Arizona · Orchard fruit
Typically early November to late March, with peak early December through mid-February.
Hatched chalk = early and late shoulders; solid = peak.
Yuma and Phoenix-area groves; the sweetest navels come off in midwinter.
From early November — first pickings, lighter supply, best prices come later.
early December through mid-February — full stalls, full flavor. This is the stretch to plan around.
Through late March — quantity for preserving, and the stalls start dealing.
about 22 weeks end to end, shoulders included.
Winter grove picking — clip fruit with a short stem stub so the peel does not tear. The picking window tracks the band above: early trips get clean fields, peak (early December through mid-February) is the sure bet, late season is for quantity.
Farm-to-farm variation is real — up to two weeks either side of the typical window. Plan the trip, then call the farm before you drive.
Orange peak moves across the map. After this window, it lands next in:
In Arizona, the orange season typically runs early November to late March, with peak availability early December through mid-February. Exact weeks shift a little with each year's weather.
Aim for peak: early December through mid-February. An early trip around early November gets first choice of clean fields; a late one is for jam-and-freezer quantity. Any single farm can run up to two weeks either side of the chart — call before you drive.
about 22 weeks end to end — early November to late March. The early and late shoulders are real but lighter; the solid stretch of chalk on the band is the sure bet.