![]() The nut remains firmly attached to the apple and consequently the bulk of the harvest consists of the cashew apples. Three to four flowering and fruiting in a 3-4 month horizon makes multiple harvesting necessary. ![]() Harvest takes place during dry weather and nuts are harvested only when the apples are fully ripe. The cashew apple can also be dried and used as a flour substitute. It is often used in juices, jams, and other sweeteners. The fruit is edible and has a sweet taste, similar to that of a pineapple. The time for fruit maturity varies from 2-3 months depending on the variety, the health of the tree, and the climate conditions during fruit growth. The cashew apple is the fleshy, pear-shaped stalk that attaches the drupe to the tree. ![]() Nut and apple fall to the ground when fully mature. Meanwhile, the nut’s shell becomes hard and turns grey in color and the kernel grows within the nut. The apple has a thin green skin and as it matures the color turns red or yellow and becomes fragrant. The fruit starts growing to become wider and apple-shaped after the nut attains its full size. The nut rapidly grows till it reaches almost 80% of its final size. The cashew has crossed fertilization.Ībout a week after fertilization, the green nut with a puny apple (false fruit) appears. Roast the meat in coconut oil for five minutes before eating.Flowering takes place from December to April in the Northern hemisphere, and from June to December in the Southern hemisphere, with a higher concentration from September to November. Crack the nut open to reveal the meat inside. After roasting, wash the nuts with soap and water (Wear gloves!) to remove any residual oil. Place the nuts in an old or disposable pan (now your designated cashew pan, as it may never get fully clean of the dangerous cashew oils).Įither cover the pan with a lid or fill the pan with sand until the nuts are covered– the nuts will spit liquid as they heat up, and you want something to catch or absorb it. To process the nuts, roast them OUTSIDE (never inside, where the fumes can build up and be breathed in). Wear long sleeved clothing, gloves, and goggles to keep the liquid from getting on your skin or in your eyes. USE CAUTION WHEN PROCESSING YOUR CASHEWS. The edible meat of the cashew is surrounded by a shell and a very dangerous, caustic liquid related to poison ivy. How to Harvest Cashews SafelyĪfter harvesting cashew nuts, you may want to store them up until you have a decent number, because processing them is a bit of an ordeal. The apples are juicy and tasty and can be eaten immediately. Set the nuts aside– you can store them in a cool, dry place for up to two years. Alternatively, you can wait until the fruit falls to the ground, when you know it’s ripe.Īfter harvesting, twist the nuts off of the apples by hand. Cashew harvesting can take place about two months after the fruit has set, when the apple takes on a pink or red cast and the nut turns gray. The apples and nuts will form in the winter or dry season. Each apple is paired with a single nut, and the visual effect is pretty bizarre. The fruit, called a cashew apple, isn’t really a fruit at all, but is actually the swollen end of the stem just above the cashew nut. When cashew nuts form, they appear growing out of the bottom of a big swollen fruit. The fruit, called a cashew apple, isn’t really a fruit at all, but is actually the swollen end of the stem just above the cashew nut. Keep reading to learn how to harvest cashews. Growing in the tropics, cashew trees flower and fruit in the winter or dry season, producing a nut that’s much more than a nut and has to be handled with care.
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