Whether you are planning to eat it today or keep it for later, here is how to pick the perfect produce, every time

September and October is harvest time for much of the homegrown fruit we enjoy in the UK – apples, pears and autumnal berries are abundantly available. But shops and supermarkets are also stacked with fruit from all over the world – apples and pears, yes, but tropical fruit and avocados, too. All of this may look colourful and appealing, but it may not be ripe at all. To the untrained eye, a ripe melon may be indistinguishable from one that won’t be ready to eat for a week. How do you tell if something is at its best, past its best – or rock hard and sour because it needs more time?

There are some universal clues to look out for, most importantly colour and smell. Generally speaking, ripe fruit is fragrant, and as emphatically the colour it’s supposed to be as possible. Beyond that, there are techniques and strategies for specific crops. Here’s how to gauge the ripeness of everything from avocados and bananas to pears and pumpkins.