Waiting for figs to ripen can take quite a bit of patience depending on the variety you have. Some varieties of figs can take two months for a fig to ripen after its initial development. Violette de Bourdeaux is a variety that is notorious for taking a long time to ripen, but the wait is well worth it!
In this blog I wanted to provide a few tell tale signs that your figs are perfectly ripe and ready to harvest. Ill also provide some tips for harvesting depending on your plans for those delicious figs. If youre needing to store them for a few days, you may want to harvest differently than if youre just eating them fresh off the tree.
Figs are a delicious fruit that can be enjoyed fresh or dried But knowing when figs are perfectly ripe and ready to eat is key to experiencing their sweet, jammy flavor at its peak This complete guide will teach you how to identify ripe figs through sight, touch, and taste.
What Do Ripe Figs Look Like?
Ripe figs will show several visual signs indicating they are ready for harvest
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Color change – Unripe figs are green. As they ripen, the skin transitions to purple, brown, black, or yellow, depending on variety. Kadota figs stay green when ripe.
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Size – Figs plump up as they ripen. A ripe fig will be noticeably larger than an unripe one.
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Drooping – Ripe figs hang down, while unripe fruit sticks straight out. The ripe fig’s stem softens and bends.
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Cracks or splits – The skin often cracks or splits open as the flesh swells. Look for small cracks radiating out from the stem.
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Nectar drop – Some varieties ooze a drop of sweet “honey” from the eye when ripe.
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Dullness – The skin loses its shine, taking on a matte look.
How to Tell if a Fig Is Ripe by Touch
The best way to assess ripeness is by feel. A ripe fig will be soft and pliant when gently squeezed. An unripe fig feels hard and stiff.
Specifically, check the neck or stem end. Ripe figs soften from the bottom up. If the neck gives a little when pressed, that fig is ripe throughout.
Avoid figs with hard necks – they were picked prematurely and won’t ripen off the tree.
How to Tell if a Fig Is Ripe by Taste
Biting into a fig is the definitive way to tell if it’s ripe. Ripe figs taste lusciously sweet, with a soft, smooth, jammy texture.
Underripe figs taste plain, woody, or even sour. They lack sweetness and juiciness. Don’t rely on looks – taste a sample fig to be sure of ripeness.
When Do Figs Ripen?
Fig season runs from July through September in most regions. Different varieties follow a staggered ripening timeline:
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Early varieties – ripen in July/early August
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Mid-season varieties – ripen in August
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Late varieties – ripen in late August/September
Breba figs precede the main crop by 1-2 months. Warm climates tend to yield earlier, bigger crops. Cool climates delay ripening and reduce yields.
How Long Do Figs Take to Ripen?
On average, figs take 80-90 days to ripen after the fruit initially sets. But exact timing varies:
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Early figs – 70-80 days
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Mid-season figs – 90 days
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Late figs – 90+ days
Factors like variety, climate, and care (pruning, watering, etc) impact ripening speed. Monitor your tree to learn its habits.
Common Reasons Why Figs Don’t Ripen
If your figs refuse to ripen, a few factors could be to blame:
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Lack of pollination – Only caprifigs and Smyrna figs require pollination. But lack of pollinators slows ripening.
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Underwatering – Drought stress causes figs to drop before ripening.
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Insufficient sunlight – Figs on shaded parts of the tree often drop before maturing.
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Young tree – Young, stressed trees frequently drop fruit before ripening.
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Cold weather – Cool temps delay ripening and maturity.
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Overcropping – Too much fruit stresses the tree, slowing ripening.
Can You Ripen Picked Green Figs?
Figs will not ripen if picked prematurely while still green and hard. The best flavor develops only on the tree. Picked figs may soften off the tree, but will lack sweetness and juice.
How to Harvest Ripe Figs
When figs pass the ripe tests, harvest them! Here’s how:
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Wear gloves to avoid irritating sap. Long sleeves help too.
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Gently lift the fig upward and twist to detach from the branch.
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Avoid pulling or breaking the fruit – this damages the neck and reduces shelf life.
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Handle carefully to avoid bruising.
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Eat right away, or store in the fridge up to 3 days.
Enjoy your bounty of sweet, luscious homegrown figs! With this guide’s tips for identifying ripeness through sight, touch and taste, you’ll be an expert at picking figs at perfect maturity for maximum flavor and enjoyment.
When are Figs Ready to Pick?
- Step 1: Look for figs on the tree with the visual indicators mentioned above.
- Step 2: Slightly squeeze the neck of those figs to determine how soft the neck is.
- Step 3: Pick the figs with the softest necks.
What Month Do Figs Ripen?
- Figs can have a short window of when they’re ready to be picked. Often going from under-ripe to perfect to overripe in a short period. One day of time can be the difference.
- Once a fig is swelling and becoming softer, birds, squirrels and insects like wasps, ants, slugs, and fruit flies may find your figs before you do. Beating them to the punch and not revealing your fig tree’s location to the neighborhood of animals and insects will extend your harvest without needed crop protection.
- Figs are very sensitive to climatic events. Picking before a big rain event as one example can ensure a harvest that’s not ruined by the rain.
When to Harvest Figs – How to Tell When Figs are Ripe
FAQ
Will figs ripen after you pick them?
Figs will not continue to ripen after they are picked like many other fruits. You can tell that it is time for harvesting figs when the fruit necks wilt and the fruits hang down. If you pick a fig fruit too early, it will taste horrible; ripe fruit is sweet and delicious.
What color are figs when ripe?
One of the first signs your figs are becoming ripe is their change in color. Young, immature and unripe figs tend to be small and green in hue. For varieties like Brown Turkey, Chicago Hardy, Celeste, and LSU Purple, the color will change from green to brown or purple as the fruit ripens.
Can you let figs ripen on counter?
Although they may soften a bit on your counter, figs generally do not continue to ripen properly after harvested. Picked too early, the juices and sugars produced as a fig ripens are not yet fully developed.
How do you know if figs are ripe?
Choosing fresh figs at the grocery store is a multi-sensory experience. Fully ripe figs are vibrant in color, yet slightly soft and plump when handled. These fall delicacies should yield slightly when given a gentle squeeze. Furthermore, look at the exterior of each fig and make sure there are no cuts or signs of decay.
Do figs ripen after they are picked?
Figs don’t really ripen much after they’re picked, but if you have a fig that’s almost ripe, there are ways to help it along a bit. It’s good to know that just leaving figs at room temperature won’t make them ripen.
How do you know when figs are ready to harvest?
Some figs have shades of rust brown, some have dark purple hues, and others stay green. Also, look at the neck of the fruit: if it has a slight bend instead of sticking straight out, then your figs are ready to be harvested. When picking your figs off the tree, gently remove the fruit from the stem.