Sparkle Strawberry Growing Instructions

Fill the bottom of a strawberry planter with around 2 inches of gravel. Strawberries don't like to get their feet wet, so the gravel will help improve drainage. Any planter can be used, but special strawberry planters usually have several openings down the sides allowing for multiple plants to be set into the same pot.

Place the planter in a sunny area in the garden or on the porch or patio -- they will need at least six hours a day for the best results. Planting well after the chance of frost has passed in mid-spring is ideal.

Fill the planter with potting soil. Sparkle strawberries like humus-rich soil, so if you want to add some composted matter to amend the soil, do so a week or two before planting.

Make a hole in the soil large enough to fit the root ball of the strawberry plants and about 1/2 inch deeper. Gingerly spread the roots of the seedlings if they are compacted from the seedling pots and plant them into the holes. Gently cover over about 1/2 inch with soil, patting down around the crown (not covering the crown), but not hard enough to form a crust on the soil.

Water the seedlings well. If the planter has multiple openings, water at the base of each seedling, giving slightly more to the seedlings at the top of the planter, as the ones down below will benefit from the trickle-down.

Water the plants weekly to 1 inch. If there have been rains, skip watering that week to avoid overwatering the plants. Once fruit has set on the plants, water daily and feed every 10 days with a balanced fertilizer.