GROWING STRAWBERRIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19882, 28 February 1928, Page 15

GROWING STRAWBERRIES.

PREPARING THE BED. The time has arrived when one must attend to the preparing of the ground for the strawberry bed next season. In choosing the site one must not forget that warmth and shelter are essential. The plot should face the north and be protected on the south side by a hedge or some similar shelter that will guard it from the cold winds that blow from that direction. It is not necessary to renew a bed each year, for a bed that is looked after well will remain profitable for several seasons. If a pew bed does not do well during its first two seasons it should be dug under and a new one planted. This may be planted in a different position if a change in situation is considered desirable. Anyone may attempt strawberry culture, no matter what type of soil he has. Good yields are obtained on loose, sandy soil, and also on stiffer, clay soils. Drainage and the kind of food it is supplied with appear to be of greater importance. The former is particularly important in connection with soils of a clayish nature. The necessity for good drainage arises from the fact that the young plants have to withstand the severe winter months soon after they are planted. Commencing Preparations. After recent rains one could not have a more favourable opportunity for making a start on the work. Moreover, as there is a possibility of another dry spell following the rain, this is another reason why the pieparations should be commenced now in order that the ground may sweeten during this period. Of course, the prolonged dry spell which has just broken will have done much good in the way of sweetening the ground, but there will bo cases where the proposed bed has not yet been dug up. In any case a further period of sweetening will not be superfluous. In order to get the soii into that wellconditioned state that the strawberry likes, the grower may either dig the plot deeply or, better still, trench it. On stiff soils it is preferable to trench the bed on account of the resultant improvement in the drainage. Light soils, also, will receive the same benefit from trenching, although, as a rule, the drainage of such soils is usually fairly good. While the digging or trenching operations are being carried out some stable manure may be worked in. This should be fresh in order that its beneficial effect may last until the plants are put out and for a considerable while after that. If stable manure is not procurable one may use any unrotted vegetable matter, instead of putting it on the compost heap. Care in Use ol Manure. Care in the use of manure as far as quantity js concerned is necessary, or else undesirable results may be produced. While it is necessary to keep the plants in a healthy condition by promoting a certain amount of vigour, it is undesirable to promote too much vigour, for this impairs the productive capacity of the plants. A definite quantity cannot be stated, because the amount will vary with the soil —the richer the ground the less manure to use and vice vema.

The manure or vegetable matter should be incorporated evenly during the tilling operations and after the work is finished the plot should be left to lie fallow for some weeks until the time for planting arrives. The best time for planting is during April, but it may be performed during the latter part of March also, as well as in the lirs.t part of May. Weather conditions will govern to a large extent the exact time.

Thu preparation when an old bed is being dug undei and the new one is to be .planted in the ssime place, is practically identical with the foregoing. In this case one must be careful to bury the old plants completely, or else the runners will be coming up at random over the whole plot. Stable manure, or garden refuse may be incorporated also, as required, and the bed iLhen left fallow until planting. Breaking Up the Lumps.

Thu question of whether to break the lumps up now or . not is one to be considered. If the ground is not broken up'it will have a better opportunity of sweetening during the period in which it is lying fallow. On the other hand, such a favourable opportunity for breaking down the clods as the present may not recur' for some time: This being so, it might be as well to break up the big lumps somewhat, but the writer deems it advisable to leave the final pulverising until the sun has completed its sweeetening effect. Another matter to attend to very shortly is the procuring of plants. It is advisable to procure plants raised in a different and, if possible, colder district, for when brought into more favourable conditions the plants produce more abundantly. When renewing a bed Or a portion of a bed, there is nothing to deter the grower from obtaining his new plants from those in the old bed.

These may be obtained from the runners by means of layering. While .the plants are still bearing layers are kept suppressed, but after cropping ceases they are allowed to develop at random. They root at intervals and produce a tuft of leaves which later develops into a plant. By this time there should be sufficient young plants to replace the old ones. The runners may now be cut off and heeled in until the time for planting arrives. The old bed may then be dug up and prepared for the replanting.. Attending to Old Beds. Old beds which are to be cropped again this coming season, and perhaps after that, will be in need of attention. Although the practice of commercial growers around Auckland :is to renew their beds each year either in whole or part, yet amateurs do not have to' do this, for as they can give more attention to the individual plants, the beds iast longer. Notwithstanding this, however, it is just as well to renew a third or a quarter of the bed each year, for, if this is done, it will be unlikely that the whole bed will fail suddenly in any year. The old beds (should be kept weeded, and unless the runners are required to provide plants for renewing part of the bed, they ishould be removed. The mulching material that has not rotted by this time should be gathered up and placed in a heap to be used again next year if it has not rotted too much by that time. The soil between the rows may then be loosened by means of a fork, using this tool as deeply as possible in order to improve the drainage. When it is contemplated leaving the bed for some years, then, trenchine at the time of preparation j is mosit desirable.