Q.persimmon tree
The persimmons on our tree are turning orange. I’d like to know if I could pick them and let them ripen in our house? We have birds that are eating them.
Yes, most people find that unless they have the persimmon crop protected by bird netting, they have to pick the fruit before it's ripe in order to keep the birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc from eating it all. Also, in order to taste good, many varieties of persimmon must be very soft, what they call jelly-soft. You can let the fruit simply ripen on the kitchen counter, or you can close some up in a paper bag with a banana to hasten ripening. Some people bury the fruit in uncooked rice for 3-5 days, or freeze it for a few days or months, then let it soften on the counter. You might try all these methods to see what works best. Just sample the fruit every few days to see if it tastes good yet. Some varieties (usually the flatter-shaped ones) don't need to get so soft before they're good. Also you can google "persimmon recipes" to find ways to use the extra fruit.
