NEW STRAWBERRY BEDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23707, 14 January 1939, Page 21

NEW STRAWBERRY BEDS

GETTING THE GROUND READY

It has been proved beyond doubt that the first fortnight of March is the ideal time for starting a new strawberry bed. The plants have ample time in which to become established before winter, they do not run the risk of having to face a long drought, so often the undoing of spring-planted strawberries, and they will carry a moderate crop of very fine fruits in their first season. Position is the first consideration; full sunshine is necessary, and* if the grower is lucky enough to possess a border facing due north, better still, with a slight slope to the north, then he has the best possible site for the bed. If there is any natural shelter from east and north, it may prove invaluable protection from cold winds and late spring frosts. There is no doubt that the plants do best on ground which has been trenched to a depth of two feet, and plenty of good, well-decayed manure added. The bottom of each trench must be broken up as deeply as possible, so that the plant? will not suffer unduly from excessive drought. Where such preparation is not possible, a piece of ground from which a crop of early potatoes has been taken will serve quite well. It must be dug as deeply as possible, and the amount of manure required will depend upon the degree to which the ground was enriched last autumn or winter. If it was well done the supply now need not be very great, yet it must be realised that as strawberries will occupy one site for two, three, or even four seasons, a good supply of food and humus is, therefore, essential to their continued welfare. SUPPLYING PLANT FOOD

Bury the manure below root-level, and then the plants will find it when nourishment is most needed —i.e., when root action is free. A dressing of bonemeal, used at the rdte of about three ounces pe: square yard, should be forked into the surface, and a sprinkling of old soot will also prove of considerable benefit. If the ground is at all loose or hollow, it should be trodden—not too firmly—and raked over. Then allow it to settle for a day or two before planting. Pig and cow manure will usually give better results than horse manure, but the last-named is an excellent substitute if the farm manures are not readily obtainable. The plants should be turned out of pots, and, if fresh stock is to be purchased, the slight additional cost of pot plants over open-ground runners will be more than returned by results. The pot plants become established very much more quickly: they are subjected to little or no root disturbance; in short, they are given a better start in every way. Planting distances are governed somewhat by -variety—some strawberries are more robust than others —but, as a general rule, 30 inches should be allowed between the rows, and 18 inches from plant to plant. Some growers plant in threes; it is not a good practice, as the individual plants are often cramped for space. Each hole must be large enough to contain the ball of roots without any squeezing or cramping, and the base of the bail should rest firmly on the bottom. If the weather Is dry at planting time, the holes should be filled with water, and care must be exercised to see that the balls of soil are thoroughly moist before placing in the ground Deep planting is a great evil; the crown of the plant should rest on the surface, ar. ' must not on any account, be placed below ground level. Very firm planting must be practised. , _ The 1 'Utine culture i. simple. The hoe must be used as often as possible whenever the soil i. dry enough, and here a warning becomes necessary—never use a fork or a spade on a strawberry bed These tools destroy many valuable surface roots and, by rendering the ground hollow, let in drought and frost. Many plantations have been irretrievably ruined by their use. The hoe will keep down weeds, conserve moisture, maintain a close, fine surface, and will encourage the formation and progress of valuable feeding roots. Throughout the late summer and autumn water must be given copiously when needed: a check may cause failure. During winter especially after frosty weather, the bed should be examined for plants that have lifted. These must at once be made firm again Early in September a topdressing of short farmyard manure or of stable manure should be spread over the bed, but it is essential first thoroughly to cleanse the surface of all weeds. It is usual for strawberry plants in winter to lose a good many of their leaves, and. as they decay they must be removed. In spring, when the plants are forming their flower trusses, a sprinkling of a good plant food will do much good. For general cropping, some of the most reliable strawberries are for early use: The Duke. Royal Sovereign, and The Laxton Midseason: Sir Joseph Paxton, Oberschlesien, Fillbasket. Late: Tardive de Leopold, Waterloo, and Givon’s Late Prolific. SOME STRAWBERRY ENEMIES Strawberry mite, red spider, and strawberry aphis all attack the plants. These pests are destroyed

if the runners are subjected before planting to hot-water treatment for 20 minutes, at a temperature of HOdeg. The water temperature is usually round about 112 deg. immediately before the plants are put in. but soon after immersion, it is found to drop to HOdeg. The water in the bath must be kept constantly moving to prevent unequal temperatures.

The ground must be free from wire-worms and leather jackets before planting, otherwise they may prove very troublesome. Here soil fumigants will effect a good control.

The longevity of a strawberry bed is governed by many circumstances, such as cultivation, soil, position, and variety. The wise grower will plant some runners annually, so that he can, at any time, dispense with a bed which has obviously deteriorated. Some beds crop well for two, three, or even four years, though the older plants usually produce smaller fruits. In the first year after planting, the plants should not be permitted to carry too heavy a cfop; these first fruits are always very fine, possibly the best the plants will ever bear. —R. E. A., in Amateur Gardening.