Ripe walnuts are rich in vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids. In order to make the best possible use of the excellent nutrients, it is important to time the harvest correctly. This guide will tell you in detail when you should harvest your walnuts.
When is the harvest time for walnuts?
The harvest time for walnuts is mainly between September and October, although the exact time depends on the walnut variety. You can recognize ripe nuts by their green-brown discoloration and a cracked shell. They fall from the tree by themselves when they are ready to harvest.
All information about the harvest time for walnuts
Basically, the harvest time for walnuts extends over the months of September and October. When you can harvest the fruits depends, among other things, on the variety of walnut tree. Here are some examples:
- Spreewalder Walnut: beginning to end of September
- Weinheimer Walnut: mid to late September
- Red Danube Nut: End of September
- Weinsberger Walnut: end of September to beginning of October
- Geisenheimer Walnut: beginning of October
Note: It takes approximately two to five years for a walnut tree to bear fruit for the first time, depending on the specific species.
How ripe walnuts appear and behave
Fully ripe walnuts can be recognized by a green-brown discoloration and a split, wrinkled, cracked outer shell. Conveniently, the fruits fall from the tree by themselves when they are ripe.
Important: Leave the walnuts on the tree for as long as possible. Early frosts do not harm them. Avoid knocking the fruit from the tree (this often damages the tree's shoots and affects next year's harvest).
Walnuts that have fallen to the ground by themselves are ideally ripe. They have developed the full flavor and can be stored for a long time (as long as you clean and dry them immediately after harvesting).
Walnut harvest – schedule for the hobby gardener
- Mow the area around the walnut tree generously before the harvest season begins. By keeping the grass short, you make harvesting much easier.
- Pick up fallen walnuts every day (even in the morning AND afternoon on rainy days). How to prevent nuts from rotting in damp grass.
- Freshly harvested walnuts taste best. Before eating, remove the thin white skin that lies around the fruit body under the peel (bitter taste).
Note: You do not need to do this step with dried walnuts. With the loss of moisture, the skin also loses the bitter substances.
