Harvesting and Using Kratky Strawberries

Pick when the berry is fully red right up to the shoulders around the cap. Strawberries do not get any sweeter once they are off the plant, so a berry picked white-shouldered stays that way.

• Check the plant every day or two once fruit is coloring. A ripe berry can soften quickly on the plant, especially in a warm room.
• Pick in the cool of the morning if you can.
• Remove damaged or moldy berries as soon as you see them so they do not spread rot to the rest.

Hold the stem just above the berry and pinch or snip it, leaving the green cap and a short piece of stem on the fruit. Pulling on the berry itself bruises it and can tug the plant in its net cup. Keeping the cap on also helps the berry last longer.

• Do not wash berries until just before you eat them. Moisture speeds up mold.
• Store them unwashed in a single layer in a container lined with paper towel, in the refrigerator.
• Eat them within a few days. Home-grown berries picked fully ripe are softer than supermarket fruit.
• Let them come up to room temperature before eating for the best flavor.

The simplest way to make a small harvest go further.

1. Rinse, hull and slice about 2 cups of strawberries.
2. Sprinkle over 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar and stir gently.
3. Leave for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until the berries release a syrup.

Spoon over yogurt, ice cream, pancakes or shortcake.

1. Put about 2 cups of hulled, halved strawberries in a small saucepan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
2. Simmer over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring and pressing the berries, until softened and slightly thickened.
3. Cool and store in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Slightly soft or misshapen berries are ideal for this.

1. Rinse and dry the berries thoroughly, then remove the caps.
2. Spread them in a single layer on a tray lined with baking paper and freeze until solid.
3. Transfer to a freezer bag or container, pressing out the air.

Freezing them separately first stops them freezing into one block. Frozen berries are best for smoothies, sauces and baking rather than eating whole.