When you go to buy mangoes, often the question comes in the mind whether the mango you are buying is ripe or not. Is there a rule which tells you that the mango is ripe or unripe?
How to tell if a mango is ripe. If you look at the mango ripening chart given below, you will know if the mango is ripe by looking at the colour of the mango.
How to Tell if a Mango Is Ripe
The best way to tell if mangoes are ripe is to check their color, skin texture, softness and smell.If your mango is rock hard and mostly green color, it means it is not ripe yet. The color of the mango and its smell and hardness will guide you if the mango is ripe and ready to eat or still unripe.
If you check the color, feel of touch and the smell of the mango, you can be certain to tell that the mango is ready to eat or needs more time. Whether you are picking a mango from your garden (how to grow mango from seed) or a shop, you should have the basic knowledge to know how to tell if a mango is ripe or unripe. You can ripen mangoes faster (how to ripen mangoes once picked) at home.
The Colour Of Mango
The mango colour can give you an idea about its ripening. However, it may be noted that not all mangoes change colour as they ripen.Video on Mango Ripening Colour Chart
The mango ripening colour chart given below gives a rough idea of different stages of mango ripening.
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| Mango Ripening Color Chart |
Stage One
When the mango is picked up from the tree, it is mostly green with slight yellow and/or red color depending of its variety. The mango at this stage is quite firm.
Stage Two
In the ripening process, the mango changes its colour from dark green to lighter green to yellow, with a light red blush. The mango at this stage is still firm.
Stage Three to Four
As the ripening process continues, the mango begins to soften with lesser green and more yellow and/or red colour depending of its variety.
Stage Five
The mango emanates a fragrant aroma from the stem end and becomes softer.
Stage Six
The mango becomes fully yellow. It will have with red blush depending of its variety. It is ready to enjoy.
Although the colour of the mango is a good guide, you should not depend solely on it as there are some mango varieties which remain green even when fully ripe.
The Touch of Mango
Next touch and press your mango gently, if it is too hard, that means it is unripe. The ripe mango should be slightly soft. When you buy the mango, slightly press it on its side. The ripe mango will be softer. A hard mango is unripe and not suitable for eating.Check by Smell
Smell your mango. The mango should be fragrant and fruity sweet smell if it is ripe. The ripen mango will spread its aroma in the whole room where it is placed. When you buy the mango, smell it, specially at the stem end.Feel the Mango Texture
Move your fingertips around the mango. You may feel some wrinkles on the skin of the mango if it is ripe, but it is not always true. Too many wrinkles all over the skin suggests that the mango is overripe. In some varieties of mango, a fully ripe mango has firm skin and no wrinkles.Once the mangoes become ripe, refrigerate them for a short time to prolong shelf life, up to 5 days. Do not refrigerate a mango if it is not fully ripe. The typical shelf life of a mango is 1 to 2 weeks, depending on its storage and degree of ripeness at the time of purchase.
How long does it take for a mango to ripen?
A mango may take from 2 to 10 days to fully ripen, depending on the temperature, the degree of original ripeness and where you store it. How to ripen mangoes fasterHow to grow Mango tree from seed | growing mango from cuttings | Mango tree care | Premature falling of mangoes| Mango nutrition facts | Mango seeds that grow mango quickly in 2 to 4 years | How to force mango tree to fruit | effect of applying potassium nitrate on mango trees
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