- harvest cherries
- What is a cherry picker?
- Harvest cherries with cherry picker
- frequently asked Questions
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In summer, red cherries often shine at us from afar. However, the tastiest cherries usually grow at the top of the tree. A cherry picker can then help with the harvest. We reveal how to harvest cherries with the cherry picker.
In a nutshell
- only harvest ripe cherries
- Picker safer, faster and more convenient than other methods
- Place the cherry picker below the cherries to be harvested
- Cut the cherries with spikes from the branch and catch them in the collection basket
harvest cherries
Cherries (Prunus) are among the most popular summer fruits. In order to retain their typically fruity taste, they should always be harvested when fully ripe. When this is the case depends on
- cherry variety
- weather
- lighting conditions
To check if the cherries are ripe, you can do a taste test. When the fruits are sweet and juicy, nothing stands in the way of a harvest. In general, cherries are harvested from June to August, preferably in the early morning hours. Watch out for worms in the cherries. The fruits are often harvested by means of
- Safety or stepladder, bucket and hand
- Pulling branches with a rake, harvesting with bucket and hand
- agricultural equipment or fire brigade baskets
You can't always reach the cherries without additional tools.
Notice: Never climb the tree to pick cherries. There is a certain risk of injury from rotten or too thin branches.
What is a cherry picker?
Cherry pickers make it easier to pick old, tall cherry trees in particular. They are made of metal or plastic and are divided into the following parts
- (Telescopic) handle
- crown-like attachment with prongs
- collection basket
The fruit is carefully removed from the branch with the tines and then caught in the basket. They have the following advantages:
- easy use
- high comfort
- fast
- easy to store
- possible directly from the ground, no ladder required
- lower risk of injury
- suitable for children/elderly
Fruit pickers differ in their design but not in how they work.
Tip: Be very careful when harvesting with a cherry picker, otherwise the small fruits are in danger of being crushed or damaged.
Harvest cherries with cherry picker
But how do you successfully harvest cherries with a cherry picker? It's actually quite easy:
- Mow the meadow around the cherry tree
- Provide containers for the cherries, ideally a woven fruit basket
- Adjust the assembled cherry picker to the appropriate height
- Approach the cherries from below with the cherry picker until the cherries have disappeared into the collection basket
- Use the tines of the cherry picker to cut the cherries, including the stalks, off the branch
- carefully empty the well-filled collection basket into the container
The wooden basket catches the escaping water from the cherries well.
Tip: Cherries with a stem are more aromatic and have a longer shelf life. In addition, simply twisting the stalk off the branch indicates the ripeness of the cherries.
frequently asked Questions
What should I look out for when buying a cherry picker?When buying, pay particular attention to the workmanship, the quality, the robustness, the design of the collection bag and the weight. With the large selection of cherry pickers, there is sure to be something for everyone.
How expensive is a cherry picker?That depends on the model. Depending on the selection criteria and supplier, cherry pickers cost between ten and over seventy euros.
Is it worth buying a cherry picker for me?You have to decide that yourself. However, if you regularly harvest high-altitude cherries, the cherry picker is a safer alternative to ladder harvesting.
What happens if I leave ripe fruit hanging on the tree?Ripe fruits can burst open during heavy rains and can then no longer be harvested. Muddy cherries also fall to the ground, attracting wasps that unwary cherry lovers could step on.