcast on the land and thoroughly 

 cultivated in the soil before the plants are set. It is 

 almost impossible to give the definite aFnount of 

 fertilizer, also analysis of same required per acre, 

 as that will depend on natural fertility of the land, 

 variety of plants set, etc., as varieties like Chesa- 

 peake and Big Joe will require more per acre than 

 some of the other varieties like Blakemore and Bell- 

 mar. 



If it is necessary to make application of commer- 

 cial fertilizers at any time after the plants are set 

 do not apply when plants are wet as it will injure 

 them. If applied when plants are dry it is better to 

 use a broom to brush fertilizer off the plants. Do 

 not set out the plants in rows where fertilizer has 

 been applied in the rows unless applied a few weeks 

 in advance, as it will cause the plants to perish and 

 die. 



Application of fertilizers for top dressing the 

 bearing beds in the spring should be done before any 

 new growth starts and the foliage should be thor- 

 oughly dry. Any material remaining on the leaves 

 should be brushed off to prevent burning. The a- 

 mount required per acre will depend somewhat on the 

 variety and the natural fertility of the soil, as it is 

 almost impossible for anyone not familiar with all 

 the conditions to determine the proper amount re- 

 quired as a topdressing in the spring. 



C. S. Perdue. 

 Soil Preparation 



To grow the superior type of strawberry plants 

 that you purchase from Perdue we have found cow- 

 pea vines to be the most satisfactory for soil pre- 

 paration. 



Member of the: 



American Association of Nurserymen 



and 



Pel-Mar-Va Peninsula Nurseryman's Associatipn 



