North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Tim Inman" <Tim@historicinteriors.com>]

> I'm sure it would be best if picked fully tree-ripened, but I doubt
> much will be left if I wait for that.  I find pits under the tree
> pretty regularly even with unripe fruit, and I'm over-run with
> chipmunks, squirrels, crows, deer, and lots of other stuff that no
> doubt would enjoy ripe apricots, too.  I'll leave some to see if I can
> get some ripe, put if I can pick some earlier, it's probably worth it.
>
> When might I start picking some?  What do you look for?
>
> Thanks,
> Ginda
> eastern MA, zone 6

Ginda:

I would start picking a few right now.  Take them inside and see if they 
ripen well on the table.  What have you got to lose?  Part of the fun is 
finding out how soon you can begin enjoying!

Twist, don't squeeze or pull the apricots.  If they come off the limb with a 
slight twisting effort, you know they are ripe.  If you have to really give 
'em a turn, they are still green, but maybe they'll ripen OK anyway.  It can 
go both ways.

Our Sungold apricots were picked a little early for the same reasons you 
mention.  (Orioles are only nice on calendar pictures.  They were boring 
holes in our apricots!) They ripened just fine on the table.  It only took a 
couple of days and we had super delicious ripe sweet apricots.  Last year, 
our Elberta peach was being blown clean of nearly ripe peaches during a 
storm.  It was either pick them green, or let the wind throw them to the 
ground for us.  So, we picked big red, almost ripe, Elbertas.  They 
proceeded to just shrivel up on the table and never did ripen.  It was a 
total loss - but we learned from it through our tears.

Good luck!

Tim Inman