The successful cultivation of strawberries in the garden and on the balcony results in an opulent hanging of fruit. However, harvesting strawberries needs to be learned, because small mistakes lurk here. We reveal which factors make the difference.

Identify ripe strawberries

The beginning of the harvest time is determined by the weather and the individual ripening time of the cultivated strawberry variety. In an average growing year, the starting signal is given in May. From this point on you can look out for ripe strawberries. Ripe fruits can be recognized by these characteristics:

  • the strawberry is completely colored
  • no yellowish-white border is visible
  • when pressed lightly, the shell feels plump but not hard
  • ripe fruits exude the inimitable scent of strawberries

Overripe strawberries take on a mushy consistency within a short period of time. In this state, they have already lost their sweet and sour, refreshing aroma. In addition, they spread a musty, fermented smell. Harvesting the little vitamin bombs too early for this reason does not bring any advantages. Strawberries do not have the natural ability to ripen.

Always pick strawberries by the stalk

So that the sensitive fruits survive the separation from the plant undamaged, they are picked off the fruit stalk together with a piece. The small green sepals remain on the strawberry. With this little trick you can make sure that the delicious strawberry juice doesn't spill.

Harvest at the right time of day

In the early hours of the morning, the aroma content in strawberries is at its highest level. Under the heat of the afternoon sun, the taste already loses a lot. Harvesting during a rain shower is also not advisable, because wetness also affects the enjoyment of the fruit.

Discard moldy strawberries

The slightest damage triggers mold on a strawberry. Therefore, sort out fruit for immediate consumption that did not survive the harvesting process unscathed. If moldy areas are already visible, the entire fruit is discarded. The spores have certainly already spread throughout the strawberry, so cutting them out is not enough.

tips and tricks

Strawberries should not touch the ground during growth because there they are at risk of rot and gray mold. A thick layer of straw mulch reliably prevents this deficiency and at the same time reliably suppresses annoying weeds.

Category:

Vegetable garden