The methods for growing strawberries are easy to adopt. With a little and simple maintenance, the plants will provide you with fruit year after year. However, recognizing the strawberry in its prime and picking it without damaging it can be more of a challenge. For this reason, in this article we will tell you how you should harvest strawberries!
When and how to harvest strawberries – keep these tips in mind
Strawberries are delicate fruits and bruise easily, so you have to be very careful when picking them. It’s important to realize that any damage to the fruit during harvest will impact its shelf life, which is critical to your future storage plans. In short, strawberries keep better when they are in perfect condition. Before we tell you the best way to harvest strawberries, let’s clarify when is the right time to do it.
When is the right time to pick
The strawberry season lasts three to four weeks. So it’s not only important to know how to harvest strawberries, but also when. The usual time for this is in June – when the fruit is already ripe. However, if you grow different varieties of strawberries with different ripening times in your garden, you can enjoy the juicy taste of the fruit for longer.
- Tipp: If the fruit has green, white or pink spots, this is a clear sign that it is not yet ready for harvest. Once the fruit is completely red with no discoloration, particularly where it joins the stalk, it is ready to harvest.
Harvesting Strawberries – How to do it without hurting them
The best way to pick strawberries is to grasp the stalk between your index finger and thumb and gently twist and pull the fruit out. Let the strawberry roll in your palm. Carefully place the fruit in a jar. Continue picking in this manner, being careful not to overfill the container with strawberries lest they hurt each other.
You can also trim the strawberries with garden shears, but be careful not to let them fall onto the ground. We’ll repeat it again because it’s important – they can easily hurt themselves and it’s important to take every precaution to prevent this. After harvesting, refrigerate the berries as soon as possible, but do not wash them until you are ready to use them.
Also, you should remove any damaged fruit while you pick the good ones to prevent the plants from rotting.
The best time to pick strawberries is early in the morning when the fruit is still cool.
Recipes with fresh strawberries – delicious ideas for light summer desserts or a healthy snack to lose weight can be found here!
How to store freshly picked strawberries
You can keep freshly picked strawberries from the garden in a shady place for a few hours. If you do not want to eat or use them on the day of harvest, you should put them in the fridge at 2 degrees Celsius. Don’t wash the strawberries before putting them in the fridge and leave the green heads on. However, if you want to keep the strawberries longer, you can wash them and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Strawberries are very tasty when picked fresh from the plant, especially if you pick them when they are in bloom. They taste very different than store-bought ones.
They are suitable both for planting in the garden and in a pot if you want to create a home garden. Its versatility makes it the preferred fruit for cultivation in both small and large areas.
- Notice: And if you are wondering which strawberry variety to choose for planting, it is important to know that there are no poisonous strawberries, neither for humans nor for animals. The selection of varieties is large. Just consider the needs of the fruit and the growing conditions that are available to you.
Find out here how you can plant strawberries and enjoy a good harvest!