Sparkle

Family: Rosaceae Fruit

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Sparkle to a garden.

A luminous berry with a “sparkle” finish—Sparkle strawberries blush into a vivid, glossy red that catches the light like polished gemstones.

Expect a sweet, bright flavor with a tender, juicy bite and a pleasantly aromatic texture that holds its charm from the first harvest onward. Ideal for fresh enjoyment, show-stopping desserts, and vibrant preserves that celebrate its fragrant, berry-forward character.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 90 DaysHabit: Mounding

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Sparkle Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Direct Sow	May 11th	Aug 9th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 1st	Jul 30th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 1st	Jul 30th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	May 5th	Aug 3rd – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 1st	Jul 30th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	Apr 29th	Jul 28th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	Apr 24th	Jul 23rd – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	Apr 20th	Jul 19th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	Apr 17th	Jul 16th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	Apr 11th	Jul 10th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	Apr 6th	Jul 5th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Mar 27th	Jun 25th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Mar 18th	Jun 16th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Mar 9th	Jun 7th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Feb 20th	May 21st – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Jan 26th	Apr 26th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	90
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Mounding
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	28
Harden Off (days)	7

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

This is a strawberry built for impact: tender, juicy flesh and a fragrant, glossy finish that reads instantly in fresh bites or fast-macerated desserts. Pair it with a sharp acid (lemon or a restrained balsamic) and aromatic fats like vanilla cream so the berry perfume stays loud, not diluted.

Best Uses

fresh eating where the “sparkle” gloss and aroma stay intact
macerated berries for quick syrupy spoon desserts
short-batch jam or preserve that keeps the berry-forward perfume
a base for fruit curd where the juice stays vivid

Flavor Profile

sweet, bright berry flavor tender, juicy bite fragrant, aromatic finish glossy texture that plays nicely with syrup and sugar

Kitchen Pairings

balsamic vinegar vanilla black pepper whipped cream dark chocolate lemon

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I manage powdery mildew or botrytis (gray mold) on Fragaria × ananassa (garden strawberry) ‘Sparkle’?

Watch for powdery white patches on leaves (powdery mildew) and fuzzy gray growth on berries (botrytis/gray mold), especially in humid, crowded plantings. Remove and destroy heavily infected leaves or berries promptly, and improve airflow by thinning foliage and keeping berries off wet soil with straw mulch. Water at the soil line in the morning (not overhead), and keep plants evenly spaced to reduce how long foliage stays wet.

How often should I water Fragaria × ananassa during the main fruiting phase?

During fruiting, keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—aim for about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week total from rainfall and irrigation, split into 1–2 deep waterings. Check by feeling the top 1 inch of soil: it should be slightly damp, not dry and crumbly or soggy. Reduce watering after the berries are finished to limit disease pressure (especially gray mold).

How can I tell when Fragaria × ananassa ‘Sparkle’ is ready to harvest?

Harvest when berries are fully red (no white or pale pink shoulders), glossy, and detach easily with a gentle twist. Pick every 1–2 days at peak ripeness, because ‘Fragaria × ananassa’ strawberries can turn from firm to fully ripe quickly. For best flavor, harvest in the morning after dew has dried and before the heat softens the fruit.