Soil Test Note – No. H004
Dr. Keith Streigler, Extension Horticulturist
– Fruits
FERTILIZER AND CULTURAL
SUGGESTIONS FOR STRAWBERRIES AND BRAMBLES
If a soil test indicates lime is needed, apply no more than the recommended
amount. Too much may cause unnecessary
problems.
Work the suggested amount
into the soil, preferably before the plants are established. Use agricultural lime at the rate recommended
or slaked lime (hydrated lime) at three-fourths this rate. Repeat analysis at about 3-year intervals.
Strawberry Fertilization
Research indicates that more strawberries are produced by runners formed
soon after planting or renovation than by the late season runners. Fruit buds are initiated in the fall. Therefore, summer growth and fall storage of
energy and nutrients are important to the following berry crop. Where salt accumulations required reductions
in fertilizer rates, consider reducing the mixed fertilizer by 50 percent
and substituting a straight nitrogen fertilizer such as ammonium nitrate for
the needed nitrogen.
Time
of Fertilizer Applications for Strawberries:*
1. New beds: ¼ at planting, ½ in September,
and ¼ in early February
2. Old beds: ¼ after fruiting, during renovation,
½ in September, and ¼ in early
February
The commercial fertilizer rates listed are the total for each year. These amounts are to be divided and applied
at different times.
On new plantings, work the
suggested commercial fertilizer into the bed prior to planting and side-dress
any ammonium nitrate or additional fertilizer after the plants become established.
Apply the topdressing fertilizer
application over the old bed, when the plants are dry, to reduce burning of
the foliage. A uniform scattering
of the fertilizer will prevent localized plant damage. Brush off fertilizer lodging on the foliage
where possible.
Adjust the fertilizer rate
to obtain the desired plant response.
Blackberries and Other Brambles Fertilization
New Plantings:
Where blackberries have
been planted on low fertility soil, work the total suggested commercial fertilizer
into the soil just prior to planting or band it 6 inches from the plants on
both sides after planting. Side-dress
the recommended nitrogen after the new shoots appear, possibly in a split
application, saving part for a month later.
Old Plantings:
Apply the suggested commercial fertilizer at bud break and any additional
nitrogen following harvest. Adjust
the rate of fertilization when plant response indicates a need for change.
A change in nitrogen fertilization immediately following harvest is
usually effective in regulating cane size.
On very fertile soils which produce very vigorous cane growth, reduce
the fertilizer rate to control cane growth.
For more information, refer
to the following publications available at the county Cooperative Extension
Service offices:
EL
78 Growing Strawberries in Arkansas
EL
149 Control of Strawberry Diseases
EL
661 Growing Raspberries in Arkansas
FSA 2041 Weed management in blackberries and Raspberries
FSA
2078 Strawberry Weed Control
FSA
2082 Blackberry Production in Arkansas
FSA
7511 Control of Strawberry Insects
MP 204 Strawberry pest Control
* Some growers
have had best results with heavier fall fertilization and little or no spring
fertilization. Heavy spring nitrogen
fertilization produces a heavy foliage growth and fruit rot problems.
August, 1995
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