I have date palms in my yard, they have fruit. Do you pick them when they are green or ripe? How to dry them?

Question

I want to know what the process is so that they are like the ones you buy.

Answer 1

Dates are usually left on the tree to ripen and start to dry. As the dates mature, you will need to cover the entire strand of dates with a cloth bag.  This lets air circulate and help the ripening/drying process along but keeps birds and small animals from getting to them.

Also, just a word of caution - it's a good idea to be absolutely sure the palms are date palms and that the fruit is edible before digging in.  Perhaps a trip to a local garden store?