The festivals that are happening this weekend are listed below.  However, even MORE festivals are going to be happening over Memorial Day weekend, so if you can’t make one this weekend, see the entire directory for those happening throughout the rest of the year.

Strawberry Festivals This Weekend

30th Anniversary California Strawberry Festival (Oxnard, CA)

Saturday & Sunday, May 18-19, 2013: 10:00 am to 6:30 pm
Events included with paid admission: rides and shows in Strawberryland, exhibits and presentations in the Strawberry Promenade, and other entertainment. A shuttle is available.

Eckert’s Strawberry Festival (Bellville, IL)

Saturday & Sunday, May 18-19, 2013: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
This is the weekend to share with family and friends. And what better place to share it than the family farm! Enjoy outdoor festival foods and live entertainment at this old-fashioned all-American festival. Free wagon rides. Kid’s activities include pony rides, children’s play area, petting farm, carnival rides, and inflatable. Strawberry treats in the bakery, custard shop and restaurant! Fee charged for some activities. 9am – 5pm.  For more information call (618) 233-0513.

40th Annual Pasadena Strawberry Festival (Pasadena, TX)

Friday thru Sunday, May 17-19, 2013
The largest event in Pasadena, home of the World’s Largest Strawberry Shortcake, Mud Volleyball, Carnival, BBQ cook off, specialty acts, Main Stage Entertainers, arts & crafts proceeds fund scholarships and TX history projects.

West Virginia Strawberry Festival (Buckhannon, WV)

Wednesday thru Sunday, May 15-19, 2013
Children and adults alike will enjoy the fun and thrills of the carnival. Take a stroll through the arts and craft exhibits, quilt show, photography show, or the souvenir shop. Enjoy the variety of Jaw Bone Park and Courthouse entertainment or stop by the band competition, car show, strawberry auction, or your favorite sporting event. You won’t want to miss the huge block parties of entertainment on Main Street on Friday and Saturday nights.

So, round up the family, hop in the minivan, and head out this weekend for some strawberry fun!  Remember, if you can’t make one of these events this weekend, there are dozens more events to come.  June practically explodes with festival fun!  Find one near you here: Strawberry Festivals.

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: How Big Are Pineberry Plants?

On April 20, 2013, Ann asked:

Pineberry question:

Good morning!  First, I love your site and really appreciate your sharing your knowledge!  Second, I have a question.  Last year, I bought one pineberry plant from a very reputable source.  I planted it and it developed several leaves, but they were miniature and never grew any bigger than the size of my thumbnail. Then it disappeared and I thought it was dead.  This spring, it came up again, again in miniature.  My other strawberry plants are already full size.  All are in the same raised bed, so their growing conditions are the same.  Is this typical for a pineberry, or do I have a weird plant?

Answer to: How Big Are Pineberry Plants?

Ann,
While either of the things you mentioned is possible, my guess is that what you are seeing is just the typical growth for the pineberry.  As I mention on the pineberry page, pineberries haven’t been widely commercialized precisely because they produce fewer and smaller strawberries.  While their growth and production will usually be smaller than your typical healthy June-bearing strawberry plant, they are also less-developed than most of the other varieties that are available for purchase these days.  Because they are a newer, less developed cultivar, they aren’t as hardy and robust as the typical red berry producers.  It is also possible that your pineberry plant just doesn’t like its environment.  It may not prefer its soil, while the other plants may be adapted to it.  It may be affected by mites or other “problems,” while the other plants are either tolerant or resistant.  Or, it may be too crowded, not getting enough water, etc.  What you might want to do, if the pineberry plant produces runners this year, is to allow one or more of the runners to root into a pot.  Once the roots are established, snip the runners and then re-plant the new plant somewhere else to see if the changed conditions improve your results.  Good luck!

[ how big are pineberry plants ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: How Long Do Strawberry Plants Live?

