Is it Ready? How to Tell When Grapefruits are Ripe and Ready to Eat

Is your grapefruit ripe and ready to be picked? How can you tell? Check out the tips below to learn how to spot a grapefruit that's ripe and ready to eat.

Grapefruits are low in calories, rich in vitamin C, promote a healthy immune system, and promote heart health. 

With all of these benefits, you should always have some grapefruits available in your house. An easy way is to grow your own grapefruit tree!

How do you know if you will enjoy a sweet and juicy grapefruit or a sour one? In this article, we will walk you through how to tell when to pick a ripe grapefruit.

Look at the Color

Although it might be difficult to tell when a grapefruit is ripe, there are a few tricks. For example, grapefruits come in red, white, pink, pomelo, and oroblanco, so the color might not tell you much about whether they're ready to enjoy. 

To know for sure if a grapefruit is ripe, check to make sure you don't see any green patches.

The Shape

Most people like to go to the grocery store and pick the roundest fruits. However, grapefruits that are too round are not ready for the picking. 

When you choose a grapefruit, make sure it has a few shape imperfections. Some ripe grapefruits have oval shapes, flat tops and bottoms, and other imperfections. 

The Texture

When grapefruits are ready to eat, they should have a smooth texture. Grab a grapefruit and make sure it has a smooth and thin skin. 

You want to also make sure the grapefruit is heavy and plump. A heavy grapefruit means it will burst with juice. 

If you notice the grapefruit is really soft or has softer spots, it's a sign it's going bad. 

How to Store Grapefruits

If you want your grapefruits to have a long shelf life, there are a few things you can do.

For best results, you should keep your grapefruits at room temperature in a fruit basket. You can expect them to last for about 10 days. However, try to avoid placing them under direct sunlight.

If you don't want to eat your grapefruits right away, storing them in the fridge or someplace dark can help them last longer. 

Best Climate for Ripening

Grapefruits are tropical fruits that originated in sub-tropical weather, which makes them sensitive to the cold. 

Growing grapefruits in different climates will have slightly picking times. Also, cooler climates tend to produce more acidic grapefruits. 

Ripening Season

The ripening season depends on the climate where the trees grow. However, for the most part, grapefruits are ready to pick in early fall. 

Some growers prefer to pick grapefruits late in the fall because they claim it has a better flavor. It is also possible to leave the grapefruits on the trees through the winter to ensure they stay fresh the longest. 

However, once spring arrives, the grapefruits will fall from the trees to make room for new fruits. 

How to Spot a Ripe Grapefruit

Now that you know how to pick a ripe grapefruit, it's time for you to enjoy one by itself or as part of delicious grapefruit recipes! The color, shape, and texture can tell you whether or not your grapefruit is ready to enjoy.

Try our seasonal citrus box while its available...the Craft Citrus Club!

Our Rio box is a 15-lb curated box of our fresh-harvested citrus from South Texas. The fruit is NOT gassed, rather it is tree-ripened. Our season runs from Nov-May for  oranges, grapefruit and mandarins.

Our Grande box is a 30-lb box of either fresh-harvested Rio Red Grapefruit or Sweet Oranges from South Texas.