The peach season brings joy and memories to many people. They think back to their childhood. They may have picked peaches, canned them with a grandparent, or used peach season to mark the start of their summer! Peaches come in many varieties. They grow in several regions across the U.S. Most of the year, you can get fresh peaches. However, summer marks the peak season for picking. In total, 33 states grow peaches. Seasons for peaches don’t follow a traditional four-season path. Instead, peach harvest varies based on where peaches grow.
How Can You Tell When Peaches Are Ripe?
No one wants to bite into an unripened peach. It has a harder, stringy texture without any sweet, juicy flavors. Sometimes when you pick a peach, it might need a few days to ripen. Sometimes when you pick a peach, it might need a few days to ripen. Other times, it was picked entirely too early. You can avoid this by identifying a ripe peach!
Color – When you look at a peach, you might notice the bright colors. However, any red or blush colors only indicate sun exposure. You want the peach to have a deep, golden yellow color. Naturally, if you see green, it’s nowhere near ready for picking or eating.
Scent – Peaches give off a scent when ripe. Most people akin it to a very sweet smell, almost like when you make peach cobbler. When a peach doesn’t have a scent, chances are it’s not ripe and won’t taste as delicious.
Touch – Peaches have a certain texture when ripe. You don’t want to take a peach and squeeze it hard. A light squeeze is all you’ll need to tell if ripe. If you squeeze too hard you can bruise the peach or go through it if it’s really ripe. If it has some softness, let it rest a few days on the counter and it’ll ripen.
Skin – A peach’s skin is the best indicator of ripeness. Check around the stem of the peach. If you notice it has wrinkles, it’s ready to eat! The wrinkles indicate that water has started to evaporate from the peach. This means the sweetness intensifies and reaches a peak flavor.
Peach Seasons by State
Peach seasons vary by state due to their climate.
- Florida – Surprisingly, Florida produces a large majority of peaches in the U.S. because of the warm climate year-round. Their harvest season begins in April and lasts through mid-May.
- Georgia – Georgia has peaches of the clingstones and freestones variety. Clingstones mature first and these peach’s flesh clings to the flesh. Semi-clingstone peaches ripen next then, freestones. These varieties are one of the most popular kinds of peaches and the flesh falls away from the pit. Harvest time starts in mid-May and runs through mid-August.
- Colorado – Colorado has over 300 days of sunshine a year. This makes it the perfect climate to grow peaches. Palisade, Colorado produces all the peaches which are of freestone variety. Harvest time runs from late June to early October.
- North Carolina – North Carolina has over 70 different peach varieties. The season spans for four months but peaks in July. Harvest season runs from early June to September.
- South Carolina – South Carolina produces peaches similar to California’s production. South Carolina’s peach season ends around the same time as Georgia. Harvest time runs from mid-June to late August.
- California – California has mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Peach lovers can enjoy peaches through the end of summer. California has vast farmland and excellent soil. It’s the main producer of peaches throughout 33 states. Harvest time runs from late June to mid-September.
- Idaho has long and cold winters. Warmer temperatures don’t arrive until June or July. Since the climate doesn’t start to cooperate for peach production until June, Idaho doesn’t start its harvest season until August. However, it runs through October, so you get fresh peaches until Halloween!
- New Jersey – New Jersey lives up to its “Garden State” name. They produce a large number of peaches per year. They have a milder climate than Southern states which affects the harvest time. Harvest time runs from early July to mid-September.
- Michigan – Michigan grows Red Haven peaches, the most popular variety there. They produce a significant number of peaches. Their harvest season runs from mid to late July until the end of September.
- Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania’s summer climate makes it ideal for peach growing. Growers can count on cool springs with no frost and hot, dry summers. Harvest time begins in early July and runs through the end of September.
Final Thoughts
The peach is a stone fruit that comes into season in the summer across the United States. The peach season usually begins in May and ends around September or October. Peak season harvest lasts from July to August. Local peaches tend to be sweeter and less damaged because they don’t have to travel far. They also get picked when they’re riper compared to truck-in peaches, making it sweeter to eat. When you go to pick peaches, check if they’re ripe first. You can tell if a peach is ripe by the color, skin, scent, and feel. If the skin isn’t wrinkled or the fruit doesn’t have a scent, it’s not ripe. If it has green spots instead of a golden yellow color or feels hard instead of soft, it’s not ready to harvest or eat. You can refer to the above harvest list when most of the world’s suppliers of peaches are ready for harvesting!
