Growing your own vegetables allows you to grow what you want, and it is rewarding to be able to say that you grew it yourself!
As a home gardener, you have an advantage of harvesting right at peak quality. However, knowing when a vegetable has reached its best eating quality can be difficult to determine, especially for a first-time vegetable gardener.
Most vegetables get their best eating quality when allowed to ripen on the plant, but this peak quality is often reached before the vegetable is fully mature. So many gardeners fall for the “bigger is better” mindset and allow crops to stay on plants too long.
Seed catalogs and seed packets do list “days to maturity” for crops which is helpful. However, it is not always reliable for calculating the precise time to harvest. Many factors influence a harvest date such as soil fertility, precipitation, and temperature. Therefore, actual “days to maturity” can be different year to year. You need to be aware of subtle clues that indicate a vegetable is ripe for the picking.
Here are some harvesting tips for more common vegetables:
Snap beans. Harvest while the pods are still tender before the enlarging seed can be seen through the pod. Pods are ready when they break easily. To harvest, break off the stem above the cap.
Cantaloupe. If the fruit separates easily from the stem when gently pulled, it is ripe and at the best eating quality. The blossom end becomes soft and smells sweet.
Cucumber. Pickling varieties should be harvested between 2 to 6 inches in length; slicing and burpless types between 6 and 10 inches. Pick frequently to avoid oversized fruit and to encourage continued production.
Eggplant. Harvest before the flesh becomes tough and seeds begin to harden. Fruit should be shiny and uniform in color. The fruit is ripe when the side of the fruit is pressed slightly with your thumbnail and an indentation remains. Harvest the fruits by cutting stems with a sharp knife or pruners versus pulling the fruit off.
Peppers. Hot peppers can be picked green or allowed to ripen and change colors on the plant. Sweet peppers should be harvested when they reach full size, and the fruit walls feel firm. Bell peppers can be harvested green or yellow or allow them to ripen further on the plant for red or orange. Fully colored peppers are sweeter than green peppers. Pepper plant stems are very brittle; cut the stems versus pulling them to avoid breaking plant branches.
Summer squash. Harvest crookneck and straightneck varieties when the fruit is 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Harvest zucchini when fruits are 7 to 8 inches long and scallop types when they are 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Smaller sizes are more tender. Leaving large fruits on the plant can inhibit the development of additional fruit.
Tomato. Pick fruit when it is fully vine-ripened but still firm. Keep harvested tomatoes out of the sunlight. If immature or green fruit is harvested, do not refrigerate since this inhibits ripening. Ripe tomatoes should be stored at room temperature since refrigeration can reduce flavor and cause the tomatoes to develop a mealy texture.
Almost all vegetables are best when harvested early in the morning. Be gentle with the plants when harvesting. If vegetables are not easily removed when twisted or pulled, use a clean knife, scissors, or hand pruners.
Be careful not to step on stems or foliage of the plants; future harvests depend on a healthy plant. Frequent picking is essential for prolonging the harvest. Enjoy the fruits of your labors!
Are you interested in learning more about gardening, while enjoying shared tips, tricks, and camaraderie with other gardeners? Consider participating in the master gardener volunteer training in 2022! For more information call us or visit, http://cceoneida.com/ phone 315-736-3394, Ext 100. Be sure to like us on Facebook (https://ift.tt/2Yi7RhI) and check out our YouTube channel by hitting the icon at the bottom of our web page.
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August 01, 2021 at 08:00PM
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Enjoy better vegetable harvests with these simple tips - Rome Sentinel
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