When strawberries ripen: in what month can they be picked? Photos of berries, strawberry ripening period, medicinal properties

What are the benefits of strawberries?

When wild strawberries ripen, everyone is in a hurry to go to pick them. Because along with its taste, it also contains various vitamins and minerals that have a beneficial effect on the human body.

Benefits of strawberries:

Affects blood pressure, normalizing its level;
Reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood;
Treats anemia because it enriches the blood with red blood cells, which are lacking in this disease;
Normalizes the functioning of the digestive tract and intestines;
A dietary product, therefore can be consumed by diabetics as a treat;
Removes parasites from the body;
For gastritis, it helps get rid of colic;
Prevents the appearance and development of atherosclerosis;
Affects the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
Reduces blood sugar levels;
Promotes healing and treatment of hemorrhoids.

Moreover, strawberries are useful not only in their fresh form. Often, decoctions are made from it, which have diuretic properties.

They taste quite pleasant and have the same aroma as fresh berries. If you regularly drink this decoction, the functioning of the kidneys and the entire genitourinary system as a whole will gradually improve.

Decoctions are also used for throat diseases. Sore throat and pharyngitis are treated by gargling with strawberry infusion. You can also rinse your mouth if various irritations or inflammations appear in it. Strawberries heal everything very quickly.

When the strawberries are ripe, many people collect not only the berries themselves, but also the leaves. They can then be dried directly with the berries on the stem and added to tea. Strawberry leaves also have healing properties; a decoction of them can treat various inflammations and wounds.

A decoction of strawberry leaves and berries is often brewed to treat the respiratory system. You can not only use it internally, but also inhale it.

Fresh berries are also used for cosmetic purposes. Face masks rejuvenate the face and improve its color.

Description of culture

There are probably few examples of such confusion in plant names as there are among strawberry varieties. Representatives of this genus from the Rosaceae family grow in the wild and in gardens (cultivated species), while many people call the plants incorrectly.

So, Fragaria ananassa (garden strawberry, large-fruited, pineapple) grows in the plots, which we usually call strawberries.

Its wild relative is Fragaria vesca , the wild strawberry. But real strawberries - Fragaria moschata - are found these days only on collectors' plots.

On a note! Fragaria - translated from Latin (from “fragaris”) means “fragrant”.

In Rus', the plant has long been called strawberry, since the berries hang close to the surface of the earth. The culture is widespread on different continents (Eurasia, Africa, America), and is considered a plastic species that can grow in different climatic conditions.

In Russia it grows mainly in the middle zone, in the European North, Siberia, and the Caucasus. Fragrant berries are collected in Belarus, Ukraine, the Baltic countries, and Kazakhstan. Externally, the plant is unremarkable: bushes 25-30 cm high, oval or rhombic leaves with a jagged edge along the edge. The underside of the leaf blades is silky, the petioles are long.

Color - pinkish, white, petals are small. The plant is bisexual and produces a multi-nut fruit. The receptacle is overgrown, bright red, with greenish-golden or yellowish seeds that stand out above the surface.

The taste is sweet, with a subtle sourness. There is a bright fragrant aroma. A pleasant strawberry smell spreads over a forest clearing during the period of fruit ripening. Not only the berries are fragrant, but also the leaves and shoots of the plant. Strawberries are delicious fresh; they are also used to make jam with incomparable aroma and taste.

Where are the berries picked?

Strawberries can be found in the forest or in a clearing. But even in the forest, the berry chooses those places that will receive a sufficient amount of sunlight.

This could be a young sparse forest or a small clearing on the border with tree growth. Wild strawberries, when ripe, can appear in thickets of small bushes or even among dead wood.

The largest and juiciest berries can be found, of course, in the clearings. There the berries will ripen faster due to the sufficient amount of sunlight. In the forest, where the sun arrives as scattered rays, the berry will ripen longer and will be inferior in size to the “clearing” specimens.

Affects the taste and size of berries and moisture content. If the soil is dry, then strawberries will grow the same. The combination of bright sun and dry soil can cause crops to simply dry out.

Excessive moisture can also lead to an unpalatable harvest. If it has been raining for a long time, you should definitely try the berries before picking. Strawberries can absorb all the moisture and become watery.

Such berries will be distinguished by their emptiness of taste, they will have practically no familiar tasty aroma, and when picked they will quickly crumple so that the entire collection will quickly turn into a single mass.

Ripening time

Strawberries are widespread throughout Russia and neighboring countries. The approximate ripening time for berries is mid-summer:

In the southern regions, the harvest begins to appear as early as June, sometimes in the last days of May.
The climate of the Moscow region is very suitable for strawberries. The first berries in the Moscow region ripen by mid-June, with abundant fruiting throughout July.
In Bashkiria, the strawberry season also opens in June.
The northern forests of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East provide people with strawberries in early August, when in other regions the berries have already died.

