I have been very happy with how all the fruit did this year - mostly because I was able to avoid mangling them too badly while learning to prune this spring. The cherries were excellent earlier this summer, as were the raspberries (even though many were eaten by deer) and blueberries. We have been eating the blackberries that line our property for a few weeks now, including a pie and cobbler!
Here's what I picked yesterday to test ripeness. The Asian pears (upper left) are ripe and very good, the apples are not quite ready, and the Bartlett's are mature and very good after a few days ripening. On apples and asian pears, a change in "background" color from green to gold and a slight give when a thumb is lightly pressed into the fruit indicate ripeness. Bartlett's are tougher, as they are picked "mature" but not "ripe". If any on the tree start to go yellow even in the slightest, then the others that are still green are likely ready to be picked. We ate one last nigth that I picked last week - it was delicious.
Italian plums (probably). Good for cooking, good fresh, and good to give away!
Gala apples are small. I should have thinned the fruit so the remaining could grow larger. These are not quite ready.
Walnuts. I have no idea when these are ready (or how this strange fruit becomes a walnut).
Hazelnuts are starting to color up. We have 3 nice big filbert trees out front - should have lots of hazelnuts so I'll have to read up on how and when to harvest nuts.
Here's what I picked yesterday to test ripeness. The Asian pears (upper left) are ripe and very good, the apples are not quite ready, and the Bartlett's are mature and very good after a few days ripening. On apples and asian pears, a change in "background" color from green to gold and a slight give when a thumb is lightly pressed into the fruit indicate ripeness. Bartlett's are tougher, as they are picked "mature" but not "ripe". If any on the tree start to go yellow even in the slightest, then the others that are still green are likely ready to be picked. We ate one last nigth that I picked last week - it was delicious.
Italian plums (probably). Good for cooking, good fresh, and good to give away!
Gala apples are small. I should have thinned the fruit so the remaining could grow larger. These are not quite ready.
Walnuts. I have no idea when these are ready (or how this strange fruit becomes a walnut).
Hazelnuts are starting to color up. We have 3 nice big filbert trees out front - should have lots of hazelnuts so I'll have to read up on how and when to harvest nuts.
5 comments:
wow, everything looks so nice! I think I'm just going to come live in your yard and graze all day.
I had no idea you had such a variety of fruit and nut trees. And your fruit looks so perfect. The majority of ours are not pretty like yours - nice job taking pics of the lovely ones only!
Has there always been a pigeon barn at the Puyallup Fair? Mike and I rode our bikes around inside the fairgrounds tonight and I saw it. Gevan, do you have any entries?
Sorry you'll probably have to spend hours there when you go to the Fair, Em. Though maybe you'll find a wedding variety (some that can fly normally).
Ty-boy
A buddy of mine at work studies fruit trees seriously. He says for pears, gently turn the fruit 90 degrees and if it comes off, take to counter and give about 2 days and voila - good to go.
As for the walnuts and hazlenuts - both will fall off the tree when ready and you can pick up (if you beat the squirrels to them) and spread on your shop floor to air dry and cure.
At least, that's what I'd do if I had nut trees that produced! (Well, my black walnut does, but man, those are tough nuts to crack, literally.).
This isn't really a comment on this post but I wanted to let you know I just fed your "fish"... A LOT!
Oh no! I've been feeding them too. I'm glad you said something. We should work out a feeding schedule so we don't kill them.
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