Optimizing crop yields depends crucially on this minute aspect
Cherry Picking Secrets
By: Oskar Jaume
The Truth Behind Successful Cherry Harvesting
If you want your cherries to be the best they can be, pay attention to the time of day. Early morning can make all the difference in quality and shelf life.
Hobby gardeners tend to rely on calendars for cherry harvesting timing, but there's an essential factor often missed: the time of day you pick those cherries. When to pluck them is a delicate balancing act between recognizing ripeness and perfect timing.
Optimizing Your Cherry Picking: Pick 'Em Slick in the AM
The ideal time to harvest cherries is in the wee hours of morning. At this time, the fruits are cool, dry, and perfectly crisp. The skin stays firm, the flesh remains crisp, and they come off the tree effortlessly. Snatching up cherries in the early hours prevents them from softening due to the scorching noon sun.
Avoid plucking cherries during peak sunlight or after rain. Wet fruits are susceptible to spoilage and rot. A dry, cool dewy morning promises the perfect harvesting climate. Cooler temperatures extend cherries' shelf lives and keep them fresh-tasting longer. If you're tending to your zucchinis as well, remember: it's all about that cool, crisp picking.
Cherry Harvesting Tips
proper tools are the cherry on top of your harvest. Opt for sharp scissors, a suitable picking basket, and a sturdy ladder for tall trees. Snip each cherry individually, always with the stem intact, to minimize fungal and bacterial infections. Use the pruning technique, cutting the stems off rather than tugging them.
Bonus Cherry Harvesting Hints:
• Sweet cherries: June to August (yellow, red, or dark red)• Sour cherries: July and August (dark red to black-red)• Cherries on the sun-drenched side ripen earlier• Remove unsightly, overripe fruits immediately• Shun fruit pickers - they can damage delicate cherries• Storage: 1-7°C for a maxiodf three days
After snipping those cherries, process them promptly. They'll stay fresh in the refrigerator or cellar for up to three days. Sweet cherries should be ripe, possess that final hue, and pop off the stem with ease. Cozy up with cherries for cakes, compote, jam, or gobble them right out of the bowl. Watch out for other tasty fruit combos with tomatoes and cucumbers if you're growing cherries in your patch.
Bonus Reading
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- To ensure the best quality and shelf life of cherry harvest, try picking them early in the morning when they are cool, dry, and crisp.
- For a successful cherry harvest, consider adjusting your gardening schedule to prioritize early morning picking, taking into account the lifestyle aspect of enjoying the garden in the cooler hours.
