When to Pick your Peaches

When to Pick your Peaches
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August means the arrival of peach season. This post and video will help you know when to pick your peaches.
I love August! All of the summer garden bounty really starts to kick in and there is so much good stuff to eat from the garden! My favorite is fresh peaches! The arrival of mid August signals the start of peach season in our area. The earliest varieties are usually ready beginning around the 10th to 15th. When I first started growing peaches I always struggled with when to pick your peaches. I thought a post on the topic and a video might help those of you that still struggle a bit to know when to pick your peaches.
I filmed a video last week when it was time to start picking our peaches, I hope it helps!
For those of you that prefer a written description here are the 5 signs that will help you know when to pick your peaches:
Color
For most of their growing life peaches are a green/yellow color. In the last few weeks before your peaches are ready you will start to see some drastic changes in the color of your peaches (along with a big increase in size). You will start to see the color change from green to yellow then to orange. Depending on the variety you are growing that orange color will deepen and maybe even redden as the peach gets ready to pick.
As you start to see these color changes it is the first sign of when to pick your peaches.
Smell
Next you will start to notice a nice peach smell around your tree. This is very variety dependent, some trees will get a very strong peach smell, while others you may need to put your nose right up to the fruit to smell the peach flavor!
Touch
The final indicator of when to pick your peaches is touch. Before you peaches have started to ripen be sure to take a minute and feel the unripe fruit. It will be almost rock hard with not give at all to the flesh. As peaches approach their final ripeness you will start to notice the flesh "gives" to gentle pressure. Squeeze the fruit gently with your fingers and if the flesh gives and feels soft under that pressure the fruit is ready to pick. Pay particular attention to the top of the peach where it attaches to the tree. If this area is soft the peach is ready.
Birds
Birds love ripe fruit, so if you see the birds becoming interested in your tree you know the fruit is about ready. Be sure to get some Bird Netting on your tree right away to protect your fruit and start checking daily for ripeness!
Time of year
Baring some major weird weather in the spring (think extra early or extra late spring). The fruit on your peach tree should be ready about the same time each year! Our tree is ready between August 4th to at the latest the 15th, like clock work every year! So keep track of your picking date from year to year and that will give you a big indication of when to pick your peaches.
What if you mess up?
Peaches are very forgiving! If you pick them too soon and once you eat the first one it is still firm and not sweet then you can simply set your fruit out on the counter in a single layer and let them ripen! They may not be quite as sweet as the could be if allowed to ripen on the tree, but they will still turn out great!

[@Willowsilvermoon]

Excellent info!! My tree is looking exactly like that one. I used reflective bird tape this year and not one single peach was attacked. 😊

[@manganese333]

My neighbor did this for her peach tree and it worked to keep the squirrels off.

[@sherrychowning811]

Bumper crop this year😊Our supposed to be 6 ft. tree is about 13ft. First yr. we only got 13- 2nd yr =0 3rd=bumper crop, sweet and juicy.

[@charlascovil1630]

This information was very helpful for this "newbie" to growing fruit trees. Thank you

[@NaNaM1026]

My tree has red fruit now. But seem hard still. However, some have fallen off, couple have “bird marks”… i am thinking maybe pick one or two and check ripeness. (First year with the tree)

[@stephanieoneal569]

Thank you! It’s my first year producing peaches and I have a ton! But thought it was too late for them. Looks like I will have an august harvest also 😊 great info

[@annhobrecht5693]

Excellent! Thank you for taking the time to tell me about the peaches, ripening. Now I know, happiness. 😊

[@annwieland6260]

Great straight forward information. Thank you.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You're welcome!

[@VickieCantrell-wo5ko]

Really enjoyed and learned a lot. Thank,you!

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@heatherpelaez7926]

Thank you...and today's August 8th! My tree is still in a pot so they are tiny-but we have 5 on the tree (so excited). We plan on planting in the fall.

[@jodimarvin]

Very helpful video and really like that it's five minutes.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Thanks Jodi! Keep coming back we should have a new video every Friday!!

[@jeffellermeyer4517]

I wish you might have addressed picking a bit early and letting the peaches ripen over a period of time?

[@telabyram2657]

Thank you for this great video! It was very informative!

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@miapapa1955]

Thanks for the video,very helpful.

[@prophit06]

Glad I watched this. My peaches are already ready and sweet.....In May.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Wow, you must live somewhere much warmer than us. We are just barley past the bloom stage, ours won't be ready until late August.

