Who doesn’t love fruit that grows on trees? I’d imagine quite a few people but I’m going to assume that you’re not one of them because you’re reading this article. You might also just be curious about how it’s done and that’s perfectly fine too. Whatever the reason, you’re here to learn about harvesting the apples and pears that have cropped up on a nearby tree. Let’s get to it.
Pears
As you might have imagined, the rules and guidelines for harvesting pears vary depending on variety. Generally, they can be separated into two categories: European and Asian pears.
European pears should not be left to tree ripen and should be plucked when their color changes from green to a more “yellow green” but their flesh is still firm when squeezed. Picking them too late and letting them ripen on their tree will result in an unpleasant gritty texture for your fruit. Storage of your European pears should be done when they are still unripe, they can be refrigerated and tucked away for 1-3 months.
Asian pears can be left to ripen on their tree as this will allow them to develop their sweetness and flavor. Asian pears are ripe to be picked when they change from green to yellow and their flesh is firm but has some give to it when squeezed. Asian pears can also be stored for 1-3 months when unripe but their flavor is affected with the longer they’re stored.
Apples