Kitchen Garden Forum

Does anybody know of a good way of speeding up the ripening of strawberries which are picked when slightly underripe? I'm having to pick mine in this state because the plants are intermingled in a border with flowers and soft fruit bushes and it simply isn't practical to net them to prevent the birds accessing them. so I need to get there first!

Hi Primrose

We just leave ours for a day in the sun inside and next day --- ripe strawberries.

I prefer to leave them on the plant 'til ripe, but we are having to pick them sooner this year to get them before the woodlice and the voles

Alan

I always pick mine the day before slightly under-ripe.Leave them in a basket/bowl in the kitchen. They will ripen over night.
I found if I pick when fully ripe, when there is so many they have to be used or frozen quickly before going mushy.

Beryl.

One tip is to pick, leave in a baisin with an over-ripe banana at the bottom.
The gases from the banana (? forgotten which) speed up the ripening process...

(I use this for all fruit)

Ethylene

But strawberries will ripen without help.

Alan

Thanks Alan.