When to Pick Oranges
Oranges grow on evergreen citrus trees that favor tropical and subtropical climates. Small varieties are available for container culture and indoor growing in colder climates. Oranges don't continue to ripen after they are harvested, so picking only fully mature fruits ensures best flavor and quality. Oranges develop slowly and each tree may have fruits of varying levels of development, making it more difficult to determine which fruits to pick. Does this Spark an idea?
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Harvest Season
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Oranges flower in spring but it takes the trees up to 12 months to produce ripe fruit, depending on the variety. Navel oranges take between seven and 12 months to mature, while Valencia varieties may take 15 months, according to the University of California. Navel oranges may reach maturity in as little as seven months, allowing for a fall harvest. Peak harvest typically occurs in late winter and spring. The oranges from last year's flowering may still be on the tree ripening when the tree begins flowering and setting new fruit, necessitating attention to other indications other than the harvest season to determine which fruits are mature.
Rind Color
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The color of the rind doesn't provide a consistent indication of ripeness. Though mature oranges typically have evenly orange-colored rinds, this color often develops before the oranges have matured enough for harvest. Warm weather also affects rind color, causing previously orange rinds to develop a green blush again. Checking evenly orange-colored fruits for other signs of maturity ensures you don't inadvertently harvest new green fruits, but don't depend fully on the color as an indication of maturity.
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Flavor
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Flavor provides the best indication of maturity. Generally, all oranges produced from the same flowering cycle reach harvesting stage at the same time. Picking a single fruit that appears mature from the tree and tasting it is usually sufficient for determining the ripeness of the entire crop. A mature orange has juicy yellow or orange flesh and a full citrus flavor. Fruits retain their quality for weeks if left on the tree, so waiting two or three weeks after a taste test before harvesting ensures any later developing fruits also reach maturity.
Other Indications
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Size provides a minor indication of maturity. Oranges reach their full size once mature. The fruits feel heavy for their size, while an immature fruit feels light. The oranges continue to grow in size if they are left on the tree for a short time past optimum maturity. If the oranges aren't harvested, the fruits eventually begin to dry on the tree. Dry fruits develop a rough, bumpy skin. Harvesting oranges with a smooth rind ensures you don't pick any that have dried out.
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References
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