Get the maximum flavor out of your citrus crop by following these steps. Grab a fruit with your hand. Remove it from the tree with a quick snapping motion. If the rind tears, use pruning shears instead, cutting the fruit just above the stem. Taste fruit to check ripeness.
Flavor is the best judge of ripeness.
Rind color alone is a poor indicator. Some brightly colored fruit may not be ripe. Some greenish fruit may taste great. Harvest only what you will use. Fruit left on the tree will usually improve in quality.