On January 27, 2011, Mark asked:

Thanks for the information here. I would like to know how many years I can sustain the plants please. I ask this because it would be great to continue on and keep the same plants growing for as long as possible. I have heard that three years is maximum but surely if you move plants/cutting around to different beds you will be able to keep grwoing for MANY years.
Thanks,
Mark.

Answer to: How Long Do Strawberry Plants Live?

mark,
If you take any single strawberry plant, it will begin losing its vigor at about 3 years of age, in most cases. Age 3 for a strawberry plant is like age 50 for a human, so to speak. Few individual plants will make it to 6, just like few people make it to 100. And, productivity tends to drop off for most strawberry plants and people after that half-way mark as well. But, just like people who can keep their “line” going indefinitely through children, so can strawberries through their runner plants. If you start with even a few plants, you can keep growing strawberries forever if they don’t get diseased and are well cared for. To see how to do it, see this post: Transplanting Strawberries.  Good luck!

[ how long do strawberry plants live ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: Growing Winter Strawberries?

On December 29, 2010, Gerard Caron asked:

What an interesting site. I am not clear on your descriptions of June bearing/shortday ? June bearing happens to be during the longest day of the year while shortday descrtiption is used for winter strawberries mainly grown in Florida.

Answer to: Growing Winter Strawberries?

Gerard,
June-bearing strawberries are generally considered to be the type of strawberry plants that produce one crop of large strawberries per year.  This was traditionally a late May to early June occurrence in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere where strawberries are grown.  However, as the strawberry industry developed and strawberry cultivars were refined through breeding programs and selection, several varieties proved to grow quite well with fewer daylight hours.  These have allowed farmers to grow strawberries in winter more effectively.  The winter varieties were still considered June-bearers due to their traditional production characteristics, but due to the fact that they were able to be grown during seasons with less daylight (namely winter), they earned a new moniker: short-day.  So, the varieties that do well in Florida and California during the winter months are called short-day June-bearing strawberries, even though they are producing strawberries outside of the months of May/June.  Growing winter strawberries in warmer regions (that are sometimes too hot to allow highly productive growing during the peak heat of summer months) keeps folks supplied with strawberries virtually all year ’round!  Some other links that might be helpful or informative on this topic are: short-day june-bearing strawberry plants, growing strawberry plants commercially, plasticulture strawberries. I hope that helps!

[ growing winter strawberries ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

Follow these 10 easy steps, and you should have the knowledge you need to have to walk confidently out to your garden and see happy strawberry plants.  From the planning and selection all the way to picking and preserving, this information will teach virtually anyone how to grow strawberries successfully.

How to Grow Strawberries in 10 Easy Steps

Walk through these 10 steps, and it is virtually guaranteed that you’ll end up experiencing strawberry success:

1. Pick Which Type of Strawberry

There are three main types of strawberries: June-bearing, everbearing, and day-neutral.  Some people consider everbearing and day-neutral varieties to be the same thing, but they are actually different.  For a full discussion of each, see the Strawberry Varieties reference page.  In short, June-bearers have the largest fruit but only produce one big crop over a week or two.  Everbearers produce a larger early crop, smaller late crop, and a few berries in between, while day-neutrals produce throughout the growing season.  Everbearers and day-neutrals typically produce less and smaller berries overall than do the June-bearing varieties.

Considering these characteristics will determine which type is right for you.  If you want fresh berries throughout the year and don’t mind picking smaller and fewer, go with a day-neutral or everbearing variety.  If you want sheer quantity of berries, go with a June-bearer (what most people do).

Considerations on how you plan to use your strawberries also come into play when determining which type to buy and plant.  If you want to can or preserve your harvest, it is easiest to accomplish your goals with the larger size and quantity that come from June-bearing strawberries.

