Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-10-19
Good Ii Time to
Start Berry Patch

Strawberries have been proven to
do remarkably well in the Belt Valley
and every year has seen a number of
new home garden beds started, the
plants usually being set out in the
spring. However, the fall of the
year is said to be an extremely good
time in which to start that new berry
patch. not only because there is more
leisure then to devote to this work,
but also because the berries will be
Just that much more advanced in
their growth by next spring and
summer.
By purchasing strawberry plants
and setting them out this fall, instead
of waiting to set them in the spring,
you will decidedly improve your crop
of berries. By setting out the Ever
bearing types, which will give you
berries up to frost next year, you viii
procure a goodS full crop of berries
Iv-next-sgTf nqs T. frse
9r by purchasing the pot grown"
berry plants, and putting them in
your garden now, you will actually
pick your first crop of Strawberries
from these plants next spring.
No home garden should be without
at least a small bed of Strawberries.
Quite a small patch of ground will be
sufficient on which to start a good
bed Of berries which viii produce
first quality fruit for the home table,
and some to make into jam or to can
for the winter supply.
How foolish it is for people with
sunny exposures going to waste TO
pay each summer twenty-five cents
a quart for inferior strawberries, |
when for that same price they could
purchase a dozen or two plants which
would yield the very best quality
berries.
In choosing the location for your
)erry patch, do not select too shell
cred a spot where the plants will
up too early in the spring and
'un the risk of being hit by the frost,
,ut try to get an airy, sunny spotA
southern slope. III
Strawberries thrive very well on
m acid soil, so it is not necessary to
liant them on ground that has been
'ecently lined.
In preparing your strawberry bed
n the fall, it is necessary to prepare
he ground for it with extra care.
cultivate the ground mitch amofe-t
thoroughly fhan you would in the
pringtime, planting the berries if
ossible, after a good, soaking rain
\ order to make up for the moisture
is in the ground naturally at
pring planting time.
II is best to use a horse and har-
DIV in preparing your bed, but, IT,
hese are not available, use the hand
attachment to the wheel hoe,
r fork the ground up all over most
thoroughly, as simply digging out
oles in sun-baked soil will not be
efficient preparation.
Apply old, well rotted manure to
he soil, or a good complete" fertil-
ser, and work it we'll in, either
roadcast or along the row.
There are two systems for planting
.trawberry plants, the Hill system,
nd the Matted row system. The
row system of planting is the
ne most generally used. In. this lat
sr system, the plants are set from
2 to rs inches apart in rows two
r three feet apart. AS the new run
ers appear, they are rooted between
III W liC SiQtS Ol lDt OIlRiHAl -
lants, until a mat from Is to Is
wide is formed. The plants
lat form the mat should not be pc
oser together than five or six
Iches. p
In the Hill system, the plants
re set in rows about a foot apart.
he rows mays be single, or four OF
together in a bed, the rows a
apart with a two-foot alley be-
the beds. In this case all run [,
srs are pinched off as soon as they y
art and the ground hoed between
Ie hills. Where only a few plants
'e grown and the soil is rich and
ay be watered, this method will SCI
give the best satisfaction. Oe
Before setting the strawberry 70,
ants, the roots should be trimmed thl
lck about a half, and all dead. pa
oxen and large leaves removed, in
der to make the plant as stocky n