Those who are impatient should beware. Sour cherries should not be harvested too early. Only when they are fully ripe do they develop their best aroma. But when exactly is that?
Identify fully ripe fruit correctly
The sour cherry harvest period lasts from July to August. Even if the fruits glow red and hang temptingly within reach: don't be too hasty! Depending on the variety, the fruits take on a different color when fully ripe. The most common varieties turn light red and then deep dark red to black.
Ripe fruits contain the highest amount of vital substances. You can recognize them by the following characteristics:
- are colored deep dark red to almost black
- give way at the touch of a finger
- have a high juice content
- can be easily detached from the stems and 'want' to be picked
tips and tricks
Unlike sweet cherries, tart cherries are best picked without the stem.
KKF