2. Pick the Right Variety

Not all strawberry varieties are created equally.  Strawberries are temperate by nature and can be finicky as to what makes them happy.  So, thanks to decades of dedicated breeding programs, scores of specialized strawberry varieties have been developed and released.  The most generally-adapted cultivars have become quite popular, but the popular varieties might not be the best choice for your location.  To help you find which variety is suitable for your state/location, I have gathered the recommendations by state Extensions and compiled them in one place.  To be sure you get an appropriate variety, check the recommended varieties for your area and choose one suitable to your locale.

You may also want to extend your growing season by choosing early-, mid-, and late-season varieties.  Doing so can extend your harvesting period as follows:

By choosing multiple strawberry varieties with different production peaks, it is possible to extend the strawberry season to about a full month for the June-bearing plants, which tend to produce the biggest strawberries.

And, if you have garden space, you might want to consider growing some novelty or specialty strawberries.  Pineberries are the latest to spark wide-spread interest due to their white color, red seeds, and pineapple taste.  Also, this season is also expected to be the first prominent one for the brand-new Purple Strawberries (not-GMO).  And, absolutely no strawberry variety tops the classic and diminutive Alpine varieties for sheer taste and aroma for specialty and gourmet recipes.  The possibilities are almost endless!

3. Pick the Right Quantity to Order

Part of learning how to grow strawberries is picking the right amount of plants to begin your patch.  Thinking through your goals and planned uses for your berries will guide your ordering/buying.  If you buy too many, you might be overwhelmed.  If you buy too few, you might be frustrated with the lack of berries when you need them.   Before you order, be sure to think about and study up on what you are going to need.  These resources should give you the information you need: How Many Strawberry Plants per Person, How Many Strawberries do Strawberry Plants Produce, and Strawberries per Day.

4. Buy the Strawberry Plants

Once you have settled on the type, variety, and quantity of strawberry plants, all that is left is to get the best possible deal on plants.  We’ve made it as easy for you as it can possibly be.  Go to the Buy Strawberry Plants page, click your chosen variety in the alphabetical table at the top.  That will take you to a list of every online nursery that offers your variety for sale.  Check the prices on each of your desired varieties and then order whichever offers you the best deal!  If you’d rather buy from a bricks-and-mortar establishment or nursery, see our directory of local Strawberry Nurseries.

5. Plant the Strawberry Plants

Whether you buy them at the store or order them online, as soon as you get the strawberry plants to your garden, get them in the ground as quickly as possible.  Strawberry plants have a thick section of tissue called the “crown” between the stems and roots.  Your plants should be planted so that the crown is even with the soil.  Plant them too high, and the roots dry out.  Plant them too low or completely bury the crown under the soil, and your plants will be much more likely to suffer injury or disease.

The time of year is a consideration in planting strawberries as well.  Most gardeners plant strawberries when the weather is warming up in the spring.  That is fine, of course, but planting in the fall has its benefits.  I won’t go into those here, however, as this is mainly a guide for spring planting!

There are also multiple different ways you can arrange your strawberry patch.  Your growing system tends to determine how you plant.  For most gardeners, the easiest and most productive method is the matted row system.  You simply plant, let ‘em go wild, and harvest abundantly!  Ok, that may be a bit oversimplified, but not by too much.  For the other systems, see the Growing Strawberries reference page, which is linked immediately below in the next section about on-going care.

6. How to Grow Strawberries: On-going Care

To maximize the vitality of your strawberry plants, and to help them put as much effort as possible into producing strawberries for you to enjoy, some on-going care is required.  To maximize the future yields of strawberries, it is best to snip the strawberry flowers during the first planting season.  This allows the roots to develop and will help your plants ratchet up future production.  Additionally, be sure to water them appropriately, fertilize with either conventional or organic fertilizers, and protect your plants.  For the details of how to do this effectively, be sure to review the appropriate sections on the Growing Strawberries reference page.

