Strawberry Seeds

In this article, we will discuss how to harvest strawberry seeds. Strawberries can be found at grocery shops, but you can grow your own for a lot less money by sowing a few seeds. Strawberry plants (Fragaria) are hardy in zones 3 through 10 of the USDA’s hardiness zones, depending on the cultivar. Strawberries harvested right off the vine produce the healthiest, most viable seeds. 

How to harvest strawberry seeds

• When the strawberries are fully ripe and red, remove them from the plant vines. With your fingertips, gently pull the fruit off the vines.
• If you want to save the rest of the strawberry for eating, cut off the seedy peel or outer portion. You don’t have to remove the skins if you don’t want to consume the fruits.
• Place the strawberries in the jar of an electric blender and add 1 cup of cool water. For three to five seconds, blend the strawberries and water. It’s possible that blending them for longer will harm the seeds.
• Allow for a few minutes for the mixed mixture to settle. Viable seeds sink to the bottom of the blender container, while non-viable seeds float to the top.
• Fill a sink halfway with the watery pulp and non-viable seeds from the top of the blender’s container. Remove the leftover seeds from the blender’s container’s bottom.
• Remove any fruit flesh or residue from the seeds by rinsing them under cool running water.
• Sow the seeds right away or save them for later. Spread the seeds out on a paper towel and let them dry completely before sealing them in an airtight bag or container for storing. This is the complete procedure of how to harvest strawberry seeds.

Things You’ll Need

1. Knives (optional)
2. Blender (electric)
3. Cup for measuring
4. Towel paper (optional)
5. A vacuum-sealed bag or container (optional)

Tip

Strawberries purchased at the store are frequently plucked when they are still green and immature. Because the seeds haven’t fully matured at that moment, they are unlikely to germinate.

Strawberry seeds can be collected after dehydrating strawberries. When the berries are completely dry, massage the skin of each one to release the seeds.

Warning

Strawberry seeds should never be frozen because they will die.

Strawberry seeds should not be stored until they have completely dried. Wet seeds become moldy when stored.

Growing strawberry seeds

The strawberry seeds are now ready to be planted. Fill a drainage-holed container with wet sterile seed starting mix within 12 inches (1.5 cm) of the rim. Over the surface of the mix, sow the seeds an inch (2.5 cm) apart. Lightly push the seeds into the mixture, but don’t completely cover them with it. To build a micro greenhouse, wrap the container with plastic wrap and place it under a grow lamp. Place the little greenhouse on a south-facing windowsill or set the light to run for 12-14 hours per day. If the container temperature stays between 60 and 75 degrees F, germination should take 1-6 weeks (15-23 C.)

Once the seeds have sprouted, feed the plants half the amount of seedling fertilizer recommended every two weeks. Do this for a month, then increase the amount of fertilizer to the manufacturer’s recommended rate for seedlings. Transplant the seedlings into individual 4-inch (10 cm.) pots six weeks following germination. Begin acclimating the plants in another six weeks by placing the pots outside in the shadow for a couple of hours at a time, gradually increasing their outdoor time and increasing the amount of sun.

It’s time to plant them once they’ve become used to being outside. Choose a location that gets plenty of suns and has well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Before planting the seedling, pour 14 cups (60 mL) of all-purpose organic fertilizer into each planting hole. Water the plants thoroughly and cover them with straw or organic mulch to retain water. After that, whether from rain or irrigation, your young strawberry plants will require at least an inch (2.5 cm) of water per week. This is all about how to harvest strawberry seeds.