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- From: "Naomi" <dragon-star@cableone.net>
- To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: RE: [NAFEX] late harvested sour cherries
- Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 10:09:53 -0600
Have much
West Nile in your area?
Naomi
This year, I have been able to taste the changes in
Montmorency cherries when left to hang for weeks after the normal harvest
time. Normally, robins and starlings will strip the tree in July.
This year the birds did not show up. It has been much warmer than
normal, so maybe the birds are hanging out closer to the mountains or maybe
farther north where they can stay cool. Montmorency cherries, during the
normal harvest time in July, are very sour and they are a hot sports car red
color. After hanging 3 weeks or more after the normal harvest date, the
cherries turn a translucent purplish red. The extreme tartness almost
completely mellowed-out. There is a little sweetness and lots of
slightly fruity, watery juice. When left to over-ripen, Montmorency
cheeries make an OK fresh eating cherry. I wouldn't hold a whole crop on
the tree, especially if the birds come back, but leaving a few branches for a
late harvest in August provides a fresh-eating cherry crop long after the
normal sweet cherries are done.
-Mark Lee, Seattle, zone
8a
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