Florida's chilly weather is sweet for strawberries

DOVER, Fla. (FOX 13) - They look great, and taste even better. It is turning out to be a very good year for the strawberry crop, and that means for strawberry lovers as well.

“The fruit is a little bigger, a little firmer, a little sweeter,” Dr. Vance Whitaker told FOX 13 at the Florida Strawberry Growers Association field in Dover. 

Whitaker works for the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.

“You might get a little crunch to the berry, but that’s due to the nice cold weather,” he said. “It helps them firm up.”

Whitaker says the sunny days support photosynthesis, and the production of sugar. The chilly nights encourage the plant to retain the sugar, which makes the berries sweeter.

You can check that out for yourself at the fast-approaching Florida Strawberry Festival, which begins on Thursday, February 28, and runs through Sunday, March 10.