100 Sparkle Strawberry Bare Roots – Cold-Hardy, Sweet June-Bearing Fragaria × ananassa

Overview

Bring the classic taste of summer to your garden with 100 Sparkle strawberry bare roots. This renowned heirloom variety, scientifically known as Fragaria ananassa Sparkle, is celebrated for its intensely sweet, rich, old-fashioned flavor that evokes nostalgic memories of backyard harvests. As a vigorous, June-bearing plant, it produces a single, generous crop of medium-sized, deep-red berries in late spring to mid-summer. The ‘Sparkle’ strawberry is a particularly popular choice for its reliability and exceptional cold-hardiness, making it an excellent option for gardeners in northern climates looking for a dependable and delicious strawberry plant.

These Sparkle strawberry bare roots are a fantastic way to establish a productive strawberry patch. They are dormant plants, shipped without soil or pots, ready to be planted directly into your garden. This method allows for easy establishment and rapid growth once planted. Known for thriving in USDA Zones 3–8, the ‘Sparkle’ variety ensures a successful yield even in colder regions, providing you with an abundance of flavorful fruit year after year. Cultivating this heirloom strawberry variety means enjoying berries with a superior taste profile that often surpasses modern hybrids.

Key Benefits

Choosing to plant Sparkle strawberry bare roots offers numerous advantages for both novice and experienced gardeners. These plants are not only productive but also contribute significantly to the joy of homegrown produce.

• Exceptional Flavor: The ‘Sparkle’ strawberry is famous for its intensely sweet and rich, old-fashioned taste. Each berry delivers a burst of classic strawberry flavor, perfect for eating fresh, making jams, or baking.
• High Yields: As a vigorous, June-bearing variety, these plants produce a single, substantial crop of medium-sized, deep-red berries, ensuring a plentiful harvest during their season.
• Superior Cold-Hardiness: Thriving in USDA Zones 3–8, the Fragaria ananassa Sparkle is highly resilient to cold temperatures, making it an ideal choice for gardeners in northern regions where other varieties might struggle.
• Heirloom Quality: As a beloved heirloom, ‘Sparkle’ strawberries offer a genetic purity and robust growth that has been cherished for generations, providing a reliable and flavorful experience.
• Versatile Use: The delicious berries are perfect for a wide range of culinary applications, from fresh eating and desserts to preserves, smoothies, and sauces.
• Easy Establishment: Shipped as bare roots, these plants are designed for straightforward planting and quickly establish themselves in your garden, leading to faster fruit production.
• Disease Resistance: This variety generally exhibits good resistance to common strawberry diseases, contributing to a healthier patch and more consistent yields with proper care.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Successful cultivation of Sparkle strawberry bare roots begins with proper planting and consistent care. Choose a site that receives at least 6-8 hours of full sun daily. Strawberries prefer well-draining, slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Amend heavy clay soils with compost or peat moss to improve drainage and aeration. When planting the bare roots, ensure the crown (where the leaves emerge) is at soil level, with the roots spread out in a small mound of soil. Water thoroughly immediately after planting to settle the soil around the roots.

Consistent watering is crucial, especially during fruit development. Aim for 1-2 inches of water per week, either from rainfall or irrigation. Avoid overhead watering if possible to minimize fungal diseases; drip irrigation or soaker hoses are ideal. Fertilize your June-bearing strawberry plants with a balanced fertilizer in early spring and again after the harvest. For northern climates, applying a layer of straw mulch in late fall is essential to protect the plants from freezing temperatures, especially for a cold-hardy strawberry like ‘Sparkle’. Remove the mulch in early spring when new growth begins.

Pest and disease management is an ongoing task. Regularly inspect plants for signs of pests like aphids or spider mites, and diseases such as powdery mildew or leaf spot. Good air circulation and proper spacing between plants can help prevent many issues. Remove any runners (new plantlets) throughout the first year to encourage the parent plant to put energy into root development and fruit production. For subsequent years, allow some runners to root to replace older, less productive plants, maintaining a healthy and vigorous heirloom strawberry variety patch. Proper weeding is also vital as weeds compete for nutrients and water, reducing your harvest of Sparkle strawberry bare roots.

Size & Details

You will receive 100 Sparkle strawberry bare roots, ready for planting. These bare roots are dormant and shipped without soil or pots, which is the standard and most efficient way to transplant strawberries, ensuring they establish quickly in their new environment. Each bare root is a young plant, typically measuring 4-6 inches in length, with a healthy root system prepared for immediate growth upon planting. Once established, ‘Sparkle’ strawberry plants generally grow to a height of 6-8 inches and spread about 12-18 inches, forming a dense ground cover over time. These June-bearing strawberry plants typically produce their main crop in late spring to mid-summer, with the exact timing varying based on your local climate and USDA hardiness zone.

The ‘Sparkle’ variety is known for its moderate growth rate and will begin producing fruit in the season following planting, or even a small crop in the first year if planted early and cared for diligently. Expect medium-sized, deep-red berries that are perfect for fresh consumption and preserving. This cold-hardy strawberry is particularly well-suited for northern gardens, showing excellent resilience through winter. For optimal performance, consider planting these bare roots in well-prepared garden beds, raised beds, or even containers that provide ample space for root development and runner spread.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do these Sparkle strawberry bare roots get? A: Once planted and established, Sparkle strawberry bare roots typically grow to a height of 6-8 inches with a spread of 12-18 inches per plant. They form a robust patch over time.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Fragaria ananassa Sparkle is an outdoor plant, best suited for garden beds, raised beds, or large outdoor containers where it can receive full sun exposure.
• Q: How much sunlight does this cold-hardy strawberry need? A: For optimal fruit production, ‘Sparkle’ strawberry plants require at least 6-8 hours of direct full sun each day. More sun generally leads to sweeter berries and higher yields.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for, especially for beginners? A: Yes, ‘Sparkle’ is considered an excellent choice for beginners due to its vigorous growth, cold-hardiness, and relatively straightforward care requirements, making it a rewarding heirloom strawberry variety to grow.
• Q: What condition will the 100 Sparkle strawberry bare roots arrive in? A: Your Sparkle strawberry bare roots will arrive dormant, without soil or pots, securely packaged to ensure they are healthy and ready for planting upon arrival.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these June-bearing strawberry plants? A: The best time to plant June-bearing strawberry plants like ‘Sparkle’ is in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, or in late fall before the ground freezes.
• Q: Will this heirloom strawberry variety survive winter in my zone? A: The ‘Sparkle’ strawberry is highly cold-hardy and thrives in USDA Zones 3–8. With proper winter mulching, it will reliably survive winter in these zones.