When to Pick your Peaches

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August means the arrival of peach season. This post and video will help you know when to pick your peaches.

I love August! All of the summer garden bounty really starts to kick in and there is so much good stuff to eat from the garden! My favorite is fresh peaches! The arrival of mid August signals the start of peach season in our area. The earliest varieties are usually ready beginning around the 10th to 15th. When I first started growing peaches I always struggled with when to pick your peaches. I thought a post on the topic and a video might help those of you that still struggle a bit to know when to pick your peaches.

I filmed a video last week when it was time to start picking our peaches, I hope it helps!

For those of you that prefer a written description here are the 5 signs that will help you know when to pick your peaches:
Color

For most of their growing life peaches are a green/yellow color. In the last few weeks before your peaches are ready you will start to see some drastic changes in the color of your peaches (along with a big increase in size). You will start to see the color change from green to yellow then to orange. Depending on the variety you are growing that orange color will deepen and maybe even redden as the peach gets ready to pick.

As you start to see these color changes it is the first sign of when to pick your peaches.

Smell

Next you will start to notice a nice peach smell around your tree. This is very variety dependent, some trees will get a very strong peach smell, while others you may need to put your nose right up to the fruit to smell the peach flavor!

Touch

The final indicator of when to pick your peaches is touch. Before you peaches have started to ripen be sure to take a minute and feel the unripe fruit. It will be almost rock hard with not give at all to the flesh. As peaches approach their final ripeness you will start to notice the flesh "gives" to gentle pressure. Squeeze the fruit gently with your fingers and if the flesh gives and feels soft under that pressure the fruit is ready to pick. Pay particular attention to the top of the peach where it attaches to the tree. If this area is soft the peach is ready.

Birds

Birds love ripe fruit, so if you see the birds becoming interested in your tree you know the fruit is about ready. Be sure to get some Bird Netting on your tree right away to protect your fruit and start checking daily for ripeness!

Time of year

Baring some major weird weather in the spring (think extra early or extra late spring). The fruit on your peach tree should be ready about the same time each year! Our tree is ready between August 4th to at the latest the 15th, like clock work every year! So keep track of your picking date from year to year and that will give you a big indication of when to pick your peaches.


What if you mess up?

Peaches are very forgiving! If you pick them too soon and once you eat the first one it is still firm and not sweet then you can simply set your fruit out on the counter in a single layer and let them ripen! They may not be quite as sweet as the could be if allowed to ripen on the tree, but they will still turn out great!