The exact timing of the appearance of strawberries depends on the variety, and also varies from year to year due to weather conditions. If the summer turns out to be wet, then the berries ripen watery and very soft, and if the bushes lack moisture, then they produce dry and small fruits. The most delicious and healthy harvest is obtained under the climatic “golden mean”.

Homemade strawberries Garden berries ripen 1-2 weeks earlier than wild ones. At the same time, meadow strawberries are poured. But the surest sign to go into the forest to pick berries is the traders in the markets and along the highways.

Fruiting of this plant does not last long:

meadow strawberries - 3 weeks,
forest - a little over a month.

Ripening occurs in stages; on one bush you can find both ripe and green (white) berries.

Don't forget that you are not the only one who likes fragrant fruits, insects and birds feed on them. Don't put off visiting the forest, especially if the summer is hot.

When can you start collecting

Strawberries ripen differently in different regions. This is influenced not only by temperature and weather conditions, but also by the following factors:

In what conditions does the berry grow - in the forest or in a home garden?
In which zone does the berry grow - in the northern, southern or middle zone?
Where does it grow - in the field or in the forest.

As a rule, strawberries begin to ripen in June and produce a harvest until July or even early August.

In the field, strawberries will ripen earlier than in the forest. This is explained both by an open place where the sun’s rays penetrate without problems, and by the fact that even during the rainy season the place dries out faster in the sun and is quickly blown by the winds. This means that moisture does not have such a strong effect on the strawberry harvest.

Wild strawberries will take longer to ripen. They usually begin to collect it towards the end of the first month of summer, the collection lasts until the beginning of August.

Wild berries may have a higher moisture content and are smaller, so you should look at the berries when picking so that they do not get crushed in the container during transportation.

Only ripe berries are suitable for picking. You shouldn’t put everything in your basket: unripe berries, rotten berries, or eaten by insects. Such strawberries are unsuitable for consumption or processing.

Fresh strawberries tend to spoil quickly after picking, so they should be processed or sorted immediately as soon as you return home. Otherwise, mold can quickly develop on the berries, especially if the strawberries are very ripe and juicy.

How to preserve the harvest?

Strawberries are a perishable berry. If storage rules are violated, it quickly loses its commercial quality. To extend the shelf life of your berries, do not wash your strawberries in advance. This is done immediately before use or when sent for freezing.

How to store strawberries:

Reject all low-quality berries - rotten, moldy, softened. One bad berry in a container can spoil dozens of neighboring fruits.
For transportation, use wooden containers - the berries “breathe” better in them. Strawberries spoil faster in plastic containers. Store berries in containers with ventilation holes for no more than 2 days.
To store strawberries for a week, place them in a container lined with a paper towel. Store berries at a temperature of 0…+2 °C. The higher it is, the shorter the shelf life.
To keep strawberries fresh in the refrigerator for two weeks, keep them in a vinegar solution for 5 minutes. To prepare it, mix a quarter cup of vinegar with 1.5 cups of water. After soaking the berries in vinegar, rinse them, dry them and place them in a container lined with a paper towel.
For long-term storage, use freezing. After defrosting, strawberries are suitable for baking, making compotes, smoothies, and other delicacies.
If you want to dry strawberries, cut them into slices of the same size so that they dry evenly. Spread the berries in an even layer on the baking sheet and place it in the dehydrator. Set the temperature to +135 °C and dry the berries for 8 hours.

Picking strawberries only at first glance seems like a simple task. The process requires not only time and effort, but also compliance with certain rules. The quality of the berries and the safety of the harvest depend on this.

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Secrets of picking strawberries

At first glance, picking strawberries is a fairly simple matter. However, it also has its own tricks:

If strawberries grow in the forest, then carefully examine not only the illuminated areas, but also the darkened ones. As a rule, a large number of berries are hidden in them;
If strawberries grow in a field or clearing, then its bushes with a harvest can also be found under some low-growing plants, for example, bushes;
In a field, a berry grows in the grass. In order to find it, you just have to part the thickets;
It is better to go picking berries with insect repellent, otherwise you can quickly get tired of annoying spiders and mosquitoes;
It is best to go for strawberries in dry weather. The berries are then better separated from the sepals;
Collection is carried out either early in the morning or in the evening. Then the sun doesn’t get so hot, there are fewer insects, and the berries don’t spoil so quickly.

Useful substances and properties

Strawberries have long been famous for their beneficial properties for the human body, since its leaves contain a large number of chemical elements and organic acids, its flowers contain many vitamins in one element - rutin, and its fruits contain vitamins, minerals, acids, macro- and microelements, tannins, pectins and natural sugars.

In general, when consuming wild strawberries, the beneficial substances contained in them have the following beneficial effects: diuretic, tonic, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, tonic and vasodilator.

How to pick strawberries correctly

For harvesting, it is better to take a wide container, such as a basket, to make it easier to collect and remove the crop later. It is better for air to enter the container: then the berries will not rot.

