Will Lemons Ripen Off The Tree?

The lemon tree is an evergreen tree that grows well in tropical and subtropical countries. The tree can produce fruits once it reaches 3 to 5 years old. But what if they are fruiting and you pick lemons green, will they still going to ripen?

Will Lemons Ripen Off The Tree?

No, lemons will not ripen off the tree. When lemons are picked unripe, they taste bitter and awful especially if those lemons are green and still hard. You will not enjoy it and it’s far from the taste of ripe lemon.

If you grow a lemon tree at home, you should not pick lemons unripe because even if they ripen off the tree the taste will be bad. You can easily notice the difference in taste once you eat them.

Lemons are ripe once they change color from green to yellow-green or completely yellow. They are firm and around 2-3 inches in size (5-7.5 cm). The fruits are going to ripen on the tree and you just need to wait for them until they mature and are big enough.

Don’t try to pick them too early while the fruits are still green because they are not going to ripen off the tree. The juice taste will be different from already ripe lemons.

But there are times that even if the lemons are still green they are actually already ripe. The lemons ripen internally before their skin changes color from green to yellow. It is quite hard to notice if the fruits are already ripe, especially when they are still green.

One thing you can do is to get lemon fruit and slice them in half and try to taste them if they are good enough. But you can also just wait for them to turn yellow or yellow-green before picking.

How Long Do Lemons Take To Ripen?

The lemons take about 4 to 6 months to ripen. It can also take take for about 9 months. The flowers grow first and after a few months, they turn into fruits. Some of the small lemons are possible to drop and some of them grow actually into fruits until they mature.

If you buy a lemon tree from the nurseries, you can expect to see fruits on your tree faster. The trees can bear fruits for around 3 to 5 years. Lemon trees being sold in the nurseries are grown through either grafting or budding which produces fruits quickly.

When Lemons Are Ready To Pick?

The lemons are ready to pick once they change color from green to yellow-green or full yellow. Their size is around 2-3 inches and firm. It can also produce a fragrant smell.

The lemons take some time to mature and are small when young and become bigger after a few months. The size and color of them changes over time.

How Are Lemons Harvested?

The lemons are harvested by gently twisting at the base of the fruit using a hand or with pruners. You can also use a chair and stand on it or a ladder to reach lemon fruits especially if a tree is tall.

Another thing is when there are thorns on your lemon tree, you need to be careful to avoid hurting yourself. Thorns are sharp and can make some scratches on your skin.

But if you are just growing dwarf lemon trees, harvesting them will be easier. You just need to twist them at the base and bring them to the kitchen.

What To Do With Unripe Lemons?

If you have unripe lemons you can use them to clean rust surfaces or as an air freshener in the room. The lemons have citric acid which can help to remove stains on the metal surfaces. It can remove rust and make your tools cleaner.

You can also squeeze the lemons to get juice, use a cloth, dip it into the juice and clean your tools. Also, lemons have a fragrant smell which you can use to make an air freshener. It will make your room smell good.

There are times that green lemons are picked, fall in the ground because of a storm, or include the green lemons after cutting some branches.

Eating green lemons is not great because they taste bitter. But if you don’t want to just throw them in the bin you can think of other possible things to do with them.

Do Lemons Start Out Green?

Lemons are a type of citrus fruit that are typically yellow in color when they are ripe. However, when they are first growing on the tree, lemons start out green in color.

As they continue to grow and mature, the green color of the lemon skin gradually fades and turns yellow.

Can You Eat Green Lemons?

Yes, but you need to face its bitter taste. The green lemons have a different taste compared to ripe fruits. You will not enjoy eating them since the taste is not great.

But if you still like to eat green lemons and not waste them you can still consume them.

There are people that even if the fruits have a bitter taste, they still eat and enjoy them. Ripening green lemons is a little bit hard to do because they don’t ripen well off the tree.

There are times when strong winds come and some green lemons fall into the ground. That is why some gardeners want to consume them even if green because it’s a little bit frustrating to just throw them away.

Overripe Lemons

Don’t let the lemons overripe because they will taste different and they might fall on the ground. You need to get them once they are ripe and if you can’t consume them all you can place them inside the fridge to make them last longer.

Placing lemons in the fridge can make stays for around 3 to 4 months. You can plan and schedule when to consume or make a dish using the fruits. It will be great not to waste those delicious fruits.