Well, I say ripen, here's the rub. People keep asking me when I will pick it, when will it be ripe? Well how would I know! It is my first! So I turned to the oracle (RHS website) which tells me that:
"Fruit are ready to harvest in October or Novemberwhen they have turned from a light yellow to a golden color and are extremely aromatic. Only pick undamaged quinces, storing them in a cool, dry and dark place on shallow trays." RHS
This gave me comfort as I can see that the quince is now changing. At first I thought it had reached a stage and was not going to get any bigger.
But now, as I check in on it frequently, I can see that it is getting rather chubby. It is developing middle-aged spread and has what is best described as 'girth'.
It is definitely getting rounder.
Now when I do pick it, what am I going to do with it? Now there is a question for another time.............. but remember that episode of the Great British Bake Off where a contestant gilded a pear?
Thanks as ever to SquirrelBasket, the guardian of the followed trees.
