Woody Agriculture Weblog
The Future of The World Is Nuts!(TM)

Author: Phil Rutter Posted: 8/24/04; 12:40:05 PM Topic: Determining Ripeness; part 2 Msg #: 99 (top msg in thread) Prev/Next: 92/103 Reads: 4703

There is more to ripeness than this, of course. This may seem complex, at first; but it really isn't; it's just new. It can be second nature to you very quickly.

This cluster shows one typical pattern; the base of the husk has turned dark; often a brown/purple color, and the tips of the husks have turned a light yellow/green. This is a signal to birds and mammals that the nuts within are fully ripe and ready to eat and store; it is a signal to small growers that the nuts have actually been separated from the plant for a week or more; the nuts should have been picked before this, and that losses to birds and mice may already be very high.

However: be aware that the external appearance of the husk is NOT a reliable indicator of the ripeness of the nuts inside. The color of the nutshell, normally some variation on brown, is likewise NOT a good proof of either ripeness, or unripeness.

THE ONLY RELIABLE TEST IS THE "ABSCISSION" OF THE NUT.

I'll say it again- listen well, please:

THE ONLY RELIABLE TEST IS THE "ABSCISSION" OF THE NUT.

The only reliable test is the "abscission" of the nut; that is, when the base of the nut separates cleanly from the husk.

Ripeness, and its indicators, will be consistent within one bush; but from one bush to the next, indicators will vary.

Here is a good example; a cluster of nuts where the husk shows no signs of ripeness; no fading of green color to yellow; and no darkening of the base of the husk.

But, because it is the right time of year, and other nearby bushes ARE ripening, it is appropriate to CHECK this bush also. (It is not necessary to remove a cluster to check, it was just easier to get clear photos this way.)

Pull the husk open- this nut is a light brown all over- usually a good indicator of approaching ripeness. (BUT - some nuts will be completely ripe even though white - you should check regardless of color.) Open the husk far enough so you can push the nut sideways, hard.

The nut above, even though brown, is NOT ready to be picked- it is still tightly attached to the husk, resulting in a ragged, torn, surface where they join.

This is a different nut; you can see this one has come out of the husk completely clean; no husk bits are clinging to the connection. This means the nut is basically "done"- it is no longer taking nutrients from the plant, it is just "finishing up" the ripening process.

If you find a nut like this, it means the bush is POSSIBLY ready to pick. The "possibly" comes because there IS some difference in ripening time even within one bush. For the best results, after finding a nut that is coming out clean, check a few more nuts before making the decision-

To pick, or not to pick-

Check a nut at the base of a large cluster of nuts- these often ripen later than nuts in small clusters. Check a nut or two from the north side; or shady side; these may run a little later. Be on the lookout for nuts on branches that are injured in some way; if a branch has a small EFB infection, or was injured by a borer beetle, those nuts may ripen either earlier OR later (it doesn't seem consistent). If 80% or more of the nuts on the bush will "come clean", then you should pick the entire bush NOW. It won't pay to wait for total ripeness, you may lose more to mice and birds than you save. The nuts that are "not quite" ripe WILL ripen the rest of the way if given the chance to rest a few days during processing; they can pull nutrients from the attached husk to finish the nut.