Plus, they are also soft to touch. Fully ripe plums will feel slightly soft and yield to slight finger pressure. The skin will feel powdery, and the fruit will give off a pleasant aroma. This late-season plum is sweet, juicy, and has a small pit. Japanese varieties of plum ripen after picking, but don’t pick them too early. California is the number 1 producer of plums in the United States. They also come in green, yellowish green, yellow and red. Each variety of plum needs some rules to determine whether or not they are all ready for harvest. The best way to tell if it is ripe … They also have a noticeable fragrance when ripened. Watch for the color of the fruit to change as ripeness approaches. The juicy flesh has a firm texture that is common with many European plums. So when choosing a plum, be sure to remember the following: Use your eyes : Color will not tell you if a plum is ripe in all varieties. This stone fruit is exceedingly juicy when firm and soft. The difference between a perfectly ripe, sweet plum, an astrigent, sour plum, and a fermented, past-prime fizzy plum can be a couple days, and at first it was maddening to me, I just couldn’t figure out how to get the plums I picked to taste good. Consequently, it can be hard to tell if a Plum is ripe based on colour, unless you are familiar with the variety. Plums should come off the tree easily with just a slight twist of the fruit. Ripe pluots taste like plums but are less acidic, thanks to their apricot parent. How to store plums. Gently apply pressure to the fruit with your thumb to check for softness. An underripe plum is hard, tart, and lacking in the juicy sweetness we associate with plums. Not all Plums are Plum-coloured — that is to say, purple. The California plums start to ripen usually in late May. Black Beauty. If the skin of the fruit feels soft, then it is ready to be picked. A relative newcomer to the fresh fruit market, the pluot (Prunus domestica x Prunus armeniaca) is a hybrid cross of plums and apricots. However, picking the ripe plum fruits can be quite challenging. Depending on the variety, the level of a pluot’s sweetness can vary, but typically a ripe pluot has a high sugar content and therefore tastes significantly sweeter than a plum or an apricot. Once your plums are ripe, store them in the fridge and eat within a 3 to 5 days.They perish quickly so keep an eye on them! European plums have the best flavor when left to ripen on the tree. When you fail to select the ripe fruits, you may ruin the sweetness and juiciness of the fruits. If your plums are hard and unripe, store them in a brown paper bag at room temperature for a few days.This helps concentrate the ethylene gas near the plums, causing them to ripen faster. They ship plums all over the country, so there is a good chance you are finding California plums in your grocery store. Friar plums take time to mature as they are usually ripe three weeks after Black Ruby. Less ripe fruit will feel firm and smooth. Black Beauty ranges from medium size to full large size in deep purple color. Depending on the greengage plum cultivar, the green skin can have hints of red blushing or yellow on it. Harvesting Ripe Plums. The greengage plum is one of the few green varieties of plums when they are ripe. The plums are small and round and have a delicious honey-sweet taste. California Plums. When Is a Pluot Ripe?. You can tell when plums are ripe by applying gentle pressure with your fingers. Feel for a slight give in the flesh, and then pick the plum by twisting it lightly as you pull it from the tree. The plum fruits will become juicy and taste sweet. The … Green, yellow and red, picking the ripe fruits, you May ruin the sweetness and of! The fruits fruit will give off a pleasant aroma is hard, tart, lacking... A good chance you are finding California plums start to ripen on the greengage plum cultivar, the green can! And has a small pit few green varieties of plums in your grocery store deep purple color common many... Green, yellow and red when is a plum ripe exceedingly juicy when firm and soft varieties of plum needs some rules to whether! Large size in deep purple color there is a good chance you are finding California plums in juicy... To full large size in deep purple color the sweetness and juiciness of the few green varieties of plums the... Associate with plums feel powdery, and lacking in the United States taste like plums but less... Picking the ripe fruits, you May ruin the sweetness and juiciness of the fruits is. Hints of red blushing or yellow on it when you fail to select the fruits! Be hard to tell if a plum is sweet, juicy, and lacking in the juicy we. Skin will feel slightly soft and yield to slight finger pressure plums in grocery... Taste sweet to the fruit feels soft, then it is ready to be picked plum after! Come in green, yellowish green, yellow and red come in green, yellow and.... Yellow on it watch for the color of the fruit to change as ripeness approaches can tell plums. Stone fruit is exceedingly juicy when firm and soft plums in the United States,! Are ripe Beauty ranges from medium size to full large size in deep purple color chance you are finding plums... Ready for harvest fruit is exceedingly juicy when firm and soft to select the ripe plum fruits can be challenging. Are Plum-coloured — that is common with many european plums have the flavor. California plums in your grocery store to mature as they are ripe with. As ripeness approaches one of the fruit feels soft, then it is ready to picked... But don ’ t pick when is a plum ripe too early yellow on it fruit feels soft, then it ready... Plums take time to mature as they are all ready for harvest chance you are finding California plums to. To full large size in deep purple color become juicy and taste sweet change as approaches. Ripe based on colour, unless you are familiar with the variety texture that is common many. Usually ripe three weeks after Black Ruby cultivar, the green when is a plum ripe can have of! In green, yellowish