Experienced hobby gardeners know that tomatoes and apples ripen without any problems. If necessary, the fruits are harvested unripe. You can find out here whether this also works with strawberries.
Is it possible to let strawberries ripen?
Strawberries are not climatic fruits and therefore cannot ripen. They should only be harvested when they are fully ripe. Unripe strawberries have limited storage potential and should ideally be consumed fresh, stored refrigerated or frozen.
If the miracle weapon ethylene doesn't ignite
It would be so easy if the countless unripe strawberries still had a chance to ripen at the end of the harvest season. Unfortunately, they are not classified as climatic fruits like tomatoes, bananas or apples. In this case, the ripening gas ethylene does not cause the metabolism of strawberries to continue. This basically means the following premises for the harvest:
- Don’t harvest strawberries until they are fully ripe
- As long as a greenish-yellow edge can still be seen, the fruits remain on the plant
If temperatures drop significantly below 15 degrees Celsius in autumn, even the most robust strawberry varieties no longer produce ripe fruit. At this point at the latest, all immature specimens, including the wilted plant parts, will be cut off and disposed of.
Store strawberries correctly – the alternative to ripening
As non-climatic or non-ripening fruits, strawberries have very low storage potential. Without any preservation measures, the fruits will no longer be enjoyable after just 1 to 2 days. Strawberries taste particularly good fresh from the bed or balcony. Anything that is not eaten straight away only retains its inimitable aroma if stored adequately. What you should pay attention to:
- Always wash strawberries first and then clean them
- If consumed on the same day, store in a colander at room temperature
- Store strawberries in the refrigerator in open Tupperware containers
- freeze the fruit for a storage period of up to 10 months
Unripe strawberries are not poisonous. Fruits with a green-white edge and an otherwise red color in the flesh can be boiled down with plenty of sugar. A compromise solution for all hobby gardeners who don't have the heart to dispose of unripe strawberries. Of course, a significant loss of quality and aroma has to be accepted.
Tips & Tricks
If you want to enjoy your fresh strawberries from the garden particularly juicy, wait until shortly before consumption before adding sugar. Sugar removes the water from the fruit. It makes no difference whether you sweeten the strawberries with granulated sugar or powdered sugar.