Realizing when to reap greens is simply as essential as realizing how one can develop them.  Some have a very long time over which you’ll be able to harvest; others have to be harvested at simply the correct stage of ripening.  Harvest on the incorrect time, and your greens could not ripen correctly in case you are too younger or be powerful and bitter in case you are too previous. You possibly can’t actually go by the calendar, or days to maturity, as this may differ from yr to yr with such circumstances as rain, temperature, and diet.  The easiest way to inform when to reap is by the traits of every vegetable.  Listed here are some particular clues.

Lima beans are finest harvested when the pods are full, however earlier than they begin turning yellow.  They’re extra tender when immature, and meatier when mature.  The identical applies to snap beans.  When the seeds are half of full measurement or bigger, the pods can be extra fibrous and starchy.

Three traits point out that cantaloupe is prepared for harvest: the stem slips simply from the vine, the “netting” on the floor turns mild tan, and the blossom finish (reverse the stem) is delicate (push gently along with your thumb), and smells candy.

Really feel the information of candy corn ears.  After they really feel full via the husk, they’re prepared for harvest.  You’ll see dry silks.  Open the highest of the ear, peeling again the husks, and kernels needs to be crammed out.  Press a kernel along with your fingernail, and it ought to have a milky sap.  Use as quickly as attainable after harvest for optimum sweetness.

The size of cucumbers, when mature, will differ with selection, however usually, they’re one and one-half to two-and-a-half inches throughout and 5 to eight inches lengthy.  They’re finest harvested barely immature when spines are delicate and earlier than the seeds develop into half-sized.

Eggplant maturity and measurement differ with selection too.  Generally, harvest when practically full measurement and vibrant and glossy.  After they flip a boring colour, and seeds flip brown, they’re overripe.

When you didn’t harvest onions for consuming whereas they have been nonetheless small, harvest when bulbs are one to at least one and a half inches throughout for boiling and pickling.  Harvest them even bigger when tops fall over and the bottom of leaves (“necks”) shrivel for storing and common cooking.

Harvest scorching peppers as you want them, the younger and inexperienced ones being hotter in lots of circumstances than the mature and coloured ones.  Late within the season, you possibly can pull the entire plant, and dry peppers in a heat, well-ventilated house.  However, harvest candy peppers when the fruits are full and agency.  You possibly can go away them on the plant in order for you them to show colours if so for a selected choice (some keep inexperienced, others flip colours when totally mature).  Even when a pepper will ultimately flip colours, it will probably nonetheless be eaten whereas inexperienced with little distinction in taste, if any.

For brand new potatoes, harvest solely a pair weeks after they bloom.  For a predominant crop, harvest tubers when the tops have died down later within the season.  Harvest when the soil is dry if attainable, and dig rigorously to keep away from bruising (use a backyard fork, not spade, to loosen the soil).  Remedy potatoes for about two weeks in a cool (45 to 60 levels F), darkish, and well-ventilated space.  For candy potatoes, harvest in fall earlier than frosts and freezes. Deal with them rigorously to keep away from bruising however, not like common potatoes, treatment them dry and heat (80 to 85 levels F) for one week.

Summer time squash needs to be harvested when younger, tender, and a fingernail simply nicks the floor.  Winter squash needs to be harvested when mature fruit is tough and might’t be scratched with a fingernail.  Harvest winter squash earlier than the primary onerous frost, with a pointy knife, and leaving and inch or so of stem hooked up.  And not using a stem, fruit will start decay from the scar.  Dry winter squash for 10 days to 2 weeks in a dry, heat space (75 to 85 levels F).  Harvest and deal with pumpkins just like winter squash.

The correct time to reap tomatoes varies with selection, however normally is when a fruit is uniformly purple (or coloured within the case of yellow or different varieties), and the top continues to be agency and never delicate.  Ripe fruit ought to sink when positioned in water.  If late within the season and frosts are predicted, you possibly can harvest inexperienced tomatoes.  They’ll ripen nice in darkish, and in reality mild can delay ripening.  Preserve them heat (55 to 70 levels F) till ripe, and it is best to be capable of retailer them this fashion for 3 to 5 weeks.

For all of your greens, the common inspection each few days is the important thing to the very best and longest harvest season.  There are a number of cool season crops resembling lettuce, carrots, and cabbage that may be planted out in late summer season for fall harvest.  Extra tips about rising these and different vegetable crops within the North, in addition to their storage, could be present in articles from Cornell Cooperative Extension (gardening.cals.cornell.edu).

HARVESTING SUMMER VEGETABLES

Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus
College of Vermont