7. Harvest Your Strawberries

Strawberries are one of the first plants to fruit in the spring.  The strawberry harvest is heralded as a good omen in many locations, and numerous Strawberry Festivals celebrate the little red berries all around the country.  Picking your home-grown strawberries is rewarding and should be celebrated as well!  The temptation, however, is to pluck the fruits before they are ripe and to rip the fruit off at the calyx.  Both can be problematic.  Review the ripeness spectrum in the picture, and try to refrain from picking white-tipped or pale red fruits.  Stick to harvesting berries that look like the ones at the right, and you’ll enjoy sweeter, bioflavonoid-rich, high-Vitamin C strawberries.

When picking your strawberries, be sure to exercise patience and pick the fruits that look like the ones at the right end of the spectrum. Picking prematurely halts the development of the natural sugars, nutrients, and vitamins and will result in harder, tart or sour berries.

When it comes to actually separating the fruit from the plant, try not to grab the berry and pull.  Ripe fruits will be damaged by this technique.  Instead, use the nails of your thumb and forefinger to “snip” the stem holding the fruit.  The freed berry will roll gently into your palm without damage.  To see this illustrated, see the Strawberry Picking page.

Once harvested, shelf life is limited.  If you plan on using your haul fresh, be sure you know How to Store Strawberries.   If you plan on saving them for later use, move on to the next step!

8. Preserve or Use Your Strawberries

Like most garden plants, strawberries produce in season.  While the seasons vary, it is difficult to keep a plant producing all year (and, it is hard on the plants!).  So, taking the harvest and preserving them for future use makes a lot of sense.  Whether they are jammed, jellied, dried, or saved in some other form, most people love Strawberry Preserves.  If you don’t have a traditional family recipe for strawberry preserves, feel free to use any of those!  Or, if you prefer more Fragaria delightfulness at a lower temperature, try one of the 8 main methods of Freezing Strawberries to preserve your harvest.  And, of course, be sure to use as many as you can in delicious Strawberry Recipes!

9. How to Grow Strawberries: Perennial!

One of the most fantastic aspects of the humble strawberry is the fact that it is perennial.  Plus, most varieties propagate like crazy, thus multiplying an initial strawberry plant purchase into more runner plants than you know what to do with!  To make sure your strawberries do well year to year, your beds need to be renovated after they are finished producing.  The how-to is here: Strawberry Renovation.  Additionally, to make the most of your plants’ vitality, you can use a simple system to effectively Transplant Strawberries (there are actually several ways to Propagate Strawberry Plants).

10. Protect Your Plants

Strawberry plants are perennial, but can and do suffer cold injury in the winter if the temperatures drop too low, or if a warm spell is followed by another cold snap.  The final step in learning how to grow strawberries is to learn how to keep them alive year-to-year.  To adequately protect your plants, there are two main ways to keep them in a more hospitable environment: overwinter them in the ground or move them into a more protected place (if they are in containers).

To overwinter them in the ground, it is usually best to protect them with a mulch of some sort.  This most commonly done with straw, but can be done with other materials like recycled newspaper as well.  If you plan on leaving them in containers, see this guide on overwintering strawberries for how to do it.

How to Grow Strawberries: Conclusion

If you’ve made it this far, you are probably already committed and excited about growing your own strawberries.  But, if you are still on the fence, let me give you 10 reasons to grow your own strawberries this year!  Good luck, happy gardening, and feel free to use the comments to ask any questions you might have!

They have to be planted by hand.

So, when the millions upon millions of strawberry plants are planted each year for the annualized plasticulture growing systems, they are inserted into the soil by human digits.  That can make for some tired phalanges.  For a better idea of how the planting process works, watch this video, and then click the link below to proceed straight to the full article:

The full article can be viewed here: 200 Million Plants, All Planted by Hand!

Possum eating a strawberry:

[ possum strawberry ]

While blackberries are generally loved and known by everyone, mulberries are less known, and knowledge of persimmons is confined to a fairly small group within the general population.  Strawberries, however, are the A-List celebrities of the fruit world.  Virtually everyone loves them.  So, many people who find what they believe to be wild strawberries in their yard often ask me, “Why aren’t my wild strawberries with yellow flowers producing any strawberries?!”  Well, here’s why:

Strawberries with Yellow Flowers … Aren’t.

