Knowing exactly when to pick cherries is the single most important factor for getting the best fruit from your tree. Picking cherries at their peak of ripeness ensures the best flavor, as they will not continue to sweeten after being harvested. Get the timing right, and you’ll enjoy incredible sweetness and complex flavor. Get it wrong, and the fruit can be tart, hard, or overly soft.
This guide gives you the clear, visual, and tactile clues you need to harvest perfectly. We’ll cover the signs of ripeness for different varieties, the best time of day to pick, and how to handle your precious harvest to keep it in perfect condition.
When To Pick Cherries
The primary season for harvesting cherries runs from late spring through mid-summer. Sweet cherries are typically ready before tart (sour) cherries. Your specific climate is the biggest dictator of your harvest window.
In warmer regions like California, sweet cherries can be ready as early as May. In more temperate or northern zones, you might be picking well into July or even early August. Tart cherries generally follow sweet cherries, ripening about two to three weeks later in the same location.
Remember, cherries on a single tree do not all ripen at once. You will likely need to make two to three passes over the tree, harvesting only the ripest fruit each time. This staggered harvest can last up to two weeks.
Key Indicators Of Cherry Ripeness
Color is the most reliable and obvious sign. A cherry’s final, deep color is its biggest clue. However, color alone isn’t enough. You must use a combination of senses to be certain.
Color Development
For most dark sweet cherry varieties like Bing, Chelan, or Lapins, look for a deep, mahogany red to nearly black hue. The entire cherry should be uniformly colored, with no greenish areas left, especially around the stem.
For lighter sweet cherries like Rainier or Royal Ann, look for a creamy yellow background with a solid pink to red blush. The blush should cover most of the fruit’s surface. Avoid picking these when they are still mostly greenish-yellow.
Tart cherries, such as Montmorency, turn a bright, vibrant red when fully ripe. Their color is more uniform than that of blushed sweet varieties.
Taste and Texture
The ultimate test is always taste. Sample a cherry from a few different parts of the tree. It should taste sweet and flavorful with no sharp acidity or bitterness. The flesh should be juicy and firm, yet yield slightly to gentle pressure.
Texture is crucial. An underripe cherry will be very firm and may taste bland or starchy. An overripe cherry will feel overly soft, mushy, and may have a dull, fermented flavor.
Stem and Firmness
A ripe cherry should detach easily from its stem with a gentle, upward tug. If you have to pull hard, the cherry is likely not ready. The stem should separate cleanly from the spur (the small woody bump on the tree branch), leaving the fruit with its stem intact.
Picking with the stem attached is vital. It creates a much smaller wound on the cherry, preventing rapid moisture loss and slowing the entry of decay organisms. Always leave the stem on until you are ready to eat or process the fruit.
The Best Time Of Day To Harvest Cherries
Timing your harvest within the day matters almost as much as timing it within the season. The ideal time to pick cherries is in the cool of the morning, after any dew has dried but before the heat of the day sets in.
Cherries are full of sugar and water. When they heat up in the sun, they become softer and more susceptible to bruising during handling. Cooler fruit is firmer and less likely to be damaged. Furthermore, birds are less active in the early morning, giving you first access to the ripe fruit.
Avoid picking immediately after a rain or when the fruit is wet, as the added moisture can promote mold and spoilage during storage. If you must pick later in the day, try to do it on a cloudy afternoon or as the evening cools down.
How To Pick Cherries Properly
Proper technique protects both the fruit and the tree, ensuring a good harvest for the next year. Follow these steps for the best results.
- Gently cup a cluster of cherries in your hand. Identify a fruit that looks ripe based on its full, deep color.
- Hold the stem between your thumb and forefinger, just above the cherry itself.
- Apply a slight upward twist or a gentle tug. A ripe cherry will snap off easily with its stem attached.
- Place the cherry gently into your harvesting container. Do not drop it, as this causes bruising.
- Move systematically around the tree, picking only the ripest cherries and leaving green ones for another day.
Never pull downward or yank the fruit, as this can damage the fruit spur. These spurs are where next year’s blossoms and fruit will form. Damaging them can reduce your future harvest. Also, avoid picking by the cherry itself, as this will likely separate the fruit from its stem, causing a wound.
Tools And Equipment For Harvesting
Having the right tools makes harvesting safer, easier, and more efficient, especially for tall trees.
- A sturdy, lightweight bucket or basket with a handle you can hook over your arm or a branch. Lining it with a soft towel can cushion the fruit.
- For taller trees, a fruit-picking ladder is essential for safety. Never overreach from a ladder or stand on unstable branches.
- A long-handled fruit picker with a basket and gentle tines can help you reach high branches. Gently maneuver the basket under a cluster and pull to detach the ripe cherries, which will fall into the basket.
- Wear a hat and comfortable clothing to protect yourself from the sun and tree branches.
Post-Harvest Handling And Storage
How you handle cherries after picking directly determines how long they stay fresh and tasty. The goal is to remove field heat and slow down respiration.
As soon as you finish picking, move your cherries to a cool, shaded place. Do not leave them sitting in the sun. To extend their shelf life significantly, place them in your refrigerator as soon as possible. You can store them unwashed in a shallow, vented container or a loosely sealed plastic bag for up to a week.
Always wash cherries just before you eat or use them. Washing them before refrigeration introduces moisture that can lead to mold growth. Before storing, sort through your harvest. Remove any cherries that are damaged, bruised, or have lost their stems, as these will spoil quickly and can affect nearby fruit. Use these imperfect cherries first for cooking or baking.
Common Problems And How To Avoid Them
Several issues can affect your cherry harvest. Knowing what to look for helps you take preventative action.
Birds are perhaps the biggest challenge. They often seem to know the exact day cherries ripen. The most effective solution is to cover your tree with bird netting just as the fruit begins to color. Ensure the netting is secured tightly at the trunk to prevent birds from getting underneath.
Cracking or splitting happens when cherries absorb too much water from rain or irrigation after a dry period. This causes the skin to split. While you cannot control the rain, ensuring consistent soil moisture through regular watering during dry spells can help minimize severe cracking.
Maggots inside the fruit are the larvae of the cherry fruit fly. This pest lays eggs under the skin of developing fruit. Proper management includes using insect traps to monitor for flies and applying appropriate organic or conventional insecticides at the right time, as recommended by your local extension service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Know When Cherries Are Ripe to Pick?
You know cherries are ripe by checking three things: full, deep color for the variety; a sweet, flavorful taste without tartness; and a stem that separates easily from the tree with a gentle pull. The fruit should be firm but juicy.
What Month Are Cherries Usually Ready?
Cherries are usually ready between May and August, depending heavily on your climate and the cherry type. Sweet cherries typically ripen from May to June, while tart cherries are ready from late June through July. In very warm climates, harvest can start earlier; in cooler climates, it extends later.
Do Cherries Get Sweeter After Picking?
No, cherries do not get sweeter after picking. Unlike some fruits, they do not convert starches into sugars once harvested. They only soften and eventually decay. This is why picking at peak ripeness is so critical for flavor.
Can You Pick Cherries When They Are Slightly Green?
You should not pick cherries when they are green. They will not develop proper sweetness or flavor off the tree. Green cherries will remain tart, hard, and often shrivel instead of ripening. Always wait for full color development.
How Long Does Cherry Season Last?
The cherry picking season for an individual tree typically lasts 1 to 2 weeks, as fruit ripens in stages. However, across different varieties and regions, the commercial and home-garden cherry season can span from late April to early August, offering a window of several weeks to enjoy fresh cherries.