Some people pick berries without sepals, some with them. The second option allows you to preserve the berries in their original condition for a longer period.

You can even buy a manual harvester for picking berries, so the process will go faster.

Differences between garden berries and forest berries

Many gardeners grow strawberries in their garden plots. The timing of the strawberry harvest depends on the conditions of detention and the condition of the established bushes. But, as a rule, garden strawberries ripen a little earlier than wild strawberries, which grow in wild, shady places.

Domesticated strawberries have large berries with a pronounced aroma. However, its beneficial properties are not so effective. It’s better to wait until the wild strawberries ripen and replenish your body’s supply of vitamins.

Photos of strawberries

Meadow strawberries: harvesting (video)

The berries are valued due to the presence of folic, malic, citric, salicylic, quinic and other acids, as well as copper and manganese. In addition, the pulp contains a large amount of carotene, essential oils, phytoncides, easily digestible fiber, iron, zinc and chromium.

Strawberries are successfully used for the treatment and prevention of many diseases.

It should be remembered that strawberries are an allergen, so it is recommended to consume them together with fermented milk products, which reduce the allergic effects of the berry. It is also not recommended to eat fresh berries if there is increased acidity of gastric juice or exacerbation of peptic ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract. With great caution, fresh strawberries should be included in the diet of pregnant and lactating women, as well as young children.

Distinguishing between "sisters"

Even knowing what the plant looks like, field (meadow) strawberries are often confused with wild strawberries. But true connoisseurs of wild berries know that these are completely different crops, although related.

Strawberries have spherical berries, while their “relatives” have elongated, elongated berries;
strawberry sepals are pressed to the fruit, and strawberry sepals rise upward;
the leaves of the half-wort are trifoliate, with a relief on the front surface and are equal in length, while in strawberries they are uneven;
Strawberries are not very productive, since their flowers are unisexual, and only female specimens bear ovaries. Strawberries form bisexual flowers with white petals; the number of berries on the bushes is greater.

When does strawberry picking season start? The berries ripen in the forests earlier, and already in June you can enjoy the fragrant fruits. Its “relative” in the fields begins to bloom and ripen almost a month later; in regions of temperate climates they go for collection in late July - early August.

The berries also differ in taste, but a lot depends on the place of growth, weather, and the number of sunny days. Although plants prefer shaded areas, without the sun there will be no sweetness.

Moreover, each culture has its own unique aroma, which mixes notes of forest, herbs, spices, and fresh air.

On a note! Attempts to transplant perennials from fields are quite successful. Gardeners transplant plants to their dachas and grow them in flower beds as an ornamental crop.

Getting your bearings on the area

So, we arrived with a basket and a cherished dream to a hypothetical forest. Let's take a look around. Trees usually do not grow in a continuous mass. If you walk through a thicket, sooner or later you will come across a clearing. It is in such places that you should take a closer look at the grass cover. If you want to know where strawberries grow in the forest, then choose sunny edges. Of course, you won't be lucky everywhere. But after walking around several relatively bush-free areas, you will definitely come across the treasured clearing. But here another question arises. It can be difficult for a resident of a metropolis not only to find a place with strawberries, but also to examine the berries. They don’t lie like oranges in a supermarket window. The berries are hiding in the grass. You need to bow to them, moving away the leaves. Only then will you see the treasure you are looking for. Would you say that you can crawl through the forest all day like this? Most likely, it will work out the first time. And if you’re lucky, be sure to remember the places where strawberries grow. The plant is a perennial. Then you will come here during the season for many years and enjoy the incredible taste of the forest delicacy. By the way, when to pick berries?

What is the first berry to ripen?

Honeysuckle is the first to ripen. It is one to two weeks ahead of garden strawberries and is considered the fastest ripening berry.

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Collection and use of berries

The small, fragrant berries begin to ripen in mid-July. In the southern regions they appear earlier, at the end of June, although in any latitude you can simultaneously see both already ripe red and whitish-green unripe fruits on the bushes.

The field crop has a dense structure, but when collecting you need to be careful and careful. The fruits are tender, especially if the harvest occurred at the very peak of ripeness of the berries dripping with juice. It is better to put it in wicker baskets or sieve, since the contents in buckets and cans are squashed.

Since the sepals fit tightly to the pulp, the strawberries are torn off the stems along with them. Some people, even when making jam, do not peel the fruits from the cups, believing that this way the product turns out to be more natural and tasty.

The collected forest “prey” is dried, scattered on a flat surface in the pantry or under a canopy, and then the wild strawberries are stored in tightly closed jars (it is better to use glass containers), added in winter to tea, various fillings for pies, yoghurts, and cottage cheese. It is useful to add dried fruits to porridge (oatmeal, rice), prepare jelly and drinks from it.

Skillful housewives make jam, grind it with sugar (you can simply sprinkle it with sand), prepare jams, marshmallows, and compotes. It is convenient to freeze the berries in small containers and remove them as needed.