Growing strawberries in the home garden, Harvesting & Storing
- shidonnaravenc
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Source: University of Minnesota Ext.
Photo Source: Unsplash,
Harvest and storage
Strawberries ripen from the tip towards the leafy stem end. Some varieties have "white shoulders" because the leaves cover the fruit and do not allow for the red color to develop. But most will be completely red when ripe. They might not all be large, but a deep red, homegrown strawberry will always have a big flavor.
Look through the plants daily once you see the red color developing and harvest ripe fruit.
Strawberries do not store for very long in the refrigerator. For best results, pick the fruit when it is dry and refrigerate immediately. This will help extend the storage life of the berries.
Winter protection
The crown of a strawberry plant may be killed at 15°F, therefore winter protection is essential.
After 2 or 3 frosts have hardened off the plants, cover them with 4 to 6 inches of weed-free straw.
Straw is especially valuable in late fall or early spring when bitterly cold temperatures might occur without snow cover.
Snow is an excellent insulator and will be sufficient protection where snow cover is reliable.
Rake straw away in spring when growth begins, but leave some at the base of the plants to act as the summer mulch.
If frost is predicted after flowering begins, either re-cover the plants with straw or protect them with spun-bonded polyester fabric row covers.
How to keep strawberries healthy and productive
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Fertilizing
If June-bearing plants do not produce many runners by mid-July this usually means the plants need more nitrogen.
You can apply compost or an organic fertilizer, such as blood meal, around the plants to increase nitrogen for plant growth.
Before plants begin to grow in the spring of the second year, you may need to add more compost or organic nitrogen to encourage plant growth and fruit development.
Weeding
Because strawberries are poor competitors, keep all weeds out of the strawberry bed.
Hand-weeding is recommended for home gardeners.
Careful cultivation with a hoe is effective for managing weeds in strawberry plantings, but be careful not to dig too deeply, as you could damage the plant's shallow root system.Shidonna Raven Garden & Cook How to: Clean Cooking & Eating
Source: Evergreen Botany
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