Strawberries simply do not have yellow flowers.  Wild strawberries and most of the strawberry varieties available from nurseries all have white flowers.  A few of the F1 hybrids have pink or reddish blossoms, but none have yellow flowers.  Maybe genetic engineering will see some purpose in turning a strawberry plant into a strawberry-like variant with yellow petals, but nature signifies something else by putting the canary color on its buds.  Namely, that you aren’t looking at a strawberry at all.  Rather, you are beholding a somewhat invasive weed that is native to eastern and southern Asia.

So, What Are “Strawberry Plants” with Yellow Flowers?

The weeds that appear to be strawberries with yellow flowers are a close cousin of the strawberry.  Coming from the same family, Rosacae, it is of a different Genus: Potentilla.  The most commonly encountered trickster in the United States is Potentilla indica.  Its appearance is very similar to the familiar garden strawberry with dark green trifoliate leaves, and crowns that produce runner plants (stolons) similar in appearance to those of the Fragaria genus.  They often survive winter and invade their territory on a perennial basis as well.  Due to these traits, they can easily be mistaken for true strawberries, and often are.  The resemblances have given rise to a number of names for the weed.  They are most commonly called mock strawberries or false strawberries, Gubir or Indian strawberries, or, as I called them as a child, snake berries.

The Yellow Flower Strawberries Are Edible

The fruit from Potentilla indica are actually edible.  They aren’t poisonous, but they aren’t exactly enjoyable to eat either.  They are gritty, mealy, and either bland or bitter.  The achenes (they contain the seeds) that cover the outer surface of the fruit also detract from the consumption experience, if the taste itself wasn’t enough.  So, unless curiosity gets the better of you, there is no need to ever bite into the unpleasant fruits.  They are edible, but who would want to eat them?!

Strawberry Plants with Yellow Flowers: Conclusion

If you stumble across some plants in your back yard that appear similar to strawberry plants this spring, watch them carefully.  While strawberry plants do grow wild in the United States and most of the rest of the temperate world, they are typically much harder to find than the non-native false strawberry weed.  If you think you have some delightful wild strawberries growing near you, just observe them until their flowers bloom.  If they are white, you are in for a treat!  If they are yellow, feel no remorse in introducing the plants to an untimely demise…

[ do strawberry plants have yellow flowers ]

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: Do Strawberry Plants Need Acidic Soil?

On February 20, 2013, Becky asked:

I read somewhere that strawberries have to have acidic soil.  i’m planning on putting some in the garden this year but don’t have any experience with growing them.  do strawberry plants need acidic soil?  If so what do i need to do in order to help me grow a bunch of strawberries this year?

Answer to: Do Strawberry Plants Need Acidic Soil?

Becky,
I’m glad you decided to take the plunge and plant some strawberry plants this year!  Most strawberry varieties do need slightly acidic soil in order to produce optimally.  If you don’t know the pH of your soil, there are a lot of fairly inexpensive testing devices or kits available out there.  You can either get one or call your local Extension agency to send and agent out to test it for you.  After you’ve tested it (or had it tested), if the pH reading is near 7 (or higher), you would do well to amend the soil to lower the pH and, thus, increase the acidity.  There are several things you can do to increase the acidity of your soil.

You can add coffee grounds to the soil.  This can help slightly lower the pH.  Also, in the “all-natural” realm, you can add citrus wastes like leftover orange juice or chopped up peels from lemons, limes, grapefruits, etc.  Another easy and natural way to lower the pH is to mulch with pine needles.  The needles will decompose and lower the pH as they do.  This not only helps the plants, but it keeps the strawberries clean and decreases the likelihood of fungal/pathogen infection.  Sphagnum peat will also add acidity as it breaks down, but the process is a slow one.  Finally, another simple organic way to raise the soil acidity is to use diluted vinegar.  Add some the next time you water, and the soil will usually show a pH drop when you next test it.  Be careful to not do too much to lower the pH, though.  You can make the soil inhospitable if the pH goes too low.

