Strawberries are tender fruits and a great food, and one has to be careful when picking them. A great strawberry picker knows how and when to pick strawberries, allowing them to get the most from the activity. While picking strawberries may seem simple, you must know how to do it properly and carefully to preserve the fruit and the plant. Here is what makes a great strawberry picker.
Knows the Right Time to Go Strawberry Picking
Harvest times for strawberries vary depending on the variety and type available. Generally, April, May, and June are months when more strawberries are ripe for picking in the United States. The weather and location can affect production and when you can pick the most strawberries effectively.
The time of day you plan to pick strawberries also matters. You can pick the strawberries anytime if you plan to eat them immediately.
But if you will not be using them for a day or two, consider picking strawberries on more cloudy, temperate days or when it’s cool in the morning. Picking strawberries on days when it’s hot and sunny may make them soften and spoil fast.
Morning, when the berries are still cool, is the best time for picking strawberry fruit. Strawberries are delicate fruit and bruise easily, so care must be taken when harvesting. Bruised fruit will degrade faster, while unblemished berries last longer and store better.
Knows How to Harvest Strawberries
Strawberries are harvested when they’re fully colored. You should pick the fruit with at least a quarter of the stem. Hold the strawberry ½ an inch by the stem between your index finger and thumbnail as you cradle the fruit in your palm. Twist the stem slightly as you sever the stem using your thumbnail.
The best time to pick strawberries is in the morning when they are still cool. They are delicate fruits that get easily bruised, so you must be careful when harvesting.
Unblemished berries store better and last longer, while bruised fruits deteriorate faster. Keep any damaged strawberries separate from the good ones to prevent plant rot.
Harvest CROO Robotics has developed a fully autonomous strawberry harvesting machine that can navigate its way through acres of fields, running about 20 hours a day. Commercial testing just wrapped up, and the company said it has a fully working robot that can fill the void of six to 10 human pickers.
Knows the Right Strawberries to Pick
Choose firm and plump strawberries that are completely red. They are not like some other vegetables and fruits like tomatoes which keep ripening after they are harvested. Strawberries, once picked, stop ripening.
If the tip is completely red, it is ripe and ready to eat. Don’t pick unripe berries (those with green tips).
After harvesting the berries, store them in a dry, cool place. Avoid washing them until when you want to use them.
Uses the Right Equipment When Picking Strawberries
When picking strawberries, store them in appropriate wicker or plastic containers. Any container may work as long as the strawberries don’t get stacked more than five inches high. Stacking picked strawberries too high may cause damage or bruise to the fruits stored at the bottom of the container.
Use sturdy, firm metal baking pans or plastic containers because they don’t warp or bend easily. Strawberries are picked when bending over, squatting, kneeling, or sitting. They don’t grow on trees, so you need a garden cushion or knee pads to sit or kneel comfortably.
Knows How to Store Strawberries Well
Refrigerated strawberries remain fresh for up to three days but go downhill fast after that. You can preserve the harvest if you pick more berries than you can eat, sell, or give away.
Freeze the strawberries and use them later for anything pureed or cooked, like chilled strawberry soup, smoothies, and desserts. You can also use frozen berries to make strawberry jam recipes.
Use the Above Tips to Become the Best Strawberry Picker
To become the best strawberry picker, you need to know how not to damage the fruit or plant. Pick red strawberries, and don’t heap them to avoid bruising the lower berries.
Remove berries that show defects like insect injury and sunburn. Pick one row clean and move to the next to avoid leaving some berries behind.
