How to Manage Pests

Harvesting strawberries

Picking fruit at the correct stage of ripeness greatly reduces postharvest losses. Harvest when fully ripe or when pink to three-fourths colored. Overripe fruit is more easily damaged and decays more quickly after harvest. Leave the calyx and stem on fruit to help prolong its shelf life.

Handle fruit carefully during harvest and discard all overripe fruit and any fruit with signs of decay; decay spreads quickly in flats of harvested fruit. To maintain fruit quality, increase shelf life, and decrease losses to decay, provide shade for fruit held in the garden, protect fruit from warm winds, and remove fruit from the garden within 1 to no more than 2 hours following harvest.