For those who enjoy fruit, cherry season is eagerly awaited. Whether your taste is for sour or sweet cherries, knowing when they peak will enable you to get the optimum flavors for baking, eating, or preservation. The ideal times of year to enjoy cherries, considerations influencing the cherry harvest, and advice on selecting the freshest cherries will be discussed in this post.
Cherry Season: Definition
Cherry season is the time when cherries are abundantly available and picked. Cherries are a sensitive fruit, hence their growing and harvesting times will change depending on type and region. Usually spanning a few months in the spring and summer, the cherry season varies somewhat in timing based on the location of the cherry growers.
Kinds of Cherries and Their Harvest Seasons
Different kinds of cherry will affect when Cherry Season falls. Sweet and sour cherries are the two basic types of cherries. Harvest times for both types vary; knowing these differences will enable you to better schedule your cherry-picking excursions.
- Bing and Rainier among other sweet cherries can ripen early in the season. Usually picked late May to early July, luscious cherries fall between late spring and early summer.
- Sour cherries are often used in pies and preserves. Sour cherries—such as Montmorency—harvested later in the summer are noted for their acidity. Usually spanning mid-to-late summer, their peak season runs roughly from late June to mid-July.
Elements Influencing Cherry Season Timing
Many environmental elements can affect the timing of cherry season. The following are some important factors influencing the timing of cherry harvest:
- Climate: Cherries grow best in moderate temperatures; local weather will affect the harvest date. Cherries might ripen early in warmer climates while the season might be postponed in colder ones.
- Variety: As was already noted, several kinds of cherries ripen at different periods. Many times, growers raise a variety of cherry kinds to guarantee a longer harvest season and higher yields.
- Altitude: Cherries’ harvest date may also be influenced by their elevation of growth. Because of their colder temperatures, higher altitudes can produce a later harvest.
Cherry Season Occurs in What Other Regions?
Cherry season differs based on your location in the globe. Peak cherry seasons vary throughout different areas, which can affect the fresh cherry supply from nearby markets.
Cherry Season in the US
Cherry season in the United States usually falls late spring and early summer. Particularly in areas like Washington and Oregon, the Pacific Northwest is a big cherry-growing area. Sour cherries are picked in July; sweet cherries are picked late May to mid-June.
Conversely, Michigan and New York are renowned for their sour cherries, which peak late June to mid-July. California boasts a prolonged cherry season since the mild temperature lets one gather both sweet and sour kinds for more time.
Europe’s Cherry Season
Because Europe suffers milder spring temperatures, its cherry season begins somewhat later than that of the United States. While sour cherries follow closely in late June to early July, cherry harvests for sweet kinds start in late May to early June in nations like Turkey and Spain.
Though with an eye toward sour cherries for baking and preservation, the season is also late spring to early summer in Germany and France.
The Southern Hemisphere’s Cherry Season
Cherry season is reversed in nations including Australia and New Zealand because of their opposite seasonal cycle. Usually in season in the Southern Hemisphere from December to February, cherries are here.
Cherry season begins as early as November and lasts until January, supplying fresh cherries during the winter months of the Northern Hemisphere in countries like Chile.
How Can One Find Out When Cherries Are in Season?
Determining exactly when cherries are in season can be challenging since the fruit is sensitive and availability relies on several elements. Still, there are a few signs indicating if cherries are at their best:
- Look for Freshness: Local markets and grocery stores will abound in cherries when they are in season. Fresh cherries will have smooth, vivid skins free of blemishes or creases.
- Taste Test: Cherries will taste sweeter and juicier. If they are in season, their tartness and sugar ratio will be exactly ideal.
- Price: Since fresh cherries in season are in plenty, they are usually more reasonably priced. Should you find that costs are above average, this could be a sign that cherries are off season.
Cherry Season’s Duration: How Long?
Among other fruits, cherry season is rather brief. Cherry season may run anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on the area. While sour cherries stay a little bit longer, from late June to mid-July, sweet cherries are usually found from late May to early July.
Cherries are highly perishable, hence they are usually picked in a little window of time. Keeping track of when cherry season begins in your location will help you to ensure you’re savoring fresh cherries at their peak.
Advice on Savoring Cherries during Their Peak Season
Should you be fortunate enough to be in the correct location at the correct moment during cherry season, there are several ways to savor fresh cherries. The following are some guidelines:
- Living in a cherry-growing area, make use of nearby orchards providing cherry-picking opportunities. Enjoying cherries directly from the tree may be done affordably and with pleasure here.
- Freeze Cherries: If you cannot eat all of them during their season, freeze them. In this sense, you can savor fresh cherries long after the season is over.
- Prepare Cherry Preserves: Jamming and preserving call for sour cherries. This is a fantastic approach to savor cherries all year long and keep summer’s essence.
- Add Cherries to Your Dishes: From savory salads to desserts like cherry pies, tarts, and sorbets, cherries find a place in a great range of meals. To maximize fresh cherries’ brief season, try including them into your meals.
FAQs About Cherry Season
When Should One Purchase Cherries?
Cherries are best bought at their peak season, which in the Northern Hemisphere usually runs between late spring and early summer. Sour cherries arrive later in the season; sweet cherries are more plentiful early on.
How Long Does Cherry Season Last?
Depending on the area, cherry season lasts a few weeks to many months. Sour cherries are available from late June to mid-July; sweet cherries are usually found from late May to early July.
Are Cherries Year-Round Growable?
Cherries need particular climatic conditions, thus they cannot be grown all year long. Though their harvest is just a few months, cherries are in season in the Southern Hemisphere from December to February.
Why Does the Season for Cherries Last Only So Long?
Being a delicate fruit that ripens quickly and does not store well, cherries have a short season. They have a limited harvest window and a particular growing environment they need.
How May I Keep Cherries Fresh Beyond the Season?
Cherries can be frozen, turned into jams or preserves, or dried. These techniques let you enjoy cherries long beyond their season is over.