Prickly pear fruit is one of the natural beauties and tasty takeaways of the Southwestern desert. If you love prickly pear jam, syrup, or lemonade, then it is time to learn the simple way to harvest prickly pear fruit. Continue reading below.

Use Proper Tools

Using the right tools when handling cactus and its fruit is essential to keeping yourself from injury and maintaining the integrity of the plant. Prickly pear plants and fruits have large and tiny spines, also known as glochids, that can cause painful and irritating injuries to your skin. Wear gardening or leather gloves when handling any type of spiny plant or tree. Also, use tongs to pull off the prickly pear fruit and place it into a basket or thick bag.

Choose the Right Fruit

Only pluck ripened fruit, and never take it off the ground. Ripe prickly pear fruit should not have any green ends. They will be a dark, ruby color. If they are ripe enough, then they should easily pop off the cactus pad with a little twist. Always leave some fruit behind, because this helps the cactus continue to propagate, and it leaves some food for other desert animals and insects.

Pick a Preparation Method

Ensure that all your prickly pears are well-rinsed before preparation. Most prickly pears are made into a jam or syrup that can be added to lemonade, BBQ sauce, and cheesecake. You can also make vinegar and chutney. The most common ways of preparation are to blend, freeze and mash, and cook and mash. All methods can be done with the entire fruit. Once the fruits are mashed and juice is released, strain the pulp and liquid from each other. Leftover pulp and slurry can be thrown back into your yard or nearby desert so the seeds can propagate.

Learn more about the value of the desert from the experts at Complete Landscaping. Our landscapers know all about the Southwest and the wonders that come from it. Please call us at (520) 323-8918 to schedule an appointment with our landscaping team.