Soursop Question

Does anyone know how to tell when the Sousop is ready to pick? I am really fed up finding these lovely big fruits smashed on the ground.

When it is easy to press your finger into the flesh, it is ready to pick.

Of course this is just before the fruit is ready to fall off the tree, so you will need to check everyday.

Thanks Metro, tend to forget on workdays, sombody said when the spikes turn upwards it is ready, know anything about that?

When the fruit is mature looking, and others are getting ripe, you can take fruit off the tree and let it ripen indoors.

There are several tricks that folks talk about to tell if the fruit is ready, but the easiest way is to just touch the fruit and see if it is getting soft.

I usually pick the fruit when it's really swollen looking, yet still hard, because the birds get to them shortly after that. I don't believe there's any difference in flavor, ripened on the windowsil or where ever. compared to tree ripened

Oh great to know, I have a really big one right now but hard as nails, I think I will pick it before the birds get it or it smashes to the ground ..thanks
Sue

I had the same problem last year! I read in one of the blogs that you can put the fruit in a plastic bag and tie it to the branch it hangs from, I tried it and it works, just be sure to put lots of holes in the bag so it does'nt collect water.

Aloha and welcome, Sue.

We use the spikes bending over as a judge of ripeness...seems to work!

Jenny

mine is a custard apple but I think it's the same thing as the soursop, or at least the same family. A Jamacan lady down the street tells me when the spikes are seperated or widened between the next spike is the right time to pick them. Doesn't work for me! I just went out and saw that I had three smashed on the ground. Now, I'm just picking them when they get as big as a baseball, maybe that will work. They do seem to ripen well sitting on the window sill. Would still like to know if anyone has the secret of getting the seeds out B-4 ya put the pulp in your mouth.

Dig them out with a fork!

One of my colleagues puts the pulp and the seeds in a blender and then just strains and drinks what is left ...mushed up seeds and all!

Codoloba, it sounds like that just might work, I have a juicer, maybe I'll give that a try and see if the seeds remain with the pulp, because some one on one of the forums told me that the seeds are used to treat intestanel parasites, I don't think I need that.

Maybe the best resolution is to just spit the seeds out as you eat it! A very traditional method!

Forget what I said about bagging them, went out this morning after a bit of a windy night, and found four of them splattered on the ground