Fruit Tree Harvest Dates for West Tennessee

Variable Harvest

• The harvest dates for fruit trees vary tremendously depending on the variety in question. Most of the major fruits have early-, mid- and late-season varieties to maximize the length of the harvest season. These may extend the harvest period for up to a month before and after the usual harvest dates. Otherwise, climate is the main influence on when tree fruits become ripe. For example, a variety that ripens in the second week of august in western Tennessee may ripen a week earlier in USDA zone 8 in central Mississippi and a week or two later in USDA zone 6 in the Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee.

Stone Fruits

• Stone fruits are a group of closely related species characterized by having a pit at the center of the fruit. Peaches (Prunus persica), plums (Prunus domestica) and cherries (Prunus avium) are the species most commonly grown in western Tennessee landscapes. They are all hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. Stone fruits ripen throughout the summer in this region, starting with the first cherries in June. Peaches come into season in August and most plums start to ripen in July.

Pome Fruits

• Pome fruits are another major group of fruit trees that can be grown in western Tennessee. These include apples (Malus domestica), pears (Pyrus communis) and quince (Cydonia oblonga). Apples and pears are hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9, and quince is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. Pome fruits are harvested primarily in early fall, though there are early varieties that are harvested in late summer. Late-season apples can be picked in fall, but some varieties will hang onto the tree until early winter before they drop. Pears are ready for harvest in late August.

Other Tree Fruits

• Figs (Ficus carica) grow in USDA zones 7 to 11 and can produce two crops each year. The "breba" crop ripens in early summer and the main crop ripens in early fall. Asian persimmons (Diospryos kaki) are a late-ripening fruit for USDA zones 7 to 9 that can be grown in western Tennessee. Their bright orange fruit ripen when the leaves drop in late fall. It is not unusual to pick ripe persimmons through the last week of December in western Tennessee.