Sweet Charlie

Family: Rosaceae Fruit

Planting Schedule

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

Sweet Charlie bursts with a vivid, glossy scarlet sheen and a fragrant, sun-warmed sweetness that feels like summer on the tongue.

The berries are medium to large with a classic conical shape, firm yet tender-fleshed, and richly juicy—ideal for savoring at peak ripeness. Grow Sweet Charlie for abundant garden harvests and for making your preserves shine with its bright berry character.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 90 DaysHabit: Spreading

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Sweet Charlie 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 25th	Aug 23rd – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 15th	Aug 13th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Aug 13th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	May 19th	Aug 17th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Aug 13th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	May 13th	Aug 11th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	May 8th	Aug 6th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	May 4th	Aug 2nd – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	May 1st	Jul 30th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	Apr 25th	Jul 24th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	Apr 20th	Jul 19th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Apr 10th	Jul 9th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Apr 1st	Jun 30th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Mar 23rd	Jun 21st – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Mar 6th	Jun 4th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Feb 9th	May 10th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	90
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Spreading
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	50
Min Night Temp (°F)	40
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Sweet Charlie’s appeal is its juicy, fragrant sweetness with enough structure to stay distinct even when you macerate it—so it shines for fresh eating and for preserves that want a clean, bright set. Use lemon to sharpen the finish and keep it from tasting flat, and pair with vanilla or cream for that classic strawberry–dessert alignment.

Best Uses

macerated berries served straight over vanilla ice cream (no cooking needed)
jam/preserve where the glossy set lets the fruit flavor stay high
warm roasting and quick reduction for sauce with pancakes or cheesecake
hulled-and-sliced topping for shortcake where the fruit won’t collapse into mush

Flavor Profile

sun-warmed sweetness bright, juicy berry snap perfumed strawberry aroma firm-but-tender bite

Kitchen Pairings

vanilla heavy cream lemon dark chocolate almond balsamic vinegar

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common disease problem on Fragaria × ananassa (Sweet Charlie), and how do I control it?

A common issue is gray mold (Botrytis) on ripe fruit, especially when nights are cool and humidity stays high. Remove and discard any rotting berries, improve airflow by keeping plants unmulched away from the crown, and water in the morning so foliage dries quickly. If gray mold keeps recurring, use a preventive program with a label-approved fungicide for strawberries and avoid overhead watering.

How often should I water Sweet Charlie during peak growth, and what soil moisture target should I maintain?

During flowering and fruiting (about the main 6–8 weeks before the 90-day mark), keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—aim for the top 1 inch to feel evenly damp. Water deeply 1–2 times per week depending on heat and rainfall, then reduce frequency once berries start to ripen to prevent diluted flavor and rot. If the soil dries out between waterings, berries can be small and uneven.

How can I tell when Sweet Charlie strawberries are ready to harvest?

Harvest when berries are fully red from the top to the tip and the seeds at the surface look slightly raised and dry—not white or pink at the center. Pick every 1–3 days during the ripening window, because Fragaria × ananassa continues producing and berries can over-soften quickly. For best flavor, pick in the morning after dew has dried and before the plants get hot.