Harvest time - day after day is collected
When it is time to harvest the delicious nuts, it is not we who decide, but the tree itself. Then he practically throws them at our feet, there is no need to pick them. Just bending down and picking up.
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Around the beginning of September the time has come for the patient search to begin. It extends into October, because the tree only produces its fruits in portions. Wear gloves, because the remains of the green peels will stain.
Tips
Shortening the harvest time by specifically fetching the nuts from the tree is not a very good idea. These nuts are not yet fully ripe, do not taste good and cannot be stored.
Moisture - the enemy
On the tree, the nut is protected by its green coating. If it falls to the floor, it will burst and peel off. Now the nut is exposed to the influences of the environment. Moisture, especially if it lasts for a long time, can quickly lead to mold growth.
- moist soil is not ideal
- rain also makes the nuts wet
- therefore collect it from the floor every day if possible
The risk of mold is also the reason why walnuts should never be washed before drying. Your peel does not dry off as quickly and can therefore mold quickly, especially at the joint between the two halves.
Read the perfect walnuts
Not every nut that falls from the tree is suitable for consumption and therefore not suitable for drying.
- Sort out nuts with damaged shells
- Throw away moldy nuts
- Remove any still adhering green peel
- use a brush for stubborn residues
If only the brown shell of the nut is damaged, but the inside has not been exposed to the ground, it is still ideally suited for immediate consumption.
Air drying
Walnuts are rich in oils that go rancid at high temperatures and negatively affect the taste. That is why nuts must not be dried in the oven or microwave. A temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius is ideal, under no circumstances should it exceed 28 degrees. Walnuts are best dried in a dry and well-ventilated room.
- spread on newspaper
- or on a wire rack
- Wooden frames covered with mesh are also suitable
- Never stack nuts on top of each other
- the individual nuts should not touch each other
On sunny days, walnuts can also be dried outside during the day, but must be brought in at night.
Drying time
Walnuts take 4 to 6 weeks to dry out and are ready for storage. During this time they have lost about half their weight. In order for the drying to work safely, you should heed the following tips during this time:
- Turn the nuts every few days
- sort out bad nuts
Storage and shelf life
Once the walnuts are dry they can be collected and stored. The insides of properly dried nuts are brittle and inflexible. This is a good way of seeing whether the drying process has ended.
- store in baskets or nets
- Potato sacks are also suitable
- The main thing is airy
Whole dried walnuts can be kept for around 12 months.
Conclusion for quick readers
- Harvest time: September to October; collect daily; wear gloves
- Tip: Do not pick nuts from the tree, they are immature and cannot be stored
- Preparation: Sort out bad nuts; Remove green peel remains, do not wash
- Temperature: Dry nuts at 20 to a maximum of 28 degrees Celsius
- Location: In an airy and dry room; on newsprint; Grating or wooden frame
- Unfold: Single ply only; Nuts shouldn't touch
- Outside: Only on sunny days; bring in at night
- Duration: 4 to 6 weeks until the inside is brittle
- Storage: airy; in baskets or nets
- Shelf life: Shelf life in the unopened bowl: 2 months
The garden journal freshness-ABC
How can fruit & vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh as long as possible?
The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:
- as free PDF file to print out on your own