Quinces have the botanical name Cydonia oblonga and seduce with a fresh lemon aroma, which has a slightly bitter note. The plant with the golden yellow fruits comes from the Caucasus and also thrives in the local latitudes without any problems. However, the timing of the quince harvest is crucial, as is processing and storage. The type of fruit is inedible in its raw state, so it has to be processed after the harvest.
Table of Contents
Harvest time
When harvesting quince, the right time is of great importance, as the plant is very sun-hungry and has a long ripening period. This is why the fruits do not ripen until late autumn, but should definitely be harvested before the first frosts. Then some of the quinces are still very hard, but they can also continue to ripen in the warmth of the living room. The state of ripeness can be recognized when it comes to a complete coloration of the fruit. In addition, these lose their thick and downy fur. The further north the location is, the longer the fruit takes to ripen. In addition, the harvest time is delayed at higher altitudes because these locations have significantly cooler temperatures.
- Harvest time depends on the location and the weather
- warm autumn sun gives the fruit most of the aroma
- do not ripen until the first half of October
- recognizable by the change in color from green to yellow
- Golden yellow colored skin without fluff indicates the due harvest time
- ripe fruits smell very intense and aromatic
- in warm regions, quinces can stay on the tree until November
- however, harvest the first brown spots
- Freezing temperatures have a negative effect on the taste
- Harvest immediately when frosty nights are imminent
Quittenernte
Almost all quince varieties are self-pollinating and do not need another tree in the garden to produce fruit. With good care and suitable site conditions, a fruit yield of up to 50 kilograms can be achieved per tree. However, the fruits are very sensitive, dented areas and injuries usually quickly lead to harmful signs of rot. Fruits and windfalls that have already been chopped off the ground must therefore be used immediately.
- especially harvest the fruits that are not yet fully ripe
- Pick as gently as possible
- Do not damage trees in the process
- Avoid pressure points on the fruit
- store and transport carefully
Storage & shelf life
If quinces are harvested early, these early fruits can be stored for some time. In this subsequent ripening period, the fruit then unfolds its full aroma. If the fruit is already fully ripe, then it must be processed further directly. However, if the temperature conditions in the warehouse are too warm, the pulp will soon turn brown and the quince will then spoil. Since there are no optimal storage conditions in the rather warmer living spaces, the fruits should be processed quickly in this case.
- have a limited shelf life
- Process quinces immediately in the household
- however, they can also be stored for about 2-4 weeks
- ideal is in the basement or other cool place
- at 0 to 2 ° C, quinces can be stored for up to 3 months
- Check fruits in storage regularly
- Sort out specimens with brown spots directly
processing
The bright yellow fruits smell extremely beguiling, so that everyone would like to eat them right after the harvest. However, this is not a good idea, because the quince is not a pleasure raw. The fruit variety is hard in the untreated state and tastes bitter. However, this can be processed into delicious products. Quince has long been of interest for human consumption due to its many health-promoting ingredients. When placed in preserving jars, the healthy fruit is sufficient for a large part of the winter.
- Quinces have more vitamin C than apples
- Can be processed into jelly, compote, jam and puree
- Fruits can be boiled down in jars and then keep for a longer period of time
- Confectionery and quince bread are also delicious
- juicing also feasible
- Quince brandy and liqueur are processing options that contain alcohol
- Always rub the peel with kitchen paper to remove any remaining fluff
Conclusion
Thanks to its vitamin-rich properties, quinces have become a popular type of fruit in this country. Since these do not have a convincing taste in the raw state, they should be further processed into delicious products. Due to the often high yields of the quince harvest and the short shelf life of the fruits at warm temperatures, it is advisable to keep the rest in a cool place.
