Skip to main content

Find out exactly when you should actually go strawberry picking

Fresh, ripe strawberries are a real treat, whether you grow them yourself or go pick them at a strawberry farm. Strawberries are easy to grow, but it can be difficult to wait for them to be ready to eat. Timing your harvest can be tricky, too. Harvest them too soon and the berries will be too firm and not juicy enough. Wait too long and the overripe berries may rot before you can eat them. So when is the perfect time to harvest, and how can you tell if a strawberry is ready to be picked? We have all the information you need here in this simple guide to picking strawberries.

When to harvest strawberries

Knowing when to harvest your strawberries depends on what variety of strawberries you have. There are three categories of strawberries regarding harvest time.

  • June-bearing strawberries
  • Day-neutral strawberries
  • Everbearing strawberries
Recommended Videos

June-bearing strawberries are the easiest to determine the harvest time for. It’s right in the name! June-bearing strawberries produce fruit in June, but sometimes into July. The length of the days is what triggers these varieties to begin blooming. If you live in a warmer climate or south of the equator, you may see strawberries earlier or later than June. The harvest for June-bearing varieties lasts only a few weeks.

The length of the day doesn’t affect day-neutral strawberries. Instead, it’s the temperature that affects when they bloom and fruit. Typically, the harvest for these varieties runs from mid to late July until the first frost of the year. They produce continuously, so keep harvesting and the plant will continue putting out new flowers.

Everbearing strawberries produce two to three crops per year. This usually comes in the form of larger crops in spring and fall and an occasional smaller crop during summer.

Strawberries growing vertically
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to tell if strawberries are ripe

Color and texture are the two best ways to tell if strawberries are ripe. Taste is another good indicator, but it is unfortunately not very helpful for harvesting. Unripe strawberries will be a pale green or white. They are also typically smaller than ripe strawberries, but keep in mind that strawberry size varies between varieties. Ripe strawberries will be bright red over most or all of the fruit. There may be a small amount of white showing at the top, around the leaves. You can harvest them at this stage, or wait for them to finish ripening.

Unripe strawberries will also be hard. Ripe berries should be soft, but not squishy. If you gently press it between your fingers, it should give slightly but not burst. Some fruit will continue to ripen after it has been harvested, but strawberries will not. It’s important to only harvest ripe berries, as unripe berries are unpleasant to eat and will not become ripe after they’re harvested.

Red and green strawberries on vines
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What are the proper picking techniques?

The best way to pick a strawberry is actually not to pick it at all. Using force to pull a strawberry off of the plant could cause damage to the plant or result in a squished strawberry. Instead, clip the strawberry off of the plant using a small pair of scissors or garden clippers. This method is much easier on the plant and carries less risk.

If you don’t have a pair of scissors available, find a point above the strawberry and twist the stem sharply, breaking the berry with part of the stem away from the rest of the plant. Although this isn’t as neat as clipping the stem, and it can still injure the plant, you are less likely to damage the berry.

If pulling is your only option, do so delicately. Hold the stem in one hand and pull the berry gently but firmly with the other. Twisting it slightly can loosen the berry’s hold on the stem. If you feel like the berry is about to be crushed, stop for a moment to loosen your grip.

Strawberries potted in unique containers
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to best store your strawberries

If your strawberries are whole and undamaged, then you can leave them unrefrigerated for one or two days without cause for concern. However, they will last longer if refrigerated or frozen. If you plan to eat them in the following week, then it’s best to refrigerate them. You can store them in any container, but you’ll see the best results in an airtight container, such as a glass jar with a lid.

If frozen, strawberries can last a year. However, they often have an unpleasant texture when thawed. Strawberries that have been frozen for a significant length of time are best in smoothies or jams, where their texture won’t interfere with the end result.

Now you know everything you need to start picking strawberries. Be sure to check what type of strawberry plant you have when you’re planting it, as this can save you a lot of time and trouble down the road. If you don’t know what type of strawberry plant you have, just wait patiently for it to bloom. Fruit follows flowers, so when you see buds form, you can rest assured that delicious strawberries aren’t too far away.

Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
When and how do bananas reproduce? All your questions answered
Everything you need to know about how bananas grow
Banana tree with ripe fruit

Bananas are delicious, versatile, and full of nutrients our bodies need. They're enjoyed by both people and animals, and although they may not be the first fruit you think of when planning your garden, you can in fact grow them at home. If you’ve ever eaten a banana, though, you may have noticed that they don’t have seeds like an apple or orange.

You may be left wondering about how bananas reproduce. Do they actually have seeds after all, or is there another way to propagate them? If you aren't familiar with bananas, it can be frustrating to try and figure out what to do when you want to propagate them. To help you feel more prepared, we've put together this handy guide of everything you need to know about how bananas reproduce.
Where do bananas come from?

Read more
The best spring fruits to grow: Add these to your garden
Plant these fruits this spring for a tasty harvest
Ripe blackberries on the bush

Spring is a favorite season for many gardeners, and for good reason! The plants begin to wake up, the ground thaws, and you can begin planning and planting your next garden. There are plenty of plants to choose from, but there's nothing quite like fruit fresh from your own garden. From sweet figs to tart blackberries, there are many incredible fruits you can grow. To make the most of your garden, here are some of the best spring fruits you can plant today.
Blackberries

Ripe, juicy blackberries are a delicious treat, and they’re easy to grow. Plant these fruits in early spring and make sure they’re in full sun. Blackberries do best in rich, well-draining soil. Mixing compost into your soil can help significantly. Blackberries need roughly an inch of water each week, and they thrive in soil that is consistently moist but not soaking wet. Most blackberry varieties are ready for harvest in mid to late summer.

Read more
Can potting soil go bad? The signs and solutions you should know
How to tell if your potting soil is still fresh
Hands holding soil

Container gardens are a great way to get into gardening if you’re low on space or time or just aren’t sure if you’d enjoy having a full-sized outdoor garden. Many plants can grow in containers, and there are so many fun and creative container options you can choose from.

No matter what plant you’re growing or what container you choose, there is one thing that all container gardens have in common: potting soil. If you’ve ever bought a bag of potting soil for a project that ended up delayed, you may be staring at that bag wondering, "Can potting soil go bad?" Here’s what you need to know.
Can potting soil go bad?

Read more