[@prophit06]

@@StoneyAcresGardening Yeah. It's a baby still. First harvest and they are good. We have been having good rain and good sun this spring. Only thing I can think of. I only got 13 peaches on it. Didn't prune during winter last year.

[@michaelmurphy259]

@@StoneyAcresGardening what part of the country are you in?

[@michaelmurphy259]

What part of the country?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

@@michaelmurphy259 We are just south of salt lake city Utah.

[@evannicol5548]

Great advice and keep up the great work. Just bought two red Haven peach trees. Planting them this September. Looking forward to 2023 harvest already 🙂

[@kurtreber9813]

How's your 2023 harvest?

[@evannicol5548]

@@kurtreber9813 haven't had much luck with them. Something ate them but I'll have to just keep trying. The trees are about 8 feet tall now. I'm moving so I'll have to start over and get some new trees. Thanks for checking in and hope all is going well.

[@ginnymills4057]

Sorry, I forgot yo tell you I am zone 9. Know when we bought field lugs from growers it was August some times late and canned in one day but this is my first year and it is LOADED. Thank you for the help.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

All good

[@LindaHavens-in9jm]

Very helpful! Thank you!

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sandytmobile4467]

Hello from Oregon, my daughter has a peach tree and we didn't know when to pick we were very happy to know there ready and smell so different than a store and taste wonderful. Thanks for the help.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You are welcome!

[@russellsmejkal304]

My squirrels had eaten 99.9% of my peaches way before they ware ready out of a 100 on a small tree I have 3 left they they jest didn’t see lol. But hopefully I can pick them at the right time to enjoy them

[@user-dm1tv6nl2e]

Time to set some traps!

[@dustinathearn8808]

Same exact thing happened to mine this year. All but 3 have been eaten only after putting up netting all around the tree.

[@brishelle1659]

Amazing video.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@gordo3582]

Thanks for those tips! My peach tree seems to get so heavy the branches break even when I prop them up. I guess I need to thin them more...

[@rcsouth]

Thank you.

[@lexilynnlee]

Thank you!! This was super helpful!!!

[@catfisher420]

Second year my tree is priducing fruit and there are so many it is trying to break my tree. Ive pulled nearly 30 peaches already to take some weight off the branches. I have hundreds of peaches on my tree.

[@LadyDi4]

Thanks

[@LauraMcBride-p1x]

Very helpful!!

[@Littledj1115]

It was really helpful😊

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Glad it helped!

[@116AuroraDrive]

# Peach Picking!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Sultanalex20120303]

Thanks for this very informative video. I have two questions: 1) How to deal with wasps who start to break the skin and eat the meat of the peach already one or two weeks before the fruits are ripe. How can this be prevented with reasonable effort? 2) How to pick the ripe peaches from the tree without damaging them? The fruits are sitting directly on the branch without a significant length of the stem. You can say the branch is lying in a groove on the surface of the fruit. The fruit does sometimes not come off the branch easily when you pull. And you cannot turn or twist the fruit as the branch will damage the skin of the peach.

[@coolpf]

I'm watching August 8th 2021.... Eating a peach... I think I'll wait 2 more days

[@jl6086]

Got kniw right one to pick

[@moniquelynwone8228]

Great video thank you 🥰

[@sherryfingerlin7595]

Good job. TY

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

The wind just blew all the peaches off my tree but they're still green/yellow/ tiny bit red colour.

[@nanaof6babies]

Thank you, I believe mine are ready :) Last year we had a late frost and I got TWO! This year there are lots.

[@keriiibeee5198]

Thank you! Very informative. Last year was my first year my tree grew peaches and I was a little late to pick them. They were way too ripe and I had to eat them within 2 days. Most of them fell on the ground. So this year I've been watching them very closely. I'm pretty sure they are ready but I'm going to give them 1 more day just to be sure.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@RachelAshworth-jl8ic]

Helpful, thank you! Any advice for identifying which type of peach tree? We moved to a home with two trees.. they ripen up red (like the video) but don’t get as large.

[@dmitryioffik2039]

Hi, thanks for the info. I have dwarf Honey baby peach tree, that gives delicious fruit. First three years of fruiting took me to get to the same principles when to pick them, but last three years I am not getting even close to this stage. I loose all my harvest to brown rot. I tried many strategies but with no success. If you familiar with the problem could you please advise something?

[@tajkhan8613]

Good advice

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Glad you think so!

