Strawberry yields

AS WIMBLEDON APPROACHES OUR THOUGHTS TURN TO PERHAPS OUR FAVOURITE SUMMER FRUIT - STRAWBERRIES. HANNAH STEPHENSON LOOKS AT HOW TO GET A GOOD CROP

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T’S strawberry season, and British strawberries are off to a great start, with British Berry Growers reporting one of the most promising early seasons in recent memory, thanks to warm days, cool nights and the highest sunshine levels in over 100 years.

And nothing shines a light more on this delicious fruit than the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. On average, 200,000 portions of strawberries and cream are enjoyed during the fortnight.

But there’s nothing quite like the taste of home-grown strawberries picked fresh from the plant to add to your summer desserts - and they are not that difficult to grow. So you could already be thinking about next year’s crop...

THE WEATHER MAKES A DIFFERENCE

“The weather has been very kind to all growers,” says Jim Floor, managing director of berry growers Hall Hunter. “We had a very cold February and March, then from April onwards it was sunny - and strawberries love sunshine.

“The nights have been quite cool and the perfect environment for strawberries is 20 degree days and 10 degree nights.”

PLENTY OF BEES HELP