Strawberries
The strawberries stood in tall bowls, baked and sugared, and smelled so strongly that you could smell them all the way out on the highway.’ This is what August Strindberg wrote about strawberries in his novel Röda rummet. Ripe strawberries certainly make us think of bright sunshine and glorious summer days.
Growing strawberries
Growing strawberries allows you to pick them straight from the plant and eat them while they are still warm from the sun.
You can plant strawberries outdoors but it’s also great to grow strawberries in pallet collars or even a larger pot on the balcony. You can bury strawberry plants in both spring and autumn. Plant strawberries at a distance of 30-40 cm and then 60-80 cm between rows. In a pallet collar, you can fit two rows of four plants. If you’ve had strawberries before, it can be a good idea to plant new plants in a new location as this reduces the risk of disease. Strawberries like well-drained soil with a high moisture content and plenty of sun.
Here are some more tips for those who want to be able to pick as many strawberries as possible from their plants:
- Choose a variety that suits your region and your goals
- Water regularly but not too much each time
- Cover the soil between the plants with grass clippings or ground cloth
- Fertilise the strawberries, there are special fertilisers for strawberries
- Protect them from pests with, for example, nets or non-toxic insecticide
Harvest strawberries carefully
A strawberry plant is perennial and can produce strawberries for many years if it thrives. Expect strawberries to be ripe about a month after the flowers have opened. A ripe strawberry should be completely red. They don’t all ripen at the same time, so harvesting usually takes a few days. It is easy to damage the plant when picking strawberries. A good way to pick strawberries is to take the stalk between your thumb and forefinger and then twist until the strawberry comes off. This way you don’t risk tearing part of the plant.
Strawberries have a high nutritional value
As with most fruits and vegetables with a distinctive colour, red strawberries are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Despite their intensely sweet flavour, strawberries are relatively low in calories. 41 calories per 100 grams is what you’d usually expect. You also get about 60.8 mg of vitamin C. This is close to the daily requirement. Strawberries also contain folate, potassium and manganese.
How to store strawberries
Many people who grow strawberries usually eat them straight after picking. Fresh Swedish-grown strawberries keep for about five days in the refrigerator. Freezing strawberries is fine! Many people choose to slice them first and sugar them lightly before freezing. The most common way to preserve the flavours is to use strawberries in juices and jams. These products will keep until next summer if there is enough sugar or some other preservative in the recipe.
Author: Johanna Damm
Fact-checked by Erik Hoekstra
Last updated 2023-12-04