[@BeccaL2016]

I feel like if I wait for orange or red all mature all peace’s are gone :(

[@wixomh20]

Thank you. This is our first harvest. So very helpful. Do we need to prune the tree this year? How long will peaches last after picking. Should they be stored in fridge.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Peach trees are pruned in the early spring or late winter, before they leaf out. Fresh peaches will last for a week or so. Putting them in the fridge will add a few days, but they don't last too long so eat them quickly or get them preserved.

[@jasonscheler1904]

@@StoneyAcresGardening . Thank you for answering. What is the best way to prune? I.e. how far back? Should we cut low branches? etc.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

@@jasonscheler1904 I did a video on that earlier this year. Here's the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2GlkKdriMyAlbs

[@hawaiiflex]

When you pick the fruit, should you leave it sitting out on your counter for a few days to ripen and will it ripen off of the tree as well or once you pick it from the tree is that it?

[@normaforsyth7950]

Im always in competition with the deer. Last year they ate EVERY peach. Question. If you pick any a little to early, will they ripen later like avacados?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Yes, but they will not taste nearly as good if they don't ripen on the tree.

[@jenniferstrickland3107]

I have what I believe to be a dwarf peach tree like yours in its third year. Never had a peach tree before so I didn’t know to prune it before it budded this year. It’s pretty covered in peaches, but not quite all red like that, though they are turning. I chased some squirrels from it today, but when I went to pick some, most are still not ready. Any tips on keeping squirrels and birds at bay?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

A big piece of bird netting will keep the birds out and if you can figure out how to close it up at the bottom it should help with the squirrels too. But squirrels are a lot harder to deal with for sure. Consider getting an outdoor dog!

[@maryaevins547]

Hi. Love your video. I'm a 67 year old woman and it's My first time growing a peach tree, it's a red haven and been in ground about 18 months.. I'm in SC w/ temps in the upper 90's- lower 100's. My little tree about 2 feet tall, after I pruned, only made 2 peaches this, it's 1st year. But they look nice. Do I wait until they are Red to pick? Any info on my little tree?

[@ChangeInLifestyle]

This is our second harvest, we’re trying to do things a little better. Once we pick our peaches what do we need to do to prepare our tree? Does your blog give directions or suggestions?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You will need to prune it, but not until late winter. I have a video on pruning here on KZbin.

[@ChangeInLifestyle]

ourstoneyacres thanks!

[@lonnieanderson4408]

What do you do with the peaches to prolong their ripening. I am putting then into the frig to slow the ripening.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You can pick them before they are ripe and let them ripen on the counter top. But they won't taste as good. In my opinion you just need to pick them when they are ripe on the tree, that is when they are at their peak of quality and flavor. If you let them ripen off the tree they won't be as sweet. Just pick them when they are ripe and eat them up quickly or get them canned or frozen.

[@kimconklin9832]

I have a 3 year old peach tree, never fertilized, in the fall what do you use? Copper?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I don't fertilize by trees. I just take care of the soil with compost.

[@adamdozier9578]

I've got one tree that's a year older than the other. 2nd tree produced 6 peaches. 1st one nothing. They're about 3 and 4 years old. What am I doing wrong? I know this isn't a lot of information. I'm in Northwest Indiana.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Just a few peaches is what I would expect from a 3 year old tree, but the 4 year old should be doing better. Any possibility that the flowers were frozen when the tree was in bloom? That is the most likely issue.

[@garycannon3515]

What exactly does one do w /peaches once they pick them; I mean to help them keep good for awhile

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Fresh peaches only last for about a week or so. Keeping them in the fridge would help a little. But for the most part you will either need to eat them up, or freeze or can them within about a week of picking.

[@roxannewiley7441]

When and with what kinds of sprays do you treat your peach tree?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I grow organically so I don't use any sprays. We do cover the fruit with Oganza bags to help minimize pest damage some years, but many years we jut go without any protection.

[@roxannewiley7441]

Thank you for your reply. Last year I moved to a house with a peach tree. The peaches were huge as well as flawless. This year many are dimpled and have some pests. I assumed the former owners must have sprayed....

[@emilyjohnsonTLHLA]

I'm in Los Angeles and I get the sweetest peaches! Yellow flesh, rich colored skin. They are usually ripe in MAY! I call them Mother's Day peaches. Would you have any idea what kind they actually are?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I'm sorry no I can't help with that. But boy it is amazing the difference in growing areas. Our peaches aren't ready till August, we could still have a killing frost on mothers day.

