The national strawberry season is said to run from January through November. You will find a winter strawberry season in Florida, where this fruit grows from November until April. Texas joins for only three months, starting in February. In California it starts at the same time but lasts until November.
You can find when strawberries are in season in each American state in the following chart.
Strawberry season chart
| State | Strawberries in season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | mid-March till mid-July |
| Alaska | July till September |
| Arizona | February till April |
| Arkansas | May till mid-June |
| California | February till October |
| Colorado | mid-June till mid-October |
| Connecticut | June till mid-July |
| Delaware | May and June |
| Florida | January till April, November and December |
| Georgia | March till June |
| Hawaii | January till April and October till December |
| Idaho | July and August |
| Illinois | May and June |
| Indiana | mid-May till mid-July |
| Iowa | June |
| Kansas | May till mid-September |
| Kentucky | mid-May till mid-June |
| Louisiana | February till May |
| Maine | mid-June till mid-July |
| Maryland | mid-May and June |
| Massachusetts | June and august till mid-October |
| Michigan | mid-May till July |
| Minnesota | June and July |
| Mississippi | mid-March and April |
| Missouri | mid-May till August |
| Montana | June till mid-July |
| Nebraska | June and July |
| Nevada | May till October |
| New Hampshire | June till September |
| New Jersey | mid-May and June |
| New Mexico | June and July |
| New York | June and July |
| North Carolina | mid-April till mid-June |
| North Dakota | June and July |
| Ohio | April till June |
| Oklahoma | April till June |
| Oregon | May till August |
| Pennsylvania | June |
| Rhode Island | June and July |
| South Carolina | March till June |
| South Dakota | June and July |
| Tennessee | May and June |
| Texas | February till April |
| Utah | June till mid-October |
| Vermont | June |
| Virginia | April till June |
| Washington | June till October |
| West Virginia | June and September |
| Wisconsin | mid-May till mid-June |
| Wyoming | June and July |
Strawberry season is influenced by a variety of factors, and that is why it evidently varies from one location to another. Some have lengthy seasons, while others are short. This is due to geographical differences, climatic conditions, and strawberry varieties.
The fruit usually does well in climatic conditions and areas with warm days and cool nights; the main reason why strawberry farming does exceptionally well in California. California is the largest producer of strawberries, accounting for around 85% of all the produce, and has the most extended season. It is followed by Florida, which accounts for about 8% and has the second-longest season. In addition, new York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington are significant producers.
With California being the largest producer by a considerable margin, it influences the strawberry season in the United States.
As the chart indicates, California’s season is almost year-long, running from February through October. As a result, it produces strawberries year-round, but the peak is usually from early spring until fall. This can be attributed to two main factors:
- Most of California experiences a Mediterranean climate. It is characterized by hot, dry summers and winters that are mild and rainy. Strawberries do well with full sunshine because they flower in warm weather, and the sunny atmosphere enables them to develop strong roots and take up nutrients. Thus, the California season is elongated due to its long periods of sunny weather.
Too much frost can also affect the growth and development of strawberries and as they do well in not-so-severe winters.
The plant’s ideal temperatures are between 60 degrees and 80 degrees Fahrenheit but can thrive in as low as 22 degrees Fahrenheit if protected from frost.
- Another reason is farmers in California have adopted higher-yielding strawberry varieties on decreased acreage. These varieties include Honeoye, Earliglow, Allstar, and Ozark Beauty.
They also grow everbearing varieties that are more withstanding of harsh weather conditions and can continue being harvested until winter’s first frost. Good examples of the everbearing strawberry species are Fragaria X ananassa and Fragaria vesca. These hybrid varieties can withstand and perform in most weather conditions more than their counterparts. These varieties have been developed due to increased botanical engineering and agricultural research.
The two factors can be associated with Florida, a sub-tropical climate with hot sunny summers and mild winters. The summers are usually from June to winter. Its season runs from November through April.
Generally speaking, the cooler climates in the United States experience strawberry seasons for a shorter time, starting from June till the end of summer. And as the chart above shows, almost all the states’ peak seasons revolve around June, with most of them starting from mid-May and others going as early as mid-March. As a result, an increase in supplies can be witnessed during spring. Spring is an excellent season to pick strawberries, and as a result, the United States’ National Pick Strawberries Day is on May 20.
Strawberries stop ripening after they are picked and they are very fragile. Because of this, if they had to travel a long distance (and time) to your plate, they have been picked too early to prevent them from getting damaged along the way. Let’s get them locally. 🍓
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