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Show . . v , CARE OF STRAWBERRY RED It is advisable to set a new strawberry straw-berry bed every spring, but in the small home garden, at least, it will often pay to continue the bed for a second and possibly a third year. The United States department of agriculture agricul-ture advises that if the bed is to b saved for another year any mulch and other refuse, such as weeds and strawy manure that may have accumulated accu-mulated through the summer should be raked off as the crop is gathered Then the older plants should be pulled pul-led out or removed with a hoe, leaving leav-ing only enough of the younger ones to send out runners to make a new narrow or wide matted row, as desired. desir-ed. If the leaves on the plants left are spotted with disease, cut or mow them off and burn them. A pound of nitrate of soda per square rod of ground scattered around ar-ound the plants will start a vigorous growth. Put this fertilizer on when the plants are dry, for it will injure any damp parts of the qlant it touches. touch-es. Handled in this way a bed may be kept for several years, because the new plants of one year are saved for fruiting the next. Old beds may be cleaned up, as lust mention hoeing or plowing the saces between rows and leaving the youngest plants in the row. |
