Harvesting
Vegetables
Biggest
Is Not
Always the Best
Most
crops can be harvested several times if only the part that is ready is
harvested. The quality of vegetables does not improve after harvest so
it is important to gather crops at proper maturity. At this point
vegetables
are at their peak for flavor and nutrition. This is not always when a
vegetable
is at its largest stage.
The
ripe time varies with certain vegetables. Tomatoes may be left on the
vine
until fully ripened or taken off when partially ripened and placed on a
windowsill to mature. Other crops such as winter squash are not ready
until
after they are fully developed.
Handle
Plants with Care
Avoid
bruising or damaging vegetables as this causes decay. Stepping on vines
or breaking stems creates openings through which diseases can enter the
plant. If ripe vegetables are not easily removed from the plant, cut
them
off with a knife.
Tramping
through wet foliage helps to spread plant diseases. Harvest vegetables
when they are dry.
Check
the garden frequently for ripe produce during harvest time. Vegetables
continue to grow and before long they are overgrown.
Harvest
Time
Beans
Harvest
when pods are almost full size but before the seeds inside begin to
bulge.
Tips should be pliable. Beans should be crisp and snap easily. Harvest
often.
Beets
Beets
can be eaten as greens when the leaves are 4 to 6 inches long. When
grown
for tops and beets, harvest when beets are 1 to 1-1/2 inches in
diameter.
To use only the beets, wait until they are 1-1/2 to 3 inches in
diameter.
Broccoli
Gather
when buds are compact and before buds turn yellow or open into flowers.
Cut off 6 to 7 inches below flower heads. Small, tender leaves also are
nutritious.
Brussels Sprouts
Pick
when sprouts (buds) at the base of plant are firm. Don¹t strip
leaves
since they are needed for growth. Pinch out growing point at top of
plant
to get larger sprouts.
Cabbage
Harvest
when heads are firm and before mature heads split. Splitting is caused
by excessive water uptake. To avoid this, give the head a quarter turn
to break several roots.
Carrots
Carrots
are ready when 1 inch in diameter. They may be left in the ground for
later
harvest during cool, dry periods.
Cauliflower
It's
ready when head is firm. It's over mature when soft or when leaves turn
yellow. When heads are a diameter of 2 to 3 inches, take outer leaves
and
fold them up and over the head. Tie them with a string. This keeps head
from turning yellow. In 1 to 3 weeks diameter of head should be 6 to 7
inches and ready to harvest.
Corn
Kernels
are plump, milky when mature. Silks are brown, dry. Corn is at prime
eating
quality for only 72 hours before becoming over mature. Harvest early in
the morning or during cool weather.
Cucumbers
Pick
when 6 to 9 inches long and still bright green and firm. Over mature
fruits
are dull in color or yellow and less crisp. For sweet pickles, fruits
should
be 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches long, and for dill pickles, 3 to 4 inches
long.
Do not raise vines when picking as this may damage the vines and reduce
yields.
Eggplant
Harvest
when 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Skin should be shiny, dark purple.
Fruits
are over mature when dull in color, soft and seedy.
Greens
Lettuce,
chard, -- Cut outer leaves when 6 to 8 inches long.
Lettuce, Head
Pick
when heads are moderately firm and about 6 inches in diameter.
Onions
Harvest
when tops fall over and begin to die. Dig bulbs and dry for several
days.
Cut off tops and roots and store in a cool, dry place. Harvest green
onions
when they are 6 to 8 inches tall.
Peppers
Peppers
are shiny green in their prime and about the size of a baseball. They
still
are good after turning red or yellow. Hot peppers are red or yellow
when
ripe.
Radishes
Pull
them up when they are about 1 inch in diameter. Radishes become hot
&
tough when left in the garden too long.
Spinach
Leaves
are ready when 4 to 6 inches long. Pull out larger, whole plants or
harvest
older leaves to allow new growth.
Summer Squash
Zucchini,
cocozelle, crookneck, straightneck, scallop -- Pick when seeds and
fruits
are small. Squash should be 6 to 8 inches long with skin you can
puncture
with a fingernail. Continue to harvest.
Winter Squash, Pumpkins
Butternut,
buttercup, acorn, hubbard -- Harvest when fruits are full