Harvesting fresh cherries from your own tree offers a unique flavor experience that store-bought fruit rarely matches. Picking at home allows for precise timing, ensuring maximum sweetness and quality. To maximize your yield and ensure the health of the tree for future seasons, specific techniques must be followed. This guide provides the steps necessary to harvest cherries correctly, from identifying ripeness to proper handling after they leave the branch.
Determining Peak Ripeness
Ripeness is determined by color saturation, which indicates the maximum accumulation of sugars and flavor compounds. Do not rely solely on the first blush of color; the fruit must achieve a deep, uniform hue across the entire surface. For red varieties like Bing, this means a dark mahogany color. Yellow-blushed varieties like Rainier require a clear, deep yellow with a pronounced red cheek.
A gentle tactile check confirms readiness, as a ripe cherry will feel firm and plump, not soft or mushy. The stem should be green and pliable, not brittle or brown, indicating recent nutrient flow. Sweet cherries are picked when fully ripe for immediate consumption, maximizing their Brix level (sugar content).
Conversely, sour or tart cherries, such as Montmorency, are harvested when slightly less intensely colored, typically a deep red but not mahogany. They are picked slightly earlier because they are destined for processing, where their high acidity is preferred. The goal is to harvest all cherries in a cluster at the same time, which may require waiting until the last few fruits have fully colored.
Essential Tools and Preparation
Reaching higher branches requires a sturdy ladder, preferably a tripod orchard ladder designed for stability on uneven ground. Always position the ladder securely on solid footing and work within the center of gravity to prevent accidents or tree damage. Work slowly and methodically to avoid jarring the fruit, which can cause premature dropping.
The choice of container significantly impacts the quality of the harvest. Use shallow, wide containers, such as trays or picking buckets, rather than deep ones. This prevents the weight of the fruit from crushing the lower layers. Many professional pickers utilize specialized picking bags worn around the waist, which allow both hands to be free for harvesting.
The Proper Picking Technique
The most important rule for harvesting sweet cherries is ensuring the stem remains attached to the fruit. The stem acts as a protective seal, preventing fungal spores and moisture loss. To achieve this, hold the stem between your thumb and forefinger and gently snap it off the spur, leaving the small green cap (pedicel) intact on the cherry.
Avoid pulling directly on the cherry itself, as this tears the skin and leaves the fruit susceptible to rapid decay. Instead of pulling, use a gentle rolling or upward snapping motion at the junction of the stem and the branch. If the stem does not easily detach, use small, sharp scissors or clippers to snip the stem near the spur.
Exercise caution to avoid damaging the fruit spurs, which are the short branches responsible for producing next year’s crop. Tearing a spur off the limb significantly reduces the following season’s yield, as cherry trees produce fruit on two-year-old wood. Gently place the harvested fruit into the container rather than dropping it to minimize internal bruising, which accelerates browning and softening.
For most sour cherry varieties, the technique differs because they are primarily used for cooking and processing. These cherries are often harvested without the stem, as the lack of a stem does not impact their immediate use or freezing quality. This simplifies the process, allowing for a quicker, firmer tug to remove the fruit directly from the spur.
Post-Harvest Handling and Storage
Once harvested, the immediate handling of cherries dictates their shelf life. Cherries should never be washed until the moment they are about to be consumed or processed. Washing removes the natural protective bloom on the skin and introduces moisture, which accelerates the decay process and the growth of mold.
Prompt refrigeration is necessary to halt the respiration rate of the fruit, preserving freshness and firmness. The ideal storage temperature is near 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) with high humidity, which mimics commercial cold storage conditions. Home refrigerators typically run slightly warmer, but cooling the fruit quickly is highly beneficial.
Store the fruit in a container that allows air circulation, such as an uncovered bowl or a perforated plastic bag, to prevent moisture buildup from condensation. When stored correctly in a cool, humid environment, fresh, unwashed sweet cherries with their stems intact can maintain quality for one to two weeks.