# When to harvest peaches



## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

OK, I realised this may sound like a dumb question, but here goes. This is my first year at this new property and I "inherited" a small neglected orchard. I pruned, fertilized and watered and have been rewarded with a peach tree loaded with lovely large red peaches. They are still hard, but the birds are beginning to peck at them. Are you supposed to pick peaches when they are hard and let them soften up in the house? I figured the birds would know when they are ripe but the ones they are pecking are still hard. 
BTW, I just came in from laying a net over the tree dotted with old CDs as reflectors, so hopefully the birds will go elsewhere.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I harvest fruits (including peaches) only when the abscission layer is starting to recede. That's the boundary of cells which holds the fruit on to the stem. When the layer ends the fruit is taking no more nourishment and the tree has "given its all", so to speak. 

Birds and light-fingered neighbors are my biggest barriers to picking at that perfect time. There will be occasions when you want to pick earlier in order to make sure the fruit makes it to your table and not someone else's.


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## Buffy in Dallas (May 10, 2002)

"when the abscission layer is starting to recede"

Could I get that in english? :ashamed:


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Buffy in Dallas said:


> "when the abscission layer is starting to recede"
> 
> Could I get that in english? :ashamed:


Thank you -- I was afraid to ask thinking it was one of those things everyone knows about (except me).


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Sorry. 

There's a layer of cells between the fruit and where it connects to the stem. When the plant is ready to drop the fruit it stops supplying nutrients to those cells and the cells die back. The layer "recedes". When enough of the cells have gone then the fruit can no longer cling to the stem and will fall.

I like to get the fruit when it very easily comes off the stem.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I have a book called "Textbook of Pomology" dating back to 1927 which taught me an enormous amount about fruit production. It's primarily about apples but you'll find that a lot of the principles apply across the board. 

It's part of the Rural Text-Book Series and dates back to a time when farmers needed to know more than just how to drive a tractor. That's a great series and would be a fine addition to anyone's library.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

OK -- so as I understand it when the peach comes off the tree easily it is ripe regardless of how soft it is? That makes good sense. So mine aren't ready yet even though the birds have pecked some. Wish they would hurry up! The fruit looks so delicious I want to eat it right now.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

For me it's not a matter of how soft it's going to be but rather how much sugar has gone into the fruit. I want every last bit of sunlight captured by the tree to be processed and made into something edible. 

Sometimes it will come down to a race between you and the birds, bugs, or frost. When that happens just take the hard fruits and make a jam or a chutney. Even bird-pecked fruits can be trimmed up and made into a jam. Only thing I won't turn into jam is windfall fruit.

Doesn't do you any good at all if something else eats your perfect fruit!


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Ernie said:


> Birds and light-fingered neighbors are my biggest barriers to picking at that perfect time. There will be occasions when you want to pick earlier in order to make sure the fruit makes it to your table and not someone else's.


Yep, same here. Anyone remember my thread the other day about wanting to buy my neighbors house. The old lady that owns it has been walking over and helping herself anytime she wants with my peach tree. Without asking. The other day I had to scold her cause she came over and picked a small bag full and then walked straight over to another neighbor and gave the peaches away. Well that just chapped my hide. So next day when I was working in my front garden, she came over to visit. I scolded her, but tried to be nice about. Explained to her that the small dwarf peach tree is the only peach tree we have and that we want the peaches for ourselves to make jam and jelly with. 

She hasn't been back around since. May not get to buy her house after all!


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Well, you were about to enter into a complex business deal with her. That sack of peaches may have just saved you a small fortune in bad experience.

A neighbor who won't respect the small things won't respect the big things, I always say.


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## HollyHocks (May 17, 2010)

Iv been wondering the same thing actually, we have a peach tree but we are from Indiana so ours are still very immature. I have no idea when they ripen this far north but I hope it will be by the end of the month.


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## Jan in CO (May 10, 2002)

A long time orchardist told my mother that 'peaches will not get one bit sweeter than when they are picked' so not to pick them too green. They will soften, but not get any sweeter. I can't swear this is true, but sounds logical. Jan in Co


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