At first glance, this seems incredible: hundreds of flowering strawberry plants and long rows of red berries in greenhouses in mid-October. The owner Ilmars Gulbis did not heat the greenhouses in Laidi even in those days when the temperature dropped below zero, but the strawberries did not suffer from this.

“This is the first time we grow strawberries so late in the fall,” says Gulbis. He does not hide the fact that he was looking for a variety that gives such a late harvest for four years, and this year he finally found it.

“At first I was afraid that the berries would not have a good enough taste and aroma, but I was pleasantly surprised by the strength and size of the berries.” The owner has no doubt that the plants will bear fruit for at least one more month, but adds that it all depends on the weather.

For berries, one sunny day a week is enough for strawberries to get everything they need. Gulbis sees the future potential for growing strawberries in Latvia. This year the season began already in April, but then it was still experimental.

Next year, the owner hopes to make a good amount of money, but admits that some aspects have not yet been verified, since the darkest time of the year is approaching.

October is an ideal time for fresh strawberries to appear on the market, as there are many other berries in the second half of summer, the producer explains. He noticed that until mid-September the demand for strawberries is small, but in cool weather people really want fresh berries.

The owner admits that he has still made some mistakes and is constantly studying, trying to find the best solutions. It took a lot of effort to understand how to increase the variety, but now it is clear that strawberries can be grown in Latvia in the fall.

The name of the late variety, which gives sweet fragrant berries in the fall, is currently a trade secret. Time will tell if these growing methods are justified.