▁test ▁information ▁and ▁plant ▁analysis ▁results ▁are ▁used ▁to ▁determine ▁fert ility ▁practices . ▁N it ro gen ▁fert il izer ▁is ▁needed ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁every ▁plant ing ▁year . ▁There ▁are ▁normally ▁ade qu ate ▁levels ▁of ▁ph osph orus ▁and ▁pot ash ▁when ▁fields ▁have ▁been ▁fert il ized ▁for ▁top ▁yields . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁provide ▁more ▁organ ic ▁matter , ▁a ▁cover ▁c rop ▁of ▁whe at ▁or ▁r ye ▁is ▁plant ed ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁before ▁plant ing ▁the ▁st raw ber ries . ▁St raw ber ries ▁prefer ▁a ▁p H ▁from ▁ 5 . 5 ▁to ▁ 6 . 5 , ▁so ▁l ime ▁is ▁usually ▁not ▁applied . ▁ ▁The ▁har vest ing ▁and ▁clean ing ▁process ▁has ▁not ▁changed ▁substantial ly ▁over ▁time . ▁The ▁del icate ▁st raw ber ries ▁are ▁still ▁har v ested ▁by ▁hand . ▁Gr ading ▁and ▁pack ing ▁often ▁occurs ▁in ▁the ▁field , ▁rather ▁than ▁in ▁a ▁processing ▁facility . ▁In ▁large ▁operations , ▁st raw ber ries ▁are ▁clean ed ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁water ▁streams ▁and ▁sh aking ▁convey or ▁bel ts . ▁ ▁P ests ▁▁ ▁Ar ound ▁ 2 0 0 ▁species ▁of ▁p ests ▁are ▁known ▁to ▁attack ▁st raw ber ries ▁both ▁directly ▁and ▁indirect ly . ▁These ▁p ests ▁include ▁sl ugs , ▁moth s , ▁fruit ▁f lies , ▁ch af ers , ▁st raw berry ▁root ▁we ev ils , ▁st raw berry ▁th ri ps ,