We planted ours in October at the ag center. Most stores don't sell them until springtime, which is not the best time to plant them. Festival is recommended for zone 8b. They might be your variety too. Check with your local ag center for the right variety. The ag center fertilizes with Miracle Gro. They are growing alot better than mine that are fertilized with 10-10-10. Sorry I can't tell you how many plants to plant.

Thank you Zackey and Romy6! Now I have the motivation to get those extra garden beds in this weekend!

Elizabeth

You are a little late with planting them,but it is still definately worth doing-You just may get a shorter harvest season.Next Year shoot for November.I've been growing the "Sweet Charlie" variety for a couple of Years.The fruit is excellent & the plants are very productive.I planted 50 plants & at the peak of the season,which lasted for weeks,We were picking almost a lb of fruit daily.This Seasons plants are just getting going & We're getting a handful of fruit daily.I feed them every few weeks with fish emulsion.In late Summer,they will put out runners to make new plants.Let the new plants form & then in November transplant the new plants to a new bed.I did a trial this Year,by leaving the "mother" plants & seeing how they compared to the "daughter" plants in fruit production-the production is less than a third of what the younger plants are putting out,so I will be pulling them soon.I just wanted to try it & see.Also if you have access to pine straw,it makes a great mulch for strawberries.Hope My experiences help & best of luck

Hi Westhamutd,

Thank you VERY much for the input. I'm ordering 50 sweet charlie plants today! Final question for all- how far apart do you place the plants?

Elizabeth

Glad to help.Plant them 1ft apart in all directions & they will do fine(I'm sure You know this,but don't plant them too deep.Keep the crown above the soil,or they can rot).Best of luck.

I have 2nd year strawberries and man are they going crazy!! I guess I am one of the lucky few hoping they make it through this summer as well! :)

Thanks Organic Momma - glad to hear yours are going great! Now, sadly, I can't seem to find anyone that will ship strawberries at this time of year.... Think I may have to wait till normal shipping season unfortunately.

Thanks to all for the input!

Big box stores have them, but not Sweet Charlie.