Common Sense Methods Enable Even the 



Beginner to Grow Strawberries 



Successfully 



Soil and Climate 



No one should hesitate to set strawberry plants 

 on account of climate or soil. They are grown 

 successfully in semi-tropical Florida and as far 

 north as Canada and Alaska. 



They are grown successfully on light sandy 

 types of soil and on heavy clay soil, although, 

 like most other crops, they respond very quickly 

 to fertile, well-drained soils that are full of 

 humus and retentive of moisture. 



If your neighbors or others in your locality 

 can grow strawberries, you can, too. But even if 

 no one in your section does grow them, that is no 

 reason why you should not attempt it. It may 

 even be an added reason why you should, because 

 it might leave a better market for your crop or 

 surplus over what you need for home use. 



Selecting and Preparing Land 



In selecting a soil, keep well in mind that any 

 good garden soil will produce strawberries suc- 

 cessfully. If planting a larger acreage, it is well 

 to select a field that has been planted to some 

 hoed crop such as potatoes, beans, cabbage, where 

 the growth of grass and weeds has been kept 

 down and not allowed to go to seed. 



It is also well to remember that one cf the 

 most essential requirements for strawberries at 

 fruiting time is plenty of moisture. Any soil 

 that has had good crops of cow peas, clover, rye. 

 or any other cover crop turned under will be full 

 of humus, and, therefore, more retentive of mois- 

 ture, as well as looser and more easily worked 

 in the case of heavier soils. 



Sod land should be avoided if possible, as the 

 white grubs winter over in such land and cut off 

 the young plants soon after they are set the fol- 

 lowing spring. If you have no other land avail- 

 able, plow the land in the fall, harrowing it dur- 

 ing the winter and early spring as often as you 

 can, and many of the grubs will be killed out. 



The land selected should be plowed in early 

 spring. If the field has been selected the preced- 

 ing fall and rye planted, a heavy sod of rye 

 plowed under in early spring will help, altho, of 

 course, it is not necessary. After the ground is 

 plowed in the spring it should be harrowed 

 thoroughly. If stable manure is to be used (see 

 manure and fertilizer, page 10) we like it best 

 spread broadcast on the land just after it is 

 plowed. Then the land, either with or without 

 the manure, should be disced thoroughly, and, if 



necessary, dragged to level it up so that a nice, 

 soft, even planting bed is available. 



Our ideal one year's preparation for a given 

 piece of land for strawberries would be to broad- 

 cast the land with stable manure as heavily as 

 possible for the preceding crop. In this section, 

 that crop would be sweet potatoes, especially on 

 lighter soils, because they are usually kept free 

 of weeds and grass, and when dug there is a 

 very helpful quantity of leaves and vines left 

 in the ground. If dug early, there is also oppor- 

 tunity to plant rye and have a good sod to turn 

 under in spring. The special point we want to 

 make here is that the residual effect of stable 

 manure (especially if quite coarse) applied to 

 previous crop has given us just as good (perhaps 

 better) results as when applied same year plants 

 are set. 



Green Manures 



The soil for strawberries can be improved 

 very greatly by the use of green manure crops. 

 Clovers, beans, peas or other leguminous crops 

 are fine. Oats, wheat, rye, millet and other 

 vigorous non-legume crops are also very bene- 

 ficial. Perhaps in some cases even better than 

 the legumes because of the fact that they produce 

 a great volume of humus (organic matter). If 

 you want to plant strawberries and have no field 

 following a hoed crop or one that has been pre- 

 pared by plowing under green-manure crops 

 remember that weeds and grass are valuable in 

 adding humus and retaining moisture if plowed 

 under before they go to seed and while they are 

 still green. Dried-out weed growth is of little 

 benefit. Watch the hoeing closely the following 

 summer if this kind of land is used. 



Clipping the Roots 



Clipping the roots is not necessary nor helpful 

 if you can get the roots of the plants in the soil 

 without being doubled up. It is better, however, 

 to clip the roots somewhat than to have them 

 doubled up in the ground. Where a horse-drawn 

 transplanter is used, it is probably better to clip 

 the roots any way to expedite handling the 

 plants, unless they are very small. 



Time to Set Plants 



EARLY SPRING IS THE LOGICAL, NAT- 

 URAL, AND MOST SUCCESSFUL TIME TO 

 SET STRAWBERRY PLANTS. SO DON'T 

 NEGLECT SETTING PLANTS SOME TIME 

 THIS SPRING THINKING YOU CAN MAKE IT 

 UP BY EARLY FALL PLANTING. IT CAN'T 

 BE DONE. 