[@emilyjohnsonTLHLA]

@@StoneyAcresGardening I know right? My blossoms come out in late December! They are just falling off now. Thanks for the informative video.

[@jbudney2000]

I have a small peach tree as well. It was supposed to be a dwarf, but it's a little bigger than a dwarf. All the same, we have a beautiful tree full of peaches this year. One branch broke, so I had to remove all the peaches from that branch. They are yellow but still on the green side. Will they ripen at all? If they are less flavorful, I suppose I can always freeze or can them.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

It really depends on how far along they were. You can always let them sit for a while and see what happens. If they do ripen you are right, they won't be as tasty.

[@pearllucas452]

My peach tree is overloaded and red but still hard. I’m here in NC and a newbie growing fruit trees so not sure whether to pick some or leave till completely ripen. Thanks for your help.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You are welcome!

[@juancontreras1728]

Pick them before the birds get them!

[@marshamartel5350]

It looks like my Peach tree is leaning. Is there something I can do? Thanks

[@salmarin163]

thank you..

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You're Welcome!!

[@dustinathearn8808]

What if half the peach is red and soft and the other half is yellow and hard?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Sometimes tou just get that one fruit that ripens weird. You can always pick it and let it ripen on the counter.

[@peterkarangu8899]

Hallo hallo brother my question about peaches 🍑 farming distance from one trees to another please

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I'm the wrong person to ask about that if you are farming peaches. My experience is in small scale backyard gardens not farms and the recommendations would be different.

[@baheejahfareed7211]

I have peaches of all levels of maturity and want to know when to pick them. My dark peach colored ones are not yet softening but their color looks ready. Also why are so many of my peaches on the ground already? Many look eaten off of. Do you think animals are knocking them down to eat them and what should I do about that? I want a good amount for my family to enjoy when they are ready to pick. Seems like something else is getting first pick LOL

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

It could easily be a bird, squirrel or other critter "picking" the fruit early. If the tree is small enough you could try covering it with bird netting. Another option would be picking early yourself. If they are close you could pick them and let them finish ripening on the counter top. They won't taste quite as good as tree ripened, but at least you would have them!! Good luck!

[@edfelixpuerto7168]

Hello sir, what is the different apple and peach, they look desame. Im not pamiliar of peach only apple.tu

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Two very different plants. You must live somewhere that peaches don't grow. Spend some time on google and that will help you know the difference.

[@mrs.irmaivette9275]

Hello!! I have a peach tree disnt know till we love fin our new home and im wondering if it’s time or not? Is there a way to send you a video? Thx very helpful

[@shirleydavis6050]

What and when do I spray my peach trees to avoid worms ruining them .

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

It totally depends on where you live. I would suggest that you look up your local extension agency, they will usually give spraying dates for your area. You could also consider bagging them, to keep the worms out.

[@ktt34341]

Great video! This is our first year getting ready to harvest. In the past few years...the deer beat us to it. Any suggestions on how to keep them away?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Fences, Those motion detector sprinklers or possibly bird netting might keep them away. Or if you have a dog or can borrow one for a few weeks.

[@beachXguy]

Good info for a rookie gardner! My first crop...so I’m going by feel and smell Some of the peaches are falling off themselves Does this mean they’re ready? Thanks from California SF bay area

[@michellecochran2064]

Thank you! The first time I got a tree full of peaches was in 2021. I didn’t know when to pick them. My husband rode by the tree, and the tractor bumped it, and peaches started falling off. They were overripe, and I had to can quickly! Last year in 2022 we did not get any peaches this year. Her peach tree was so loaded. We had to fill it out a lot. Now I know to keep an eye on them before they get too ripe. I live in lowlier norther Michigan in Au Gres. Is it normal for a peach tree to only get fruit every other year?

[@kurtreber9813]

I'm in Northern Virginia with 2 peach trees.The 9lder one has been giving me 15 or so peaches every year and the youngerone just started producing this year. Interestingly, the younger one gave me 20 small peeaches but the old e r one 9nly THREE. ILL be looking forward to see if the older one resumes producing historic amounts next year.

[@eunique4819]

I’m in Ohio. 2 years ago, tons of peaches. Last year nothing. This year tons of peaches. I do remember that we had a late frost last year, so that might be the reason. But one of the farmers here told me it’s common to get them every other year.

