danny wrote:
how do i ripen these things? I think they're the fuerte variety
(green smooth skin) and they look ready to pick but they just don't
ripen. I read online its best to ripen in a paper bag with an apple or
banana and thats what I did... they've been in there for almost 3
weeks now, one seemed softer than the others so i cut it and the meat
was like rubber.

I don't want to leave them on the tree any longer because some damn
squirrels are stealing them. I've actually seen the critters roll them
on the ground into my neighbors yard.

Here is a UC Davis piece on when to pick avocados. Essentially, it
says to pick one when you think they're mature and let it finish
softening at room temperature. If it does so satisfactorily in a few
days, they're ready but if it doesn't, they're not. So, I'd say yours
aren't ready to pick yet.

It also says that when the avocados are mature, the best place to
"store" them is on the tree, where they will be fine for quite a long
time. This leaves you with the squirrel problem, I guess, but maybe
they won't decimate your eventual harvest. -aem

http://ceventura.ucdavis.edu/ben/avo...sting/pick.htm