When are walnuts ripe for picking?

Walnut is a common nut food with rich nutritional value and is known as the "longevity fruit". It is native to Central Asia and is now grown throughout China. So when do walnuts mature and can be picked? Let’s learn more about it below.

When are walnuts ripe for picking?

In northern regions, walnuts generally mature in early to mid-September, at which time the walnut shell gradually turns yellow and cracks automatically, which is a sign that the walnuts are ripe. In the southern region, due to sufficient sunlight, water and soil supply, the maturity period of walnuts is relatively early, about half a month earlier. As for walnuts, the best time to pick them is generally after the White Dew Festival (usually on September 7 or 8 every year), when they are more mature and easier to peel off the green skin .

How to pick walnuts correctly?

1. Picking method

1. Manual harvesting method: When the fruit is ripe, use a bamboo pole or an elastic soft long pole to knock on the branch where the fruit is located or directly touch the fruit to fall. When knocking, you should go from top to bottom and from the inside to the outside along the branch to avoid damaging the branches and buds and affecting the yield next year.

2. Mechanical vibration method: Spray 500-2000 mg/kg of ethephon 1-2 times half a month before harvest to accelerate ripening, then use a mechanical vibrator to vibrate the tree trunk to make the fruit fall to the ground. This can help remove the green skin, save labor for picking and removing the green skin, and improve the quality of nuts.

2. Post-harvest processing

1. Peeling: After the fruits are harvested, they are directly processed on the walnut peeling machine. For the fruits that are not completely peeled, they are peeled manually.

2. Cleaning: After peeling the walnuts, clean off the residue on the surface of the nuts in time to improve the appearance quality of the nuts.

3. Drying: Generally, it can be dried naturally. In production areas with conditions, special walnut drying rooms can be used for drying. The kernels will be brighter in color than under natural drying conditions, and the commercial value will be greatly improved.

4. Storage: Walnuts should be stored in a cool place. For short-term storage, the dried walnuts can be put into nylon mesh bags or woven mesh bags and placed in a ventilated and dry room to prevent moisture and rodent damage. For long-term storage, the nuts can be packed in sacks and stored in a low-temperature cold storage at around 0~1℃ if the storage capacity is large.

In general, the maturity and picking time of walnuts varies depending on the region, climate and variety, and depends on the actual situation. In addition, both the picking and post-picking processing of walnuts require delicate operations to ensure the quality and yield of walnuts.