Other solutions can be utilized to acquire reduced alkalinity levels as well.  Amending with ammonium sulfate will drop pH right away and increase the nitrogen levels.  Granulated sulfur is also a suitable addition for increasing acidity, but it is also slower due to the fact that it has to be broken down by bacteria in the soil in order to lower pH.  As with the more natural means mentioned above, it is important to carefully monitor the pH with the addition of these agents as well.

On an note different from increasing soil acidity, you may want to reconsider pushing your plants to grow a big harvest this year, if you plant in the spring.  I’d recommend reviewing the material on the Growing Strawberries reference page to help you maximize your strawberry harvest for years to come.  Good luck!

[ do strawberry plants need acidic soil ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

To save dollars and time, simply follow this short, two-step guide.  If you already know what strawberry variety you want to purchase and plant, excellent!  If you don’t, find out which varieties are a possibility for your region or state by going here: Recommended Strawberry Varieties by State.  Scroll down to your state and pick one of the cultivars that is recommended by your state extension or other organization.

Then, mosey on over to the Buy Strawberry Plants directory, click on the variety you chose in the table at the top, and then price shop for the best deal.  Easy as that!  We here at Strawberry Plants . org do not sell or ship any strawberry plants ourselves, and our goal is to help you find the best plants at the best price for your location.

Introduction to the Strawberry Nursery Page

Everyone loves strawberries.  And, just about every gardener loves to reap the sweet harvest of home-grown, plump, sweet, delicious strawberries each year.  Once a green thumb has decided to begin Growing Strawberries, the next step is procuring plants.  In today’s internet-connected world, a gardener doesn’t even have to leave the back yard to obtain strawberry plants.  They can be ordered right from any computer.  To help those who want to get the best online deal, Strawberry Plants .org keeps a comprehensive directory of the varieties and suppliers who will mail plants directly to your door.  The full list is here and easily browsed by variety: Buy Strawberry Plants.

But, not everyone wants to buy online.  For those who want to find a bricks and mortar location where you can drive up, pay, and carry away as many strawberry plants as you desire, or if you’d like to see what goes into a successful strawberry operation by finding one to visit in person, this page is for you.

How the Strawberry Nurseries Page Works

This main Strawberry Nursery page serves as a directory for strawberry nurseries. This directory seeks to be as comprehensive and all-inclusive as possible. So, if you are aware of a strawberry nursery or other location that offers strawberry plants for sale, or if a new strawberry operation is set to open its doors in your area in the future that is not already included in the directory, please let us know about it by emailing or leaving a comment below.

The strawberry nurseries or strawberry farms are listed below in alphabetical order by state. To jump directly to your state, click the two-letter state abbreviation in the first table.  Doing so will take you to a table with all the known strawberry nurseries in your state.  Contact information and other information should be listed with each one.

To jump directly to your state, simply click the state abbreviation here:

For a list of strawberry nurseries in Washington, D.C., click here: Washington, D.C. Strawberry Nurseries

For a list of strawberry nurseries in Canada, click here: Canadian Strawberry Nurseries

