Every year, strawberry lovers everywhere count down the days until harvest season. Getting the timing right is everything because these berries are a bit picky—you don’t want to pick them too early, but you definitely don’t want to wait too long. Luckily, the berries will tell you exactly when they’re ready to go!
Harvest Season: From Spring Through Fall
For most varieties, if the weather plays nice, strawberry season kicks off in May. For your classic garden varieties, the window usually wraps up in July—this is also when you’ll see the best local berries hitting the grocery store shelves. However, if you’re growing everbearing strawberries or alpine strawberries, you can actually keep harvesting right into the fall.
If you want a non-stop supply of berries, the trick is to plant a mix of early, mid, and late-season varieties. This way, you’ll have delicious fruit from spring until the first frost. While nothing beats a sun-warmed berry eaten straight from the patch, some varieties are specifically bred to hold up better for making jam, whipping up a compote, or freezing for later.
How to Spot a Perfectly Ripe Berry
Timing is key because strawberries don’t continue to ripen once they’re off the vine. If you pick them green, they stay green; if you wait too long, they’ll turn to mush within a day or two. Here is what to look for:
- The berry is a bright, vibrant red.
- The color is consistent all the way around.
- There are no white or green “shoulders” near the top.
- The stem and little leafy cap (the calyx) are a healthy, bright green.
- The berries have that unmistakable, sweet strawberry aroma.
Pro tip: Try to do your harvesting in the morning hours. This is when the flavor is most intense and the berries are at their peak tastiness. When you pick them, make sure to keep the green cap and a bit of the stem attached. This helps the fruit stay fresh longer and prevents bruising. Just pinch the stem about halfway up and snap it off. There’s a reason the berries you buy at the store still have their hats on—it keeps them happy!
