How to Remove Fruit From Peach Trees

Nothing tastes better than a fresh peach picked right off the tree during prime harvesting time. Peaches ripen at different times depending on their location--in the south, peaches ripen from late June through July; in the north, peaches taste best in July and August. Whether you own peach trees or plan to pick peaches at a local farm, knowing how to choose the best peaches and get them off the tree means you'll be rewarded with fresh, juicy fruit well worth the time and effort.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Containers
• Ladder

1. Look for peaches without a green tinge near the stem. If the peach still looks green, the fruit needs to stay on the tree until it reaches full maturity.

2. Gently pull on a peach without a green tinge to see if it easily pulls off of the stem. If the pull seems tight, the peach is not yet ready to be picked and needs to be left on the tree. If the peach starts to pull away off the stem, the fruit is ready to be picked.

3. Smell the peach--if it smells fruity, the peach is in its prime and ready to be harvested.

4. Pretend you're handling eggs when picking peaches. Since they bruise easily, gently twist the fruit off the stem using the sides of your fingers--not your fingertips. Then, carefully place the peach in your container.

5. Immediately refrigerate, use or can any soft peaches you pick as they only last a few days once they're ripe.

Tips & Warnings

• Use shallow containers with 3- to 4-inch tall sides to hold your peaches to avoid bruises on the bottom fruit caused by heaping the fruit too high.
• Do not squeeze peaches as they bruise very quickly. Don't assume red-tinged peaches need to be picked--the red color comes from sun exposure, so it's not an indicator of ripeness.

References

• Pick Your Own Peaches

Resources

• All About Peaches