To determine whether a peach will ripen after it is picked, there are several signs to look for. IF there already has been a change in the base color from green to yellow, they will most likely continue to ripen. Also one can look at the "crease" on the peach (also known as the "suture") and see if it is filled out. At maturity, the suture or crease is filled and not pronounced in depth. One peach can be cut open and tasted to see if it is "sweet, crunchy." If so, it probably is at the stage where it will ripen the rest of the way. That stage is called "shed ripe" because many commercial peaches are picked at that stage for commercial packing sheds. One caution, however, peaches are a sub-tropical fruit and therefore susceptible to cold injury if exposed for any length of time to the "dead zone" temperature range of 36 to 45 degrees F. The fruit must be left at room temperature (or at least above 45 degrees F) to continue the ripening process.

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