Strawberry Nursery Listing by State

Alabama Strawberry Nurseries

Alaska Strawberry Nurseries

Arizona Strawberry Nurseries

Arkansas Strawberry Nurseries

California Strawberry Nurseries

Colorado Strawberry Nurseries

Connecticut Strawberry Nurseries

Delaware Strawberry Nurseries

Florida Strawberry Nurseries

Georgia Strawberry Nurseries

Hawaii Strawberry Nurseries

Idaho Strawberry Nurseries

Illinois Strawberry Nurseries

Indiana Strawberry Nurseries

Iowa Strawberry Nurseries

Kansas Strawberry Nurseries

Kentucky Strawberry Nurseries

Louisiana Strawberry Nurseries

Maine Strawberry Nurseries

Maryland Strawberry Nurseries

Massachusetts Strawberry Nurseries

Michigan Strawberry Nurseries

Minnesota Strawberry Nurseries

Mississippi Strawberry Nurseries

Missouri Strawberry Nurseries

Montana Strawberry Nurseries

Nebraska Strawberry Nurseries

Nevada Strawberry Nurseries

New Hampshire Strawberry Nurseries

New Jersey Strawberry Nurseries

New Mexico Strawberry Nurseries

New York Strawberry Nurseries

North Carolina Strawberry Nurseries

North Dakota Strawberry Nurseries

Ohio Strawberry Nurseries

Oklahoma Strawberry Nurseries

Oregon Strawberry Nurseries

Pennsylvania Strawberry Nurseries

Rhode Island Strawberry Nurseries

South Carolina Strawberry Nurseries

South Dakota Strawberry Nurseries

Tennessee Strawberry Nurseries

Texas Strawberry Nurseries

Utah Strawberry Nurseries

Vermont Strawberry Nurseries

Virginia Strawberry Nurseries

Washington Strawberry Nurseries

West Virginia Strawberry Nurseries

Wisconsin Strawberry Nurseries

Wyoming Strawberry Nurseries

Washington, D.C. Strawberry Nurseries

Canada Strawberry Nurseries

Strawberry Nursery: Conclusion

Growing your own strawberries can be fun for all ages. So, if you have chosen to buy strawberry plants locally from a farm near you be sure to check here for the closest one!  And, if you end up growing more than you expected and more than you can or want to eat fresh, check out our Strawberry Recipes page for some great ideas on how to use your extra strawberries.

Whether you pick your own or grow your strawberries, or even if you buy them in the store, it is important to store strawberries appropriately.  Here is what you need to know to stave off moldy strawberries and maximize the life of your berries (and your enjoyment of them!).

How to Store Strawberries

Strawberries mold quickly if left in normal, room-temperature conditions.  In order to store strawberries effectively, temperature and humidity requirements should be met.  The optimal temperature for storing strawberries is 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 2 degrees Celsius).  Additionally, the optimum humidity level for keeping freshness at a maximum is 90% to 95%.  If the humidity levels drops below 90%, water loss and shriveling can occur.

It is best to utilize the crisper drawer of your refrigerator when storing.  And, if the strawberries were purchased at the store in one of the plastic re-seal-able bins, be sure to close the lid when storing.

Strawberries have a short shelf life.  Under optimal conditions, strawberries can keep for up to a week, depending on the ripeness of the strawberry when it was picked.  It is important to NOT wash the strawberries until just prior to eating them.  The additional moisture added to the surface of the picked fruits will hasten their demise into spoilage.  Also, be sure to inspect carefully prior to buying from a store or supermarket.  See our Strawberry Buying Guide for tips.

Storing Strawberries: Conclusion

Spring means strawberries across the temperate world.  If you still have strawberries left over after you have consumed the fresh berries to your heart’s content, don’t forget the many other uses for the wonderful red fruit.

You can take advantage of the many Strawberry Recipes in our recipe section to prepare mouth-watering delights for friends and family for any occasion.  Or, you can freeze your strawberries and use them later, or preserve them in jams or jellies.

Regardless of how you use them, learning how to store strawberries after picking them will make a difference in their “shelf life” and the length of time you can enjoy them.  Good luck, and happy eating!

The elevation off the ground seems to help with pest problems, and the roots warm sooner.  The warming roots cause the plants to fruit sooner as well.  This elevated system is novel, according to the developers, Mr. & Mrs. Malone.

For the entire story, see the article in The Timaru Herald: Plants react to elevation