4 J. H. Shivers Plant Farms, Allen, Maryland 
PLANTING GUIDE 
The strawberry is grown in nearly every section of the United States, 
in parts of Canada and even in Alaska. It is adapted to a wider range of soil 
and climate conditions than most small fruits. The crop is produced on large 
acreage for commercial purposes, while the “Strawberry Bed” forms a part 
of every well kept home garden. 
In this limited space I will give suggestions for the most necessary details 
for successful strawberry growing. You may get more information by writing 
us or from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, at Washington, D. C., who 
will, upon request, send you bulletins on strawberry culture, free and postpaid. 
A strawberry grower should take this means of keeping in touch with the 
newer developments and methods being employed in present strawberry culture. 
SOIL: Practically any soil that will grow good field crops will grow good 
berries—good rich, sandy loam preferred. All kinds of fruit plants demand 
that the soil be able to hold moisture well and, at the same time, drain easily. 
Excellent results are secured on both sandy and clay types of soil under the 
proper cultural management. Any soil selected for strawberry growing should 
be well provided with organic matter as this tends to prevent heaving out of 
plants in winter and enables the crop to withstand the droughts of summer. 
Even the extreme types of soils including sandy, gravelly or stiff clays can be 
made to produce profitable crops of berries where the land is well improved 
by the addition of organic matter and the proper fertilizers applied. 
Organic matter in the form of legume crops, manure, or sod, should be 
turned under far enough in advance of planting to allow it to become decom- 
posed in the soil. 
SOIL PREPARATION: Soil for setting strawberry plants should be 
plowed deeply and harrowed until it is loose and level. I like fall plowing 
as it allows the soil to settle and turned-under vegetable matter to decay. 
Spring plowing is all right, but fall plowing is better when possible. The 
land should be thoroughly harrowed in spring, followed with a culti-packer 
or roller to preserve moisture after planting. It is best to plant some cover 
crop such as oats or rye which is to be plowed under except in the case of 
sod land which should be left rough over winter to kill the white grub. 
Several weeks before planting, the cover crop should be turned under or 
rough land disced thoroughly. A week or ten days before the plants are set, 
the final preparation of the plant bed should be made, at which time the 
fertilizer should be applied. 
Stable manures are the best fertilizers I have found. They not only 
furnish the necessary plant food, but also make the heavier soil of finer 
texture, and the light sandy soils of greater water-holding capacity. This 
may be applied in the fall and plowed in or spread on land after plowing 
and worked in the soil well. The best results I have ever obtained were by open- 
ing the rows and putting some fine manure in the row during the winter. 
Received my order of strawberry plants on April 7 O.K. I took them out and 
planted them. Thanks a million for sending such nice plants. I see the postage 
cost was $2.64. Since I sent only $2.12, I am inclosing a Money Order of fifty 
two cents. 
April 17, 1954 Brinton W. Jacobs Chester Co., Pa. 
