How and When to Pick Clementine Fruit
Clementines offer a sweet, on-the-go burst of fresh citrus. The small fruits are durable in the home garden, making a fresh harvest that much sweeter. With a long ripening season, a few keys help determine peak readiness. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe explores how to select clementines for optimal flavor and juiciness.
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Clementines—those juicy, palm-sized, peel-and-eat citrus fruits—are a sweet treat with a burst of zesty nutrients. They’re also durable and resilient small trees, easy-to-grow in containers and the backyard orchard.
The small rounds ripen over a period of months in the cool season, anywhere between November and January. So, how do you tell when clementines are ripe to pick during such a long season? The best test is taste, but a high citrusy fragrance and weighty feel are other measures.
Whether picking them off the stem or from the local market, here’s how to pick clementines at peak flavor.
About Clementines
Clementine (Citrus reticulata ’Clementine’) is likely a cultivated hybrid between a mandarin and a sweet orange. It’s a thin-skinned, segmented citrus with a sweet flavor. The seedless mandarins fit in the palm of your hand, peel easily, and have a smooth, shiny yellow-orange-red rind.
Mandarins originate in subtropical Southeast Asia, and while clementines’ background is fuzzy, they made their way to the United States in the early 1900s. They came from Algeria via the garden of Father Clement Rodier, with earlier roots likely in China. Clementines grow outdoors year-round in zones 9-11 and overwinter indoors in colder climates. Dwarf selections are optimal for pots and versatile across gardens of varying scales.
The little mandarins produce fragrant, pure white blooms in spring and develop into mature fruits in fall and winter. Among the smallest and sweetest mandarins, clementines are high in Vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and calcium and have antioxidant qualities.
Optimal growing conditions include:
- Full sun (six or more hours daily) and a warm, humid location
- Ample air circulation
- Well-draining, slightly acidic, sandy loams
- Regular water, especially when young and during heat waves and dry spells (check potted specimens regularly as they dry out more frequently than in-ground plantings)
- A weed-free understory to reduce competition for young trees
- Winter protection indoors or in a greenhouse before temperatures drop below 40°F (4°C)
When to Harvest
Clementines benefit from cool temperatures, which initiate the release of sugars. They hold for several weeks on the stem even when ripe, making it convenient to harvest them as needed for fresh eating rather than having to pick and store them all at once. They last longer on the tree than on the counter.
Clementines don’t continue to ripen once picked. Instead, they begin to dry and lose flavor once harvested as peak readiness passes. The same occurs if left on the stem too long, resulting in overripeness.
Fruits left on the stem stop developing and begin to soften and dry before they drop. When they surpass peak flavor and tip to overripe, off-flavor fruits result. Make sure to remove any that turn the corner to overly soft, moldy, or mushy.
Scent
A ripe clementine will smell like a clementine should, citrusy and sweet. The fragrance indicator helps because underripe fruits won’t have much scent. As they ripen, their scent advertises their appeal. You can smell them on the stem, especially where they attach, and the fragrance emanates after picking.
Feel
A ripe clementine feels firm but with a little bounce back under a gentle squeeze. An unripe one will be hard without the “give.” A soft or mushy round is a sign it was left on the stem too long and overripe.
A plump, juicy citrus also feels weightier than an underdeveloped one since it holds more water. Pick the heaviest and let others continue ripening and filling with juice.
Color
Color is a tricky indicator when it comes to citrus, including mandarins. Some rinds transition to their mature color well before they’re ripe. Others remain slightly green (or revert to green) even when fully ripe and ready to harvest.
Mostly, though, your clementines will be orangey-red at picking. Combined with firmness and heft (signaling a fleshy, juicy interior), color is a complementary measure.
How to Pick
The small fruits are easy to harvest; just be mindful when working around their thorny stems. Pick the fruits by hand, either clipping them with pruners or plucking them from the stem. Twist and pull sharply at an angle to separate the fruit from the branch.
Storage
These little mandarins store for about a week at room temperature or two to three weeks in the refrigerator. They last for up to six months in the freezer for fresh eating, juicing, or preserving in jams and dressings.
Freezing
To freeze the bounty for a juicy burst of freshness into the new year, start with ideal ripeness for the best flavor. Peel and separate the segments. Place them in an airtight container or bag, and they’re ready for the freezer.
To easily separate segments to use in portions, do a flash freeze after peeling and separating. Place the segments on a parchment-lined baking sheet for a few hours. Once completely frozen, combine segments into a container or bag for storing in the freezer.
Drying, Juicing, and Preserving
The sweet mandarins are versatile in cuisine, from juices to dehydrated segments to jams and jellies. Juices should be enjoyed fresh within about a week or frozen for future use. Jellies and preserves are long-lasting, following safe canning guidelines.
Fruiting Tips
Fostering future yields from productive trees takes a little sacrifice in the first couple of years. Young trees work hard to establish sturdy root systems and healthy upper growth. In the first one to two years after planting, it benefits the tree to limit its fruit yield. Purposefully removing fruit is tough to do with an eagerly awaited harvest, but it offers long-term structural and production rewards.
When trees aren’t putting all of their energy into fruiting, they’ll develop robust roots, sturdy branches, and dense foliage more quickly. Leave only a few fruits on a first-year tree, and thin the fruits on a second-year grower, too. The next seasons will yield better fruit loads. Remove the early fruits as they begin to form for big rewards later.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do clementines produce fruit?
Clementines are reliable performers and a great starter for gardeners adding citrus to their collection. It can take two to three years for them to bear fruit. In the first year or two after transplanting, young trees benefit from fruit thinning to direct energy into developing strong roots and leafy growth.
Do mandarins continue to ripen after picking?
Unlike some other fruits, clementines do not continue to ripen or sweeten once picked. Sugars develop on the stem as temperatures cool. When they’re off the stem, they start to dry and become less flavorful once past peak freshness.
Can you grow clementines in containers?
The attractive trees, often grafted onto dwarf rootstocks, grow well in containers. They’ll do best in a high-quality potting mix for good drainage and aeration. Clementines may need repotting every two to three years for root space and to refresh the potting mix for nutrition.
