Giant Strawberries Too Big to Fit in Your Mouth Are Heading to UK Supermarkets

• EXPLORE FURTHER: Weather specialists uncover the dishes we'll be enjoying at dinnertime down under in years to come.

They are an iconic feature of the Great British summertime – and they are becoming much larger.

Experts have disclosed that large strawberries will be arriving at UK supermarket shelves very shortly.

The 'whoppers' are exceptionally large, making it impossible to fit them in your mouth – however, they haven’t undergone genetic modification.

Actually, an exceptionally warm and arid British spring has led the berries to expand to almost double their usual size – precisely when they were needed. Wimbledon .

The Summer Berry Company, a strawberry farm located near Chichester in West Sussex, provides produce to prominent retailers, including Tesco , Sainsbury’s, and Marks & Spencer .

Bartosz Pinkosz, the operations director at the farm, mentioned that in his 20 years of experience, he has 'never witnessed a harvest yield such large berries so consistently.'

"Some can grow quite large—reaching the size of plums or even kiwi fruits," he explained. Guardian .

'We have had an ideal beginning to the strawberry season.'

Typically, strawberries — which come from the Fragaria plant — require ample sunshine and a dry environment to flourish.

They require between six to eight hours of sunlight daily—which makes them quite rare from British growers during winter—along with cool nights for optimal growth.

Colder evenings enable strawberry plants to channel the daylight energy they've absorbed into generating higher amounts of natural sugars, as stated by British Berry Growers.

Even though larger strawberries aren’t always more flavorful, the recent weather with its mix of sunny days and chilly nights has been ideal for the crop.

Following a lackluster and chilly March, a warm spring enabled plants to grow robust root systems, Mr Pinkosz noted.

"We experienced the gloomiest January and February since the 1970s, but then we had the sunniest March and April since 1910," he stated.

The grower believes that the strawberries cultivated at Summer Berry Company are anywhere from 10 percent to 20 percent bigger than normal.

The 'giants' tip the scales at around 50g, whereas the typical weight is 30g. So even though they aren’t exactly double in size, you might still require several mouthfuls to finish eating them.

Ideal strawberry growing conditions

The best environment for cultivating strawberries comprises ample sun exposure, ideally at least 6-8 hours daily.

Chilly evenings enable strawberries to channel the daytime energy they've absorbed into generating additional natural sugars.

Nevertheless, strawberries are temperate plants that can go into 'thermal dormancy' when the temperature rises above 28°C/82.4°F during growth.

At Thermal Dormancy, strawberry plants keep growing leaves and stems but can’t produce flowers, despite having flower buds in their crowns.

Pauline Goodall, another strawberry grower in Limington, Somerset, mentioned that the unusually warm beginning of May has caused the berries to be larger than typical size.

"They're simply maturing at an astonishing pace," she mentioned. the BBC .

Nick Marston, who chairs the industry group British Berry Growers, mentioned that there's an 'average figure at play,' which means some produce might be somewhat smaller compared to others.

However, the pleasant daytime warmth combined with cooler nighttime temperatures are perfect for fruit growth," he stated to the Guardian.

"We’re observing excellent dimensions, form, visual appeal, and more importantly, outstanding taste and high sugar levels — these are exactly what customers look for when purchasing British strawberries," he stated.

Marion Regan, the managing director at Hugh Lowe Farms in Kent, stated that an "exquisite spring" has resulted in a substantial strawberry harvest, noted for its ample size and exceptional sweetness.

Still, she warned that the strawberry-growing season extends till November, leaving uncertainty about how things might evolve in the coming weeks.

Strawberries are crops that thrive in cooler conditions and may cease producing fruit once the temperature goes above 28°C (82.4°F).

That's why some researchers worry that increased heat in the coming years might endanger strawberry harvests.

Last year, a University of Waterloo study discovered that strawberries might become less abundant and costlier due to increased temperatures resulting from climate change.

The study revealed that an increase in temperature by 3°F (1.6°C) might lead to a decrease in strawberry yields by as much as 40 percent.

The study authors cautioned that 'farmers urgently require new approaches to manage the impacts of climate change.'

Strawberries are not just highly sought-after fruits; they also have an extremely limited freshness period – two elements that can drive up costs when circumstances aren't ideal.

The thriving British climate provides ideal conditions for cultivating olives and apricots.

Gardeners are expanding cultivation of olives and apricots as temperatures rise as per the Royal Horticultural Society.

Moreover, it forecasts that we'll shortly start cultivating more unusual veggies like amaranth and edamame beans.

Milder winters and rainy summers associated with climate change provide UK gardeners opportunities to cultivate various new types of produce.

However, certain vegetables like celery and big sweet parsnips are losing their appeal.

The chief horticulturist, Guy Barter, stated that climate change is a 'notable aspect of our current era,' which presents both challenges and possibilities for cultivating fruits and vegetables.

He stated: "For upcoming Sunday lunches, we will continue to enjoy versatile potatoes, but you may notice an increase in sweet potato usage as well. Additionally, we can expect a wider variety of vegetables appearing in every one of our dishes and serving platters."

Read more