STRAWBERRY SPECIALISTS 5) 
BRIEF CULTURAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE 
BEGINNER 
Soil. Almost any land that will grow corn will 
grow strawberries. 
When to Plant. The earlier in the Spring the 
better. As soon as you can prepare the ground in 
good shape so the Spring rains will give the plants 
a good start. Plants do best when set before they 
start to grow very much. 
Preparing the Ground. Spade or plow under a 
good coat of barnyard manure, then harrow till it is 
nice and mellow. If barnyard manure can’t be had 
you can use hen manure or a 4-12-4 fertilizer, 1,000 
lbs. to the acre spread broadcast, then harrow it in. 
Planting Distance Apart. We recommend mak- 
ing the rows four feet apart, and setting the plants 
every 15 to 18 inches in the row. This requires 
about 7,500 plants per acre. 
Setting the Plants. A good many strawberry 
growers use a spade to make the holes to set the 
plants in, one man to make the holes and another 
to set the plants. Others use a mason’s trowel. Push 
it straight down in the ground, then push back and 
forward, this makes a V shaped opening. Hold the 
plant with the left hand while you fill in the earth 
with the right, then firm the earth around plant. 
Be sure to set plants very firm in the ground. More 
plants die every year from being set too loose in the 
ground than all other causes combined. Great care 
should be taken to set the plant at the right depth, 
with the crown of the plant even with surface of the 
ground. 
Picking Blossoms from New Set Plants. The 
standard or June bearing varieties are not expected 
to produce a crop the year they are planted. The 
blossom stems should be pinched from all plants as 
soon as they appear. This throws the strength into 
the plant and makes strong, healthy plants that will 
