TRUE-TO-NAME STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
9 
Setting the Plants 
Just before planting, the ground should be har¬ 
rowed and made as level as possible. Then mark 
out the rows and you are ready to plant. The 
planting is sometimes done with a regular “trans¬ 
planter,” which requires two horses, driver, and 
two men to separate the plants and “feed” them. 
This method is quite successful where the size of the 
fields makes it practical and where the land is 
perfectly clear of stumps or other obstructions. 
Hand-setting is usually best and most satisfactory. 
A dibble, or trowel, is necessary for making the 
holes. A flat dibble is best, as this makes an opening 
that allows the roots to be spread out flat (fan¬ 
shaped). After pushing the dibble in, it should be 
worked a little to make the opening of proper size. 
Take the plant in the left hand and put it into the 
hole, so that the crown comes just at the surface. 
Then remove the dibble and insert it again about 2 
inches away and pull the soil firmly against the roots. 
When you get right down at this work, you can 
realize the value of our large, healthy plants with 
their wonderfully developed root-system. When you 
see such plants properly planted you wonder how 
they can fail. They won't. With a little practice a 
man can set from 2,000 to 2,500 plants in this way 
in ten hours. 
The Spade Method is also widely used in setting 
Strawberry plants and differs from this, only in 
that two men work together, one using the spade 
and the other handling the plants and firming the 
ground after plants are set. 
Whatever method is used in setting the plants, 
it is important to have the roots of the plants wet 
when they are put in the ground. This is especially 
important when planting during a dry season. 
It is often helpful to cut off about one-third of 
the roots for convenience in planting. Where the 
roots can be put down their full length without 
doubling them up, this is not necessary. 
A final caution in planting: Have the crown just 
at the surface of the ground—not below nor above. 
Systems of Planting Strawberries 
There are three general systems of growing Strawberries—the hill system, the hedgerow, and the 
matted row. Variations of these are sometimes used, as the twin-hill, and double- or triple-hedge systems. 
1. The Hill System 
This is an intensive system of Strawberry-growing, 
in which the plants are set in rows 15 to 30 inches 
apart, with plants 12 to 15 inches apart in the row, 
as may be desired. All runners are kept removed 
and no new plants allowed to set, which permits the 
individual plants to grow very large. It is believed 
that more and larger fruit of better quality will 
result. This system requires heavy manuring and 
fertilizing, as well as constant cultivation and at¬ 
tention to runner cutting. These large plants are 
well supplied with blossoms in the fruiting season 
and are loaded with fruit later. Fruit from such 
plants is usually of good size and makes a fine 
appearance, but the labor item is increased in the 
production of such fruit. 
The most intensive practical system of Strawberry 
growing is in rows 24 inches apart. Each main row 
consists of three rows of plants 12 inches apart, with 
the plants in each row 12 inches apart and in alter- 
nate spaces, &s in the diagram. 
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A plant is set at each dot. All runners should be 
kept clipped off. This system requires about 30,000 
plants per acre, but an enormous amount of Iruit 
can be grown on a small area by this method. 
2. The Double, or Twin-Hill 
System 
This is a modification of the hill system, in which 
two rows are planted 12 to 15 inches apart and 
regarded as one row, leaving the regular 24 - to 30 - 
inch space between this and the next double, or 
twin row, as in the single-hill system. In the double 
rows, the plants may be set opposite each other, or 
may be alternated so as more evenly to divide the 
space of ground for the plants. Plants are set 12 to 
15 inches apart in the rows, as desired. This system 
utilizes space more economically than the hill 
system. 
3. Single Hedgerow 
This is also an intensive system of Strawberry¬ 
growing. The plants are set in rows 2 to 3 feet 
apart, the plants 20 to 30 inches apart in the row. 
Each plant is allowed to produce two runners, and 
only one plant permitted to develop on each runner. 
These plants are layered in line with the original 
rows. All other runners and plants are clipped off 
as soon as produced. 
The advantages of this system are ease of culti¬ 
vation of the plants, and the production of larger 
plants which tend to produce larger fruit. This 
system is more expensive because strict attention 
must be given to the cutting of runners. 
4. Double and Triple Hedgerow 
This is similar to the single hedgerow, the differ¬ 
ence being that the mother plant is allowed to set, 
either four or six plants, instead of two. The plants 
are trained to form two or three rows, one in line 
with the parent plant and a row on each side of the 
mother-plant row parallel to it. The advantages of 
this system are that it eliminates crowding, the 
plants are easily cultivated, and it gives a heavier 
crop of large berries than the single hedgerow. 
5. The Matted Row 
The most common system of Strawberry-growing 
is in the matted row. This system is particularly 
popular where berries are grown on large, commer¬ 
cial plantations, and where farm labor is scarce 
and not reliable. Less labor is required in setting 
and caring for the plants, and the crop of fruit is 
usually larger. 
