Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1914 — FOR RENEWING A STRAWBERRY PATCH [ARTICLE]

FOR RENEWING A STRAWBERRY PATCH

Too Late Now to Reset Plants, So Thing to Do Is to Prepare tor Spring Work. (By ANNA GALIGHER.) A great many people believe that in order to have plenty of strawberries it is necessary to set a new patch every year or two, This is a mistaken idea. If good plants are used to start with, the patch can be kept in bearing condition for a nufnber of years. We can always tell an old plant by the appearance of the roots. The older a strawberry is the more dead roots It will have. When planting, be careful to select those *with good roots. The roots should always be pruned, but not too closely, unless they are being set late in the fall, in which case very little pruning Is necessary, because the plants should be very carefully taken up and transferred with as much soil as possible clinging to tHe roots. It is too late now to reset strawberry plants, so the thing to do is to get ready for the spring work. If the old patch is to be renewed, plow or dig out the old rowß, leaving at least space of 18 inches between those left. *

If one d 069 not care to save any of the plants removed, it is not necessary to uproot them. They can easily be destroyed with the hoe. When the crowns are destroyed the roots will die. f The remaining plants should stand several inoheß apart in the row. This will give the berries a chance to ripen. The straw which was used to cover the plants Bhould be placed In the spaces between the rows to walk upon while gathering the crop. We “renovated” the old strawberry patch in the abova manner last spring, and as a result harvested the best crop of berries ever seen In thlß part of the country. The berries were large and fine, In spite of the fact that the drought was very severe just before they began to ripen, and this should convince anyone that a new patch is not sity, provided one takes care of the old one. But after all this Is merely one way of starting a new patch. For, when the old rows are removed, It Is the young plants that produce the berries, and everyone who has grown berries will tell you that a plant which has never been disturbed will produce more and finer berries than one which has been transplanted. That Is, under the ordinary conditions. While on the subject we would urge every one to set, at least, a small patch as soon as the soil Is ready to work. You will never regret It. There is nothing more delicious than fresh, ripe strawberries and nothing'in the way of fruit so easily -grown. But be sure to get good plants. Sometimes It la.almost impossible to procure good plants without paying the very high prices, but this will pay one moke than using inferior ones, or the unknown varieties. '