Cherries are among the first stone fruits to appear in the summer. Their quality depends entirely on being harvested at the moment of peak ripeness because, unlike many other fruits, cherries are non-climacteric. This means they do not continue to ripen or sweeten after they are picked from the tree. This characteristic makes precise timing necessary for achieving maximum sugar content and full flavor profile. The successful harvest hinges on identifying this brief window of perfection.
General Harvest Timing by Cherry Type
The cherry harvest season is notably short, generally spanning from late spring to mid-summer. The exact timing is determined by the specific variety and growing region. Sweet cherries, such as the popular Bing and Rainier, are typically the first to reach maturity. In the earliest growing regions, like California, the sweet cherry harvest can begin in late April or May, with the peak season shifting northward through the Pacific Northwest and into July.
Tart or sour cherries, primarily the Montmorency variety used for baking and processing, usually follow the sweet cherry harvest. These cherries typically ripen in a slightly later window, with their main harvest occurring from late June through July, sometimes extending into early August in major producing areas like Michigan. The difference in timing between the two types ensures a continuous, albeit brief, supply of fresh cherries throughout the summer.
How to Identify Peak Ripeness
Determining a cherry’s readiness requires attention to several physical and sensory indicators. Color is the most visible cue; dark sweet varieties like Bing should display a deep mahogany color. Rainier cherries are ripe when their skin shows a golden-yellow hue with a red blush. Uniform color saturation indicates that the internal sugar content has maximized, which occurs significantly in the last few days of ripening.
The texture of a ripe cherry should be firm and plump, yielding only slightly to gentle pressure. A soft or wrinkled fruit is past its prime. The most reliable test for a sweet cherry is a taste test, which should reveal a balance of sugar and a pleasant hint of acidity. Optimal flavor acceptance often corresponds to a minimum soluble solids content (Brix) of around 17%. For sweet cherries intended for fresh eating and longer storage, they should be picked with the stem intact to minimize damage and extend shelf life.
Tart cherries have a distinctive physical indicator: they will detach easily from the stem when gently pulled. This characteristic, known as the “stem-pull force,” signals their readiness for harvest. When harvesting either type, care must be taken to pull the fruit directly from the stem attachment point. This avoids damage to the woody fruit spur on the branch, which produces next year’s crop.
Environmental Factors Affecting the Schedule
The harvest schedule is subject to yearly variations based on local climate conditions, primarily temperature and rainfall. Sweet cherry trees require a specific number of “chill hours” during winter dormancy to ensure uniform bud break and consistent ripening. Insufficient winter chill accumulation can cause flowering and fruit development to be delayed or uneven across the tree. This leads to a fragmented and less predictable harvest window.
Conversely, a period of unseasonably warm weather in early spring can accelerate the bloom cycle, shifting the harvest date earlier. This acceleration carries the risk of early flowering. This makes the delicate blossoms vulnerable to a late-season frost, which can severely reduce the final yield.
Excessive rainfall near or during the final stage of ripening poses a significant threat, as it can cause the fruit to split and become unsalable. This occurs due to the cherry’s high osmotic potential, which causes the fruit to rapidly absorb water through its skin. This absorption increases internal turgor pressure until the skin cracks. Rain-induced cracking can be exacerbated by high temperatures or irregular water supply to the tree.