Soil should be well-drained, but maintain adequate moisture either with mulch or plastic covering
Water one to two inches per week.If you live in a warm or desert climate, watering everyday may be necessary.Fertilize after the first fruit set.Weed carefully around plants.If necessary, support plants with cages or stakes to prevent bending.Try commercially available cone-shaped wire cages.For larger fruit, spray the plants with a solution of one tablespoon of Epsom salts in a gallon of water, once when it begins to bloom, and once ten days later.Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before last spring frost date.Begin to harden off plants about 10 days before transplanting.A week before transplanting, introduce fertilizer or aged compost in your garden soil.After the danger of frost has passed, transplant seedlings outdoors, 18 to 24 inches apart.