Get the most out of your trip to the strawberry patch with these tips for picking, with advice on berry selection, when and where to pick, and more. The berries were so plentiful, I … See. If berries come from far away, they have to be picked before they’re ripe, which means less flavor. Some varieties of strawberries, such as Surecrop berries, are easier to pick than others because they easily snap off the stem when they're mature so you don't have to worry too much about handling them very carefully. Pickled strawberries are sweet and tart and delicious. They do best in rich, loose soil that drains well and if drainage is a problem, use raised beds. Strawberries don’t continue to ripen after they are picked, so what you see is what you get. Ripe berries are often found hiding under leaves. Once you learn the technique, however, you can ensure your crop will not be damaged. Cool them quickly and don’t allow them to sit in the sun after picking. Keep in mind that crops are ready at various times of themonth depending on which part of the state you are located. How to Pick Strawberries 1) Be thorough. It takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to pick a quart of strawberries, so make sure you give yourself enough time to pick as many as you need. If there’s white around the stem, or in the center of the berry, it wasn’t picked … Because you may need to sit or kneel on the ground to pick the berries, you may also want to bring knee pads or a garden cushion to make it more comfortable. You can lay straw loosely over the plants to keep them safe in the cold weather. He let one of them, his nephew, operate the machine most of the time. Choosing the best strawberries requires some skill and some luck. Pull it off just before serving. Learn how to pick a strawberry! Don’t squeeze them when picking. Expose partly ripe berries to more sunlight to hasten ripening. Others, like Sparkle, must have the stem pinched or cut off to prevent them from bruising. To learn how to care for picked strawberries once you get home, scroll down! Place them so they aren’t touching and then place them in a place they won’t be disturbed. If you plan to use the fruit immediately, you can pick at any time of day. Lightweight containers work best because you’ll have to carry them with you as you pick. Strawberries don’t ripen after they’re picked, so the whitish unripe ones are going to stay that way. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. They actually bear two crops a year in most cases – a spring crop and a late summer or fall crop. Don’t wash the berries until just before you use them, as it encourages rot. A lot of them will update their pages for what's available for picking each weekend. Health Benefits of Strawberries: Strawberries provide an excellent source of vitamin C, a good source of folate and 4 grams of fiber, all for 50 calories per cup! Last weekend I went there to get the first of this year’s crop. The natural color of strawberries is bright red, the surface is slightly shiny. He also wanted to be able to pick during rainy days. Your containers should be no more than five inches deep. Tasting berries is the most reliable way to know if they’re good, but most places won’t let you try too many berries before you buy, and identical looking berries can have different sweetness levels. If you’re not sure where to find a you-pick farm in your area, do an online search to locate the nearest option. This article has been viewed 30,844 times. Morning picked berries last longer than those picked in the heat of the day, and if the farm is popular, the fields will be picked clean within a few hours! Your containers should be no more than five inches deep. First, simply pinch the stem just above the berry and hold it between your forefinger and thumb. They bear only once a year, but typically produce larger berries than other types. 2. Pick Early: If you’re picking your own berries, be sure to get out early in the morning. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Of … wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Shenk hires younger workers to pick his strawberries – mostly high school and college students. The stem should break about half an inch above the berry. If you’re going to a you-pick farm on a weekend, it’s best to leave early. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, close the freezer bags almost all the way, leaving just enough room for a straw. I … Be careful not to step or kneel on the strawberries or plants as you’re picking. Get a wikiHow-style meme custom made just for you! How to Prepare Strawberries: Always wash your strawberries before you eat them. At a you-pick farm, you’ll usually be directed to leave the damaged berries in the center of the row for collection. Strawberry juice will stain, so consider that factor when choosing containers. wikiHow's. Loosely woven flat baskets or the plastic open-work boxes found in grocery stores make good containers. The best way to harvest strawberries is to grasp the stem between your forefinger and thumbnail, then lightly pull and twist at the same time. Some strawberries – Surecrop is an example – snap off easily with a portion of stem still attached. Strawberries are picked, packed and shipped the same day, with delivery to grocery stores in less an 24 hours. In general, berries appear about four to six weeks after the plants bloom. If you come across strawberries that are rotten, riddled with insects, burned by sun, or otherwise damaged, remove them from the plant. Fortunately, they’d survived the recent freeze. Keep in mind that strawberries picked on hot, sunny days are likely going to spoil more quickly than those picked on cool days. Suck all the air out of the bag through the straw, and pinch the straw closed. Buy in-season. Bring small buckets, old yogurt containers, or other lightweight vessels. Strawberry plants are subject to a variety of pests and diseases, such strawberry root weevils, mites, and verticillium wilt. This makes it an ideal choice if you are in the strawberry business. 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