contents
- maturing time
- Identify ripe fruit
- prevent spoilage
- Harvest figs properly
- frequently asked Questions
In the local latitudes, the cultivation of fig trees is also becoming increasingly popular. But it's not always warm enough here for the tasty figs to ripen. However, there are a few clues to recognizing fruit ripeness.
In a nutshell
- There are dark and light fig varieties
- Ripe fruits are soft and large
- Ripening time depends on variety and location
- Often not warm enough for ripening in local latitudes
- A suitable variety for the local regions is the Nordland mountain fig
maturing time
The delicious fruits are grown in the local latitudes between September and October ripe. The good thing about the fig is that Not all fruits ripen at the same time and herself the Harvest over several weeks can extend. This is so advantageous precisely because a Storage of the fruit not possible is:
- only harvest ripe fruit
- daily ripe fruits are available over a longer period of time
- ideally eat from hand to mouth
- ripe figs are the tastiest
Tip: If there is a white veil on the peel of the fruit, then this is nothing to worry about. On the contrary, the crystallized dextrose that emerges is another indication that the fruit is fully ripe and ready to be eaten.
Identify ripe fruit
There are good ways to tell when a fig is ripe. Ideally, and for the tastiest flavor, the fruit should remain on the tree until ripe. You can recognize ripe figs by these characteristics:
- Skin has varietal colour
- usually red to purple, some varieties remain dark green
- inside light to dark red
- ripe fruit yields slightly under slight pressure
- ideally only check on the stem
- Fruit is sensitive to pressure
- can also be easily detached from the branch
- exudes an aromatic scent
An overripe fruit, on the other hand, feels mushy and smells uncomfortably sweet. Small drops of honey emerge from the tip. Most of these overripe fruits are already fermenting inside and are then no longer suitable for consumption. Further processing is also no longer possible in this case.
A notice: If you want to store a fig for a few days after harvesting it from the tree, you should not squeeze it unnecessarily so that it does not become mushy too quickly.
prevent spoilage
Unfortunately, the fig is a fruit that, once ripe, can spoil quickly. If it stays on the tree too long, it becomes overripe. If ripe fruits are harvested, they can only be stored to a limited extent. For example, they can only be kept side by side in the refrigerator for two to three days. After that, they get mushy and start to get moldy.
Tip: If you store the ripe fruit in the fridge, remove it several hours before eating. Because they develop their full aroma only at room temperature.
Harvest figs properly
Because throughout fig tree contains a milky liquid which can cause skin irritation or a rash if touched by sensitive people, some precautions should be taken when harvesting. How to harvest figs correctly:
- Wear gloves and long-sleeved clothing (if sensitive skin type)
- if branches or leaves are injured, liquid escapes immediately
- Only allow children to pick under supervision
- Remove stalk from fig when milky juice comes out
- In this case, do not eat the peel
frequently asked Questions
Unfortunately, figs are a fruit that does not ripen. If unripe fruits fall from the tree too early, they will spoil over time, but unfortunately they will not ripen. Even if they soften a little, they don't get sweet. For a pleasant fig aroma, the fruits must therefore remain on the tree until they are ripe.
When the figs are ripe, you can eat the tasty skin with them. With unripe figs, on the other hand, you must note that the toxic milky juice can still be in the skin and can cause skin irritation on the mouth or stomach problems if eaten. It is therefore better to spoon out unripe but already tasty figs.
Figs are a so-called superfood. Because they are full of valuable minerals such as magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium as well as many vitamins. The digestive enzymes help the intestines to work more. With just 40 kcal for a fig and the fiber it contains, it also fits into any diet.
You should discuss the consumption of the fruit with your doctor. Because it is true that even one fig contains a lot of oxalic acid, which should not be consumed if you have kidney problems. However, your doctor can tell you how many of the tasty fruits you can safely eat. With cooked fruit, however, the oxsalic acid is almost completely boiled off, so you don't have to give up the pleasure completely.