The summer and autumn months represent the typical fruit season in the home garden. But with a sophisticated combination of different types, the harvest season can be greatly extended. Early and late fruit varieties from different groups provide the framework.
When are different fruits in season in the home garden?
Fruit season in the home garden extends from April to November: rhubarb in spring (April-June), strawberries in early summer (May-July), berries, cherries, peaches and apricots in mid-summer (June-September), Plums, apples and pears in autumn (August-October) and winter apples (October-November).
Spring and early summer
In spring the supply of fresh fruit from our own harvest is sparse. Rhubarb heralds the fruit season in the garden, as its stems are ready to harvest from April to June. From May onwards, strawberries join the selection of fruits, the main season of which extends into July.
Smarts for an early strawberry season
The harvest season of single-bearing strawberry varieties for the home garden can be brought forward with a trick. Before planting, cover the bed with black mulching film (€12.00 on Amazon) and plant the plants in cross-shaped slots. Place a shallow polytunnel over the strawberry plants. This way the soil warms up faster, which speeds up development. So-called Frigo strawberries are ideal for year-round cultivation. They reliably deliver fresh fruit eight to ten weeks after planting and can be harvested from April to November.
midsummer
The summer months are the typical season for berries, which are easy to cultivate. June is the beginning. The first cultivated blueberries can be harvested this month and will produce aromatic fruits until September. At the same time, raspberries have a rich harvest. Currants and gooseberries have a similar harvest window, which opens from June to August.
Cherry Week
This term refers to the harvest time for cherries, with a cherry week lasting 15 days. The 'Earliest of the Mark' marks the start of the cherry season, which begins around the first of May. The first harvest date varies from region to region. Environmental conditions and care are crucial for full maturity. The main season for cherry harvesting extends from June to August. A cherry tree can usually be harvested over seven weeks. If the fruit can be easily separated from the stem, the drupes are fully ripe.
When stone fruit is in season:
- Peaches: from June to September
- Apricots: between July and August
- Plums: from July to October
Autumn
At the end of summer, the first plums and plums indicate that the autumn season is beginning. In late summer and the autumn months, core fruits such as apples and pears are in peak season. Both types of fruit are in season from August to October and require as many hours of sunshine as possible for the fruit to ripen. While dessert apples have good storage properties, table pears should be eaten straight away.
Fruit in winter
Winter apples are varieties that are harvested from October to November. Their shelf life during storage is at least two months. 'Wintergoldparmäne', 'Weißer Winter-Calville' and 'Schöner von Boskoop' are widespread storage varieties with a late ripeness for consumption.
