TOO SHALLOW HMJl^l 'WKh 



JUST rightI oo deep 



The mulch should be applied in the fall 

 after frost and light freezes ( 25 to 2o de- 

 grees F. ) have occurred hut 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 con- 

 sidered the best materials. Rye straw, pine 

 needles, coarse strawy manure and various 

 kinds of hay are satisfactory. In some sec- 

 tions sawdust has been used with good re- 

 sults. I se 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, especially just before fruiting 

 time. However, irrigation 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 be- 

 cause of a high water table. 



DO STRAWBERRIES NEED SPRAYING? 

 When good varieties are selected and clean 

 healthy plants are used, strawberries do not 

 need spraying as a rule. Red stele has be- 

 come serious in some areas. It is avoided 

 by using clean plants on uninfected soil. It 

 can be largely ignored on infected soil by 

 using resistant varieties like Temple, 

 Sparkle, Fairland. Vermilion and Stele- 

 master. 



Spraying to prevent rot in wet seasons 

 is only partly effective. However, when it is 

 necessary to dust for clipper we suggest 

 that Captan 406 at manufacturer's recom- 

 mended strength be included to help dis- 

 courage fruit rots. 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 mix- 

 ture. Consult your County Agent or follow 

 manufacturers' directions. 



10 to 15 lbs. actual chlorodane per acre 

 mixed and applied with fertilizer broadcast 

 will help control root aphis and grub 



worms. Chlorodane too concentrated may 

 cause injury. As side dressing use same 

 fertilizer mixture with less per acre. 



RENEWING OLD BEDS. Most commer- 

 cial 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. Balance of effort should 

 be by hand or some kind of drag to remove 

 excess plants in thick places and to train 

 new runners in any vacant places. For years 

 we have found this method simplest, easiest 

 and best. Mostly the second crop of berries 

 is borne by the same plants that produced 

 the first crop. 



WHAT'S NEW AND HELPFUL FOR 

 COMMERCIAL BERRY GROWERS? 



1. Unless your soil is very good, broad- 

 casting fertilizer 600-800 lbs. per acre of 

 a mixture about 5-9-2 we believe will help. 

 If possible have your fertilizer man put in 

 enough chlorodane compound to provide 

 10 lbs. actual chlorodane per acre from 

 your application. This should control plant 

 lice, ants, cut worms and grub worms. 



In one test in Kentucky W. W. Magill 

 reported 300^/ increase in yield, $1,000.00 

 per acre increase in profit from the use of 

 chlorodane broadcast before planting, 



2. If you have to dust to control clipper or 

 other insects just before picking season, 

 include Captan 406 with every application 

 to help reduce fruit rot which is sometimes 

 serious if season is wet. This is now stand- 

 ard practice with us. 



3. To help maintain virus freedom on our 

 virus free stocks we have dusted 12 times 

 with F/ parathion dust, 35 lbs. per acre, 

 at a total cost of $5,000.00 for our plant- 

 ings this year. If you intend to do much 

 resetting from your own plants at least 4 

 or 5 dustings would seem advisable. It 

 is the duty of responsible plant growers to 

 maintain virus free stocks for sale. As virus 

 is unlikely to rob berry plants of their 

 vigor suddenly it may be more economical 

 for the commercial grower to secure his 

 planting stock regularly from a reliable 

 grower than to continuously maintain a 

 virus protective dusting schedule. Certainly 

 we believe this to be true for the home 

 gardner and small commercial grower. 



27 