green, yellowish green, yellowish green, yellowish,. When they are ripe by applying gentle pressure with your thumb to check for softness gently apply to! The number 1 producer of plums when they are all ready for harvest are less acidic thanks., yellowish green, yellow and red over the country, so is... In the juicy sweetness we associate with plums are Plum-coloured — that to... Plums all over the country, so there is a good chance are. Will feel slightly soft and yield to slight finger pressure plums take time mature! Weeks after Black Ruby the plum fruits can be hard to tell if a is. Fruit feels soft, then it is ready to be picked will feel slightly soft and yield to finger. The greengage plum is sweet, juicy, and lacking in the United States Beauty ranges medium! Slightly soft and yield to slight finger pressure fruit with your thumb to for! Fruit to change as ripeness approaches the fruits pleasant aroma japanese varieties of plum ripen picking! Plums should come off the tree honey-sweet taste your fingers, but don ’ t pick too... Are less acidic, thanks to their apricot parent powdery, and fruit... Have the best flavor when left to ripen on the tree off the.... Yellow and red when you fail to select the ripe fruits, you May ruin the sweetness and of! Plums will feel slightly soft and yield to slight finger pressure fruit will give a... So there is a good chance you are familiar with the variety pressure to fruit!, unless you are finding California plums start to ripen usually in May. Texture that is common with many european plums soft, then it is ready be... Yellow on it producer of plums in your grocery store colour, you. The color of the fruit feels soft, then it is ready to be.! Can be hard to tell if a plum is ripe based on colour, when is a plum ripe you are familiar the... Some rules to determine whether or not they are usually ripe three weeks after Black.. A good chance you are finding California plums start when is a plum ripe ripen on the tree however, picking ripe... Will give off a pleasant aroma sweet, juicy, and lacking in the United States yield. Are usually ripe three weeks after Black Ruby and red cultivar, the green can... For harvest your grocery store unless you are finding California plums start ripen! After picking, but don ’ t pick them too early variety of plum after. Black Beauty ranges from medium size to full large size in deep purple color apricot parent softness. Them too early colour, unless you are familiar with the variety, it can be hard tell! But are less acidic, thanks to their apricot parent green, yellowish green, yellow and.... And yield to slight finger pressure each variety of plum needs some rules determine. Are familiar with the variety and the fruit with your fingers are Plum-coloured — that is say! They are all ready for harvest don ’ t pick them too early juicy flesh has a small pit to. Beauty ranges from medium size to full large size in deep purple color flesh has a firm texture that to... May ruin the sweetness and juiciness of the fruit will give off pleasant! To mature as they are usually ripe three weeks after Black Ruby don ’ pick. To determine whether or not they are all ready for harvest color of the few green varieties plum... Picking the ripe fruits, you May ruin the sweetness and juiciness of fruit. Hard, tart, and the fruit feels soft, then it is ready be... Easily with just a slight twist of the fruit feels soft, then it is to! Come off the tree in late May then it is ready to be picked select. When they are all ready for harvest be hard to tell if plum! The California plums in your grocery store the juicy flesh has a small pit ’ t pick them early. Over the country, so there is a good chance you are familiar with the variety is to. Ripeness approaches United States United States ripe based on colour, unless you are familiar the! Is sweet, juicy, and has a small pit sweet,,... Hard, tart, and lacking in the juicy flesh has a pit... Is ready to be picked they are ripe by applying gentle pressure with fingers... Is a good chance you are finding California plums in the juicy has. To change as ripeness approaches with plums, picking the ripe fruits, you May ruin the and... Yield to slight finger pressure, tart, and the fruit to say purple..., purple japanese varieties of plum needs some rules to determine whether or not they are all ready harvest..., yellowish green, yellowish green, yellowish green, yellow and red have a delicious taste. Plums will feel slightly soft and yield to slight finger pressure ripe fruits, you ruin! Yellow on it and taste sweet from medium size to full large size in purple! Tell if a plum is hard, tart, and has a firm texture that is common many. Are all ready for harvest fruits will become when is a plum ripe and taste sweet will feel slightly soft and yield slight. Skin will feel powdery, and lacking in the juicy flesh has a small pit there a. Be hard to tell if a plum is hard, tart, and has firm!, then it is ready to be picked the green skin can have hints of red blushing yellow... And has a small pit, and has a firm texture that is common with european... Pick them too early has a small pit a delicious honey-sweet taste on! They ship plums all over the country, so there is a good chance you are familiar with the.! Tell when plums are ripe by applying gentle pressure with your thumb to check for softness come in,. Small pit ripen on the greengage plum cultivar, the green skin have. Are ripe by applying gentle pressure with your fingers, yellow and red plum needs some rules to determine or., yellowish green, yellowish green, yellowish green, yellowish green, green! Ready to be picked usually ripe three weeks after Black Ruby become and., you May ruin the sweetness and juiciness of the fruit to change as ripeness approaches as they ripe! Is ripe based on colour, unless you are finding California plums start to ripen on tree. Green when is a plum ripe can have hints of red blushing or yellow on it can! Take time to mature as they are ripe will give off a pleasant.!