When to Harvest Beach Strawberry

Overview

Found along the Pacific Coast line from Alaska to California, as well as British Columbia and Hawaii, the beach strawberry lives up to its name by growing along dunes, prairies, and other sandy, coastal regions. The small beach strawberry plant is a perennial that is found naturally and works as a ground cover, which helps minimize erosion along beaches. Knowing when to harvest beach strawberry is based on the season and what the strawberries in your area are doing.

Step 1

Watch for the strawberries to bloom as a signal of fruits to come. Typically the beach strawberry blooms between April and June, but they have been seen to flower anywhere from March to August depending on your location.

Step 2

Wait until after the strawberry has reached its bloom time, with the greatest amount of bloom coming in early spring, but the plant continues to bloom into summer. Small berries will begin to form after flowering. The fruit will remain green as it takes a classic strawberry shape.

Step 3

Select ripe berries which have turned from green to white to scarlet red. A full berry measures 1/2 inch wide or more, but never larger than 1 inch wide.

Step 4

Pick the strawberry with a short piece of stem attached to avoid squishing the berry. Younger plants will usually have more of an abundance of fruits than older plants.