Ground color break is another good indicator of when fruits are mature for harvest. Harvesting before this often yields immature fruit of lower quality which may never ripen properly. A frequent complaint in buying peaches at the grocery store is that the fruit was picked immature, and the result is often poor quality and a dissatisfied customer. Check for color on shaded areas of the fruit, not the sun-exposed side where red color may come early and hide the green. Some of the newer peach and nectarine varieties have been developed with high red color and firmer texture, making it more difficult to tell when they are ready to pick.
Taste is still a good indicator of ripeness.
Sample one, and if its level of sweetness is good even though the texture is a bit crunchy, it is probably ready. Fruits that you want to transport or save for display should be picked firm but mature. Fruit can be placed in a box lined with newspaper or other padding, with the stem end down. Avoid packing peaches and nectarines more than two layers deep or the bottom layer of fruit may be damaged. In a few days the fruit will soften and be ready to eat.