Forest Strawberries Straight from Your Garden

In short: Alpine strawberries (Fragaria vesca semperflorens) are grown from seed sown between February and April. The seeds germinate at 18–20 °C and need about 10 weeks to form three true leaves. Plant the seedlings out in May or June, 30 cm apart, in moist, nutritious loamy soil. They also grow well in pots.

Alpine strawberry (lat. Fragaria vesca semperflorens) is a variety of woodland strawberry or wild strawberry that we also know from children's fairy tales. From an astrological perspective, wild strawberries are dedicated to the planet Venus. Strawberries have been an inspiration in the past, for example for Shakespeare's Othello, who gave his Desdemona a handkerchief embroidered with strawberries.

Based on folk beliefs and stories, even today in Bavaria, people place a basket full of strawberries between cow horns so that goblins will bless the cow with milk. In Lapland, they prepare a typical Christmas pudding by adding strawberries combined with blueberries to reindeer milk.

Alpine strawberry, as a variety of wild strawberries, was first cultivated in 1910 in the castle gardens in Putbus.

The wild strawberry plant grows in cool forest locations, in clearings, in sunny spots, and similar places. Wild strawberries, known not only as monthly but also listed in foreign literature as alpine, can be grown in pots and even indoors.

In our latitudes, they are part of home gardens and cottage garden plots. Besides the benefit of leaves and fruits, wild strawberries are also decorative for flower beds and rock gardens. Growing wild strawberries is not demanding; the plant produces the highest quality fruits in the first year of growth.

How to grow wild strawberries in the garden

Wild or alpine strawberry (lat. Fragaria vesca semperflorens) is a perennial plant. It belongs to the rose family (lat. Rosaceae). We grow it from seeds, which we first pre-cultivate in a seedbed, ideally during February to April.

Strawberry seeds are planted shallowly and covered only with a thin light layer of soil, then covered with paper. They germinate at a temperature of 18-20°C. It takes about 10 weeks for the plant to develop at least three true leaves.

Pre-cultivated strawberry seedlings are placed in moist, nutritious loamy soil, preferably during May-June, at a distance of 30 cm from each other.

What does the strawberry plant look like

The strawberry creates short woody rhizomes with numerous shoots. Long-stalked trifoliate leaves with distinct veining and serrated edges grow from the rootstock.

The strawberry stem is round, grooved, finely hairy, and has a green or reddish color. The plant produces white flowers with a yellow center arranged in clusters at the end of approximately 10-25 cm stems. Alpine strawberry flowers begin to bloom in some cases as early as May and bloom throughout the summer until late autumn. At the end of the stem, a fruit later grows, which is red or pink-red in color. The fruits are small and have a conical shape.

Besides the fruits, we can also harvest young leaves. We thoroughly dry the leaves in a dehydrator, in a well-ventilated room, or at temperatures up to 40°C, but we must be careful not to let the leaves wilt, as they produce a toxin that otherwise disappears during drying. The leaves have a high vitamin C content and when dried are slightly bitter with no aroma.

Wild strawberries are the most delicious wild and garden berry fruit. We only harvest ripe wild strawberry fruits, which we use for immediate consumption or can freeze. From the fruits, we can prepare jams, add them to cakes, syrups, or liqueurs.

Wild strawberries are not only tasty but also healthy

Dried strawberry leaves contain essential oils, tannins, sugar, vitamin C, salts, and other substances. The mixture has astringent and binding effects and is used to prepare herbal tea. The leaves dilate blood vessels, lower blood pressure in hypertension, slow heart rate, strengthen uterine muscle contractions, and simultaneously support metabolism. Tea prepared from strawberry leaves has both diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects and works against skin rashes. Ground wild strawberry leaves can also be used to flavor meat.

Fresh strawberry fruit contains 9% fructose and glucose, citric acid, malic acid, tannins, pectins, anthocyanin compounds, flavones, B and C vitamins, carotene, essential oil, aromatic esters, phosphorus salts, and trace elements such as copper, iron, manganese, chromium, and other substances. Consuming strawberry fruits is recommended for urinary stones, atherosclerosis, hysteria, gastric and duodenal ulcers, as well as for gout.

In folk medicine, strawberry leaves are used for colds, headaches, hemorrhoids, and for wound treatment in the form of compresses. Fruits added to beverages help reduce fever.

• Tea from wild (garden) strawberry leaves: Pour 500ml of boiling water over 2 tablespoons of finely chopped leaves. Boil the mixture for about 3 minutes, remove from heat, and let it steep for another 20 minutes. Strain the prepared decoction and take 100ml three times daily, fifteen minutes before meals. It can also be used preventively.

Summary

We grow alpine strawberries as a variety of wild strawberry in gardens and pots. They thrive in shady as well as sunny locations in moist clay soil. We grow them from seeds, which we pre-cultivate in advance.

The strawberry plant blooms with small white flowers with a yellow center and produces small dark red conical fruits that are tasty and refreshing. Crushed strawberry fruits are also used to remove dental tartar or coatings in the oral cavity. Let it work for about 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water with added baking soda.

Wild strawberry fruits can also be used to help heal mild sunburns by cutting the strawberries into thin slices and applying them to the cleansed facial skin. Wild strawberry juice can also be used to lighten freckles.

Tip: For a family of four, it is advisable to plant 100 wild strawberry seedlings.