When Should I Pick Oranges Off the Tree?

After the heady smell of citrus blossoms has long passed, and the tiny green fruits have appeared and begun to grow, an orange tree laden with golden fruit finally awaits harvest. The appropriate time for picking oranges depends on a few factors such as the variety of orange, weather, and the harvester's plans for storage of the picked fruit.

The color of an orange can be deceptive in deciding when to harvest; just because the fruit is a rich, orange color doesn't mean it's going to taste good. An orange changes color from green to various shades of orange due to a drop in temperature. Colder temperatures begin the process of removing chlorophyll from the skin, so an orange can look ready, but still be far from ripe. Still, inspect the fruit for blemishes, mold, fungus and wrinkly sections on the skin prior to harvest and leave any oranges that exhibit any of these flaws on the tree. An orange ready for harvest will smell sweet and fresh, not musty or moldy.

Depending on the variety of orange, harvesting usually takes place between late September to early spring. Most navel oranges will be ready for picking from late October to early January. Because some varieties of navel oranges are ready for picking early in the season, they may even have skins that are not fully orange. Juice-heavy Valencia oranges won't be ready for picking until some time between March and even as late as June, while Pineapple sweet oranges are ready for harvest from November to February. Look for large, thin-skinned fruit that feel heavy when hefted in your palm.

Unlike a plum or a pear, oranges will not ripen after they've been picked. They will never become sweeter or juicier with time. They will, however, continue to ripen and sweeten if left on the tree throughout the harvest season. The only way to truly know when an orange is ready for picking is to pluck one from a branch, peel it and taste it. Oranges ripen slowly, so there is no need to hurry to harvest them all at once, unless a severe frost is predicted. Begin picking fruit from lower branches, since mild to moderate freezes can damage those oranges first. Later on, pick oranges from higher up on the tree. Once picked, oranges will last longer in the fridge--about two to three weeks. Those left at room temperature will last about a week or so. Over-ripe oranges left on the tree will wither and drop to the ground. Never pick oranges with broken skin, as these will decay faster in storage, and, like one bad apple, may spread fungus to other oranges.