[@michellecochran2064]

@@eunique4819 thank you, yes that’s exactly what has happened here. A few days ago one of my branches broke 😢 It was a higher branch that I didn’t thin out and it got too heavy. I picked all the peaches and laid them out on a table in my house to see if they will ripen. They are kind of small. There are still a ton on my tree. Any day now I should be picking them!

[@galaxystarsflower2604]

Can u grow peach in tropical climate?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I don't have any experience with that, but from what I've read it is pretty hard to do.

[@ThomasBuchheit-v1v]

What is wrong with my tree the peaches never get soft and bigger than a walnut

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Did you thin your fruit? There might just be too much fruit load on the tree.

[@shannonfoster5323]

Help my places are rope and I have to donate them in a 8 days...how to save them

[@ginnymills4057]

I picked some of the peaches but they were a good color but hard, will peaches ripen off the tree?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Yes, they won't be quite as sweet, but they will ripen on your counter.

[@mjholmes7757]

what can be done to a peach tree damaged by a mower? I tried taping pieces of bark but could not cover all the damage? Thank you.

[@mardelbackes3773]

Does this apply to white peaches?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I've never grown white peaches so I'm not 100% sure, but I would think so.

[@mkevind]

Thanks for the info. What zone are you in?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

We are Zone 6 b, so we aren't harvesting peaches until August.

[@mkevind]

ourstoneyacres thanks, I’m in 7A. Wife is getting a little anxious.

[@heatherskelton3081]

Which peach trees produce earliest in the season? And which ones produce later in the season?

[@gwenlee1500]

I have a nectarine and peach combo tree. The nectarines ripen much earlier so after I pick them, the tree starts leaning toward the heavy peach branches. Is there anything I can do to stop the tree from falling?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You could try bracing the peach branches with some boards to take some of the weight off.

[@gwenlee1500]

ourstoneyacres thanks! Great channel!

[@gcgopro6912]

How often do you spray and with what?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I don't spray, we are organic growers so we just kinda let nature happen. We do bag our apples, but our peaches do fine without any issues.

[@josephfarrugia4460]

If i pick it a little before as im still learning, can i leave it inside to ripe?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Yes they will ripen. But they won't be as sweet as they could be if they ripen on the tree.

[@johngarcia1457]

I am having problem with Invaders inside my fruit I have caught some worms and some type of virus dark inside

[@jenvaltierra8003]

My first peach harvest is upon us. a couple of the peaches look to have a little sugary crystallization on the skin. Is that the juice pushing through?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Yes, most likely caused by some type of damage, insect, bird, wind. Something that caused a very small punture in the skin. Shouldn't be a big deal. If there is a bad spot underneath just cut it off and eat the rest of the fruit.

[@paulsigmon7263]

How do you keep the WASP off your peaches

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Interesting, I've never had a problem with Wasp on my peaches. It must be a local species in your area. Have you tried those traps? Destroying the nests would help too.

[@paulsigmon7263]

@@StoneyAcresGardening I haven't tried anything yet except I keep a net bag over a few of the limbs to try and keep some peaches from getting inhabited. The wasps lay eggs in the peaches around the time they are starting to get ripe. It's disappointing, my peaches look great, but they get ugly overnight from the wasps ever year.

[@pamelaaustin8417]

I have a problem with ant's eating my peaches

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Interesting. Are you sure the ants are causing the problem? I've never had ants bother my fruit, unless first a bird pecks at the fruit causing damage that the ants then take advantage of.

[@pamelaaustin8417]

@@StoneyAcresGardening yeah it's the ant's there little spots on the peaches and when you cut it open it's full of tiny little black ants

[@SanitysVoid]

By time mine are ready to pick the WASPS are ruining them.

[@shalshah]

You are not supposed to pick the fruit when it is ripe. Birds, insects and deer will get to them before you. Let them turn yellow and pick them off. Let em get ripe in a brown bag .

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I have to say that I disagree! The longer you can keep them on the tree the sweeter the fruit will be, they are never as good if you let them ripen off the tree.

[@shalshah]

@@StoneyAcresGardening probably, but can never get to that point cause the window to pick them is extremely small. The minute they get ripe, the animals arrive.

[@ziongamer2919]

@@shalshah What we do for our peachtrees is get tiny bags made to cover peaches and put them around the peaches which stops animals from getting to them. They’re not too expensive bought 100 of them for 10$

[@joestraw12]

Eliminate half of your words, maybe 3/4.

[@smadd11]

Ignorant comment … go away

[@joestraw12]

Rambling.