HARVESTING “TREE-RIPE” HOME-GROWN FRUITS Originally written 1971 by D.C. Alderman of the University of California, Berkeley Adapted for Arkansas by Dustin Blakey, Sebastian County Extension Agent
Fruit Firmness
The popular ideal of a tree-ripened fruit is a fruit that has been allowed to reach optimum flavor, sugar, juiciness, texture, and color before harvest. This is a luxury that a home orchardists can enjoy since there need be no delay from the “tree to the table.”
Firmness is another useful way to estimate fruit maturity. It is particularly helpful in gauging the degree of ripeness in soft fruits like peaches, nectarines, plums, persimmons, and apricots.
Fruit maturation or ripening is an extremely involved physiochemical process. Fortunately, there are a few simple, common indicators you can use to determine when the fruit has reached the delectable stage known as “tree ripe.”
Seed Color In apples and pears, you can tell ripeness by the seed color if the ground color is not obvious. This involves cutting open the fruit to expose the seeds that are located in the center or core. If the seed coat color has turned completely brown, the remaining fruit is usually ripe enough to pick.
Skin Color Skin color—the most obvious indicator of ripeness on many fruits—can often be separated into two main parts. The most noticeable factor is the overlaying or predominant color that is commonly referred to as skin color. It is a crude method for approximating the fruit’s ripeness
The individual fruits produced on fruit plants never ripen simultaneously. Fruit at the top and on the outside of the tree tends to ripen ahead of that on the inside. Do not pick the entire crop at one time. Plan to make to or more harvests.
The other factor—ground color—is inconspicuous on most fruits, but is a fairly good indicator of properly matured fruit. On red apple varieties, for example, the ground color is visible between the red stripes and quite often shows through around the stem and blossom end. It is most evident on the shaded side of fruits.
The following table is useful as an approximate guide in judging when the fruits on your home orchard trees are ready to pick.
1
FRUIT
APPROX. HARVEST DATES
Apples, red
SKIN COLOR
GROUND COLOR
Stripes and/or blush change from dull- to brightred
Changes from green to yellow-green or yellow
Aug-Oct Apples, yellow
On certain varieties, a delicate blush overlays yellow base
Apricots
Changes from dull greenish-orange to bright yellow-orange
Jun-Jul
Turns to light yellow-green or yellow—often waxy in appearance
Changes to light yellowgreen
SEED OR PIT
Seeds should be solid, darkbrown
Figs
Jun-Aug
Jul-Oct
Not all berries ripen together
Turns from green to purplish brown, or to yellow depending on variety.
-
In most varieties, pit does not adhere to flesh when mature -
When picked, fruit should release easily from tree— stem intact Should be crisp, juicy, somewhat melting
Entire fruit yields to gentle hand pressure Flesh tender and melting Berries become soft, skin tender and easily damaged—sometimes shatter or break apart Flesh turns from greenish-white to strawberry or to amber
On dark varieties, changes to yellowish-green On light varieties changes to golden-yellow
REMARKS
Same as above Late varieties store at 3234ºF; higher temperatures shorten storage life
Changes from red to black Blackberries
FLESH TEXTURE AND/OR FIRMNESS
Fruit bend at neck and yield to gentle hand pressure
Many varieties ripen unevenly Berries release readily Best not to sample from fruit on very tip Cool A.S.A.P. after picking Pick fresh figs with stems attached Dried figs are left on the tree to partially dry; then picked, trayed and dried completely Figs must be tree-ripened
2
Nectarines and Peaches
Flesh yields to gentle hand pressure
Green changing to yellowish-cream Jun-Aug
“Spot” pick fruit as it ripens -
Depends on variety Not fully ripe until green disappears
Flesh color often yellowish with red toward pit on freestone
Cool immediately and eat soon
Juicy, good flavor Taste is best indicator Pears, Asian
Aug-Oct
If not russeted many turn yellowish-green
-
-
Jul-Sep
Harvest fruit when full size but still green in color Do not ripen fully on tree Harvest when full size
Pears, European (other varieties)
Plums
Jul-Oct
Jun-Sep
Harvest reds just as ground color shows through Color may be solid or mottled, red, dark blue or purple
Ground color still green, but shows faint tinge of yellow-green. Blossom end sometimes gets reddish tint.
Yellow-green to yellow
Seeds should be light-brown to brown
Texture is buttery, juicy, and melting
Varies, but generally similar to above
-
Firm yet yielding to gentle hand pressure Juicy and aromatic
Some times yellow or green
Firm, crisp; inclined to be tough Quince
Sep-Nov
Yellow
Usually three harvests needed
Taste is sweet
Not a dependable indicator
Pears, European (yellow varieties)
Flesh is crisp, very juicy
Bright light-yellow to yellow-green
3
Brown
Sub-acid flavor, inclined to be astringent
Serve chilled “Ripen” harvested fruit in cool place off tree (5070ºF) until ground color turns light yellow-green
Hold winter varieties at 3234ºF until ready to eat Ripen as above Does not keep long Cool immediately Taste best indicator Fruit ripens unevenly— leave on tree until fully yellow in color Can be used in jams, jellies, preserves