How to ripen green peaches at home
Peach is a very aromatic and tasty fruit, so in the summer it fills not only the shelves of markets and shops, but also Russian gardens. It often happens that in appearance the fruit is ready for consumption - it shimmers with red-yellow flowers and is covered with a velvety peel. But in fact, it is still unripe: the flesh is hard, without a pronounced aroma and taste. In the article we will answer the questions of what to do with hard peaches and whether the fruits picked from the tree ripen.
Can peaches picked from a tree ripen at home?
If the fruit looks ripe but is hard inside, you can hold it at home to speed up ripening. The same is true with green fruits..
These can be not only garden fruits, but also fruits from the market or store. The main thing is to know simple ways by which an unripe peach will turn into juicy and sweet. The most common of them is using a paper bag or a napkin made of natural linen fabric.
Important! Any fruit will ripen only at room temperature.
How to ripen peaches at home
Delicious and sweet peaches - an essential attribute of summer. The fruits are eaten fresh or made into jams and compotes.
If the fruits are not yet ripe enough or completely green, the following ripening methods are recommended.
Green peaches in a paper bag
Popular ripening method — put the fruits in paper. Craft bags for packaging or gifts are perfect for this.Thanks to the paper, the fruit naturally releases ethylene gas and does not lose moisture.
If you use a plastic bag, the peach will quickly rot. It is left in paper for 24 hours in a dry and warm place. During this time, the fruits are checked: if they smell good and become soft, then they are ready to eat.
Attention! If after 24 hours the unripe fruits remain hard, they are left for another 12-15 hours, regularly checking the degree of ripeness. After ripening, the fruit retains its taste and marketability for another 2-3 days.
Maturation with linen cloth
To ripen green peaches, it is recommended to use a linen napkin. The fruits are laid out in its center with the cuttings down so that they do not touch each other. They are covered with a second linen napkin on top so that there are no gaps.
The fruits are left in a warm and dry place for 2-3 days, checking the degree of ripeness daily. It is determined by the aroma and hardness of the fruit. One part of the peaches is eaten immediately, the other is placed in the refrigerator for longer storage.
This is interesting:
How to properly prune a peach in summer: diagrams and procedures
Methods for propagating peach by cuttings in summer: instructions and useful tips
How to determine ripeness and store correctly
The ripeness of the fruit is determined by color, degree of hardness and aroma. A ripe peach should be both soft and elastic, moderately aromatic and velvety.
Overripe fruit is pressed too hard and smells too sweet. Also, the peach should not have green or brown spots, black spots or other defects.
Attention! If the seed is dry or split, it means the fruit has been treated with chemicals and growth stimulants.
For long-term storage, peaches are placed in a refrigerator or dry basement. In the second option, the fruit is placed in a wooden box and covered with newspaper or clean cotton cloth. Before this, the fruits are not washed - the natural coating helps them last longer.
It is recommended to constantly check whether individual copies have deteriorated. When soft spots appear, it is better to use the fruits immediately for cooking. Peaches make nutritious and aromatic jam, confiture, jelly or jam.
At room temperature, the fruits last no more than 2-3 days. The paper bags mentioned above are used for storage; it is better to leave plastic for other products. It is also important to pay attention to the humidity level - it should be no more than 85%. Otherwise, the peaches will quickly spoil. The optimal temperature is 0°C.
Read also articles:
How to properly prune a peach in spring and why it is so important
How to properly prune a peach in the fall and why it is needed
Conclusion
There are several options for what you can do with unripe peaches, and all of them are simple and effective. Some place the fruits in paper bags and put them in a warm and dry place, others cover unripe or green fruits with linen napkins and leave them at 0°C for 2-3 days.
Ripe peaches are firm and moderately soft, with a pleasant light aroma and velvety skin. Also, there should be no green or black spots on the fruits. The described methods help not only peaches, but also nectarines, apricots, and apples.