Seedless strawberries don’t exist naturally unless they have been artificially created using genetics and mutations. In recent years, the internet, markets, and stores have been a buzz with a high demand to procure such strawberries.
Overall, if you are curious about these and are looking out for more information, then this is just the article for you. Read on to know if such seedless varieties of the fruit exist and if required, how you can extract seeds from strawberries all by yourself.
Contents
Seedless Strawberries Existence
The truth about the strawberries that are seedless does not exist naturally, as you would expect. Similar to seedless watermelons or seedless bananas, these variants, needless to say, are not given to us by nature and if required it has to be genetically modified and mutated. These fruits exist in synthetic forms and not natural forms.
Such fruits which are genetically modified are not recommended as they are not gifts of nature and may lack the inherent nutrition in the fruit. However, you may still find these strawberries without seeds, where they have been manually removed using toothpicks, freezing method, and blending of the pulp.
Health Benefits
Yes, even if the seeds have been extracted, strawberries contain high levels of minerals and nutrients and are a good source of vitamins for the body.
The fruit is loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin B9, Potassium, Manganese, and antioxidants such as polyphenols, which help in building immunity in the body. So whether it is with seeds or the seeds have been removed, enjoy the fruit for its taste as well as nutrition.
Purpose
If you are wondering what the exact purpose of seedless strawberries is or, want to know why the seeds have to be removed in the first place, it’s because they increase the shelf life, it would be easier to propagate with the seeds, and they would give a smoother jam texture.
– Increases Shelf Life
Removing the seeds of the strawberry can, to a certain extent, extend the shelf life of the fruit by reducing its high metabolic activity. This way the fruit can then be stored in airtight containers for a longer time to be used later in preserves, jellies, and jams.
– Propagation of a New Strawberry Plant
Pick out seeds from a mature and ripe strawberry fruit to propagate a new plant. Strawberry plants are not challenging to be taken care of as long as you provide them with well-draining soil, a slightly acidic pH, ample bright light, and mild moisture levels. You could let the seeds germinate in a seed tray, in a pot, or directly in the soil.
– Prepare Smooth Textured Jellies and Jams
Seedless strawberries are a popular choice in the preparation of smoothies, jellies, jams, and preserves as they can reduce cooking time as well enhance their flavor greatly. With a requirement for a smooth texture, chefs across the globe often prefer a seedless variant of the fruit as it reduces the preparation time.
There will be no requirement of straining out the hardened and coarse seeds of the fruit upon blending, and the pulp can directly be used to prepare delicacies.
How to Remove The Seeds
Producing seedless type of strawberries naturally is an impossible task and so this
leaves you with only one option, you will need to utilize different procedures to manually remove them. You can produce your seedless fruit all by yourself, without having to spend any money for it in a simple and hassle-free way.
You will find the seeds of the fruit embedded on the exterior of the skin which you can extract by manually picking them out or blending the pulp without the use of harmful genetic modifications.
– The Toothpick Method
Easily remove the seeds of the strawberry by using a simple tool such as a toothpick. The process is hassle-free and requires just one fine toothpick and also a bit of care so that you don’t cause much damage to the flash of the strawberry, especially if it is juicy and ripe. In order to avoid the damage, you must be careful and cautious not to cause big gouges to the flesh of the fruit.
Ensure you are seated and the fruit is held firmly in your hand. As you have gripped the toothpick well, slide it underneath each of the seeds on the fruit and pop it out onto a sheet or a bowl. Wash the pulp off the fruit and dry them to be used later for propagation.
– The Freezer Method
To start with this method yoy must do is to place mature strawberry fruits in each slot of an ice tray and cover it firmly with a cling wrap or fine plastic sheet. Freeze them completely for a couple of hours.
After it is completely frozen, remove them and place them in a bowl. With the help of a thin and sharp tool, scrape the sides of each fruit. Now with the fruit being frozen, the skin gets tighter and the pulp stays hard.
The seeds pop out of their cavities too thus making the job at hand far simpler. By scraping the sides now you will be able to extract more of the seeds at one go without causing gouges to the flesh.
Basically, this method is faster than the earlier manual method of removing the seeds because you don’t have to pick out one seed at a time. It comes with an additional step, which is to freeze the fruit.
– Knife Method
This method may be a bit challenging because it involves peeling off the skin along with the seeds but keeping the fruit’s pulp intact. Get started with a sharp knife and a firm yet ripe strawberry.
Gently remove the thin outer skin leaving the seeds within it and separate the pulp into a bowl. Place the skin and seeds on a sheet, allowing them to dry before you can tap the seeds of them.
This method is preferred when the fruit is just ripe as an overly ripe strawberry could end up in a messy situation and would result in more pulp on the skin. Preserve the pulp now for days in airtight bottles to be used in jellies, jams, or juices.
– Blender Method
You can extract seeds out of strawberries easily using this method and the seeds can be then used for planting and propagation purposes, and the pulp for consumption. Begin by selecting at least five healthy berries and run them in a blender with a quart of water, on a low setting for around ten seconds.
Strain out the pulp and remove the extracted seeds also discard all floating seeds as they would be useless to you because they would be crushed. Spread out the seeds that are drained on a paper towel allowing them to dry for a few days thoroughly. You now have your own extracted strawberry seeds which you can store in an air-tight bottle or zip-lock bag, ready to be planted.
Where To Find Them
As mentioned in the above section, the seedless type of strawberries is not naturally formed. There is no way you can buy a natural seedless variety as such a kind of strawberry does not exist.
However you can find a dehydrated form of the fruit without seeds on several internet sites, and also in markets that procure their ware from overseas. This is the only form of seedless ones that you can get at a store and you will most likely not find them in locally-owned grocery stores or local farm shops, that would actually prepare them on their own.
This form of the fruit apart from being dehydrated is created in a man-made laboratory set up and this is not something given to us by nature, so before procuring it, ensure you read the labels and fine print to ensure it is from a reputable seller.
FAQ
– How To Germinate Strawberry Seeds?
You can use the extracted seeds to propagate your strawberry plant. Germination and the sprouting of seedlings can be a long process, however, it is easy and the results can be quite rewarding.
Wash away all excess pulp sticking to the seeds and spread them on a paper towel allowing them to air dry. All hardened pulp needs to be carefully scrubbed of the seed coat gently with a fine knife.
Once dried, store them in airtight containers and freeze them until it is ready for planting. Freezing seeds makes them harvest faster as they as the warmth generated during the thawing process gives a boost to germination.
Ideally, leaving them in the freezer for three to four weeks gives the seeds a good edge to get started with the process. But always remember to thaw them at room temperature to warm up before being planted.
– How To Plant Strawberries?
To plant some strawberries you must first pick out the dried seeds with the help of tweezers after thawing the germinated strawberry seeds and directly place them in the soil. Fill a seedling tray with a slightly moist and well-draining potting mix and a slightly acidic pH of 6.
Nonetheless, note that it also needs to be slightly damp when you sprinkle the seeds. Place the seeds at a distance from each other to avoid overcrowding and cover it with a thin layer of perlite or peat moss to increase aeration.
Additionally, cover the seed tray with plastic wrap to kick in some moisture around. Keep this in a warm place and ensure the soil stays consistently moist. You will need some patience here as strawberry seeds take a minimum of one week to a maximum of six weeks to germinate. Once three or four leaves have occurred the plant is ready to be transplanted.
Transplanting the seedlings requires a well-draining pot or a raised garden bed. Strawberries love a lot of sunlight so pick a spot where they can receive at least six hours of bright light every day.
Plant the strawberries at least six inches deep into the soil and fill the hole with good-quality potting mix, along with some organic compost for extra nourishment. Wait until next year for the plants to bear fruit.
Conclusion
You have now read all about seedless strawberries and their existence and their nature.
Let us summarize our understanding and learning in the section below.
- Seedless type of strawberries does not exist unless they have been genetically modified or mutated. They are not easily available in local stores but you can find a processed and dehydrated form available on a few internet merchant sites.
- The purpose of having seedless-looking strawberries is to extend the shelf life of the fruit to consume it later and also so that the seeds can be used to propagate a new plant.
- You can manually pick out the seeds from the strawberry by using a toothpick, removing the skin with a knife, freezing, blending, and straining. This process is far healthier as it is not genetically modified nor is it dehydrated, or snipped off all the nutrients.
- For propagation, pick seeds from mature fruits and dry them out after cleaning all excess pulp sticking to them. Freeze seeds before using them to boost the germination process and place them in light soil, a warm spot with ample light for seeds to generate a new strawberry plant.
- Even after removing seeds manually, strawberries are intact with their vitamins, potassium and manganese. The fruit is rich in antioxidants which build immunity as well thus making it an ideal choice for consumption.
Now that you have understood the availability and applicability of seedless ones, you know how to procure and also how to get your seedless variant manually.
The fruit is well-loved throughout the world, so whether it is seeded or without the seeds, go ahead and enjoy it whatsoever.
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