When should strawberries be harvested?

Question: 

When should strawberries be harvested?

Answer: 

Harvest strawberries when the fruit are uniformly red (fully ripe).  Pick the berries with the caps and stems attached to retain firmness and quality.  Pinch off the stem about 1/4 inch above the cap. Don’t pull them off. 

Strawberries should be picked about every other day in warm weather, every three to four days in cool weather.  The harvest period for some June-bearing varieties may last three to four weeks. Strawberries can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five to seven days.  Optimum storage conditions are a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity of 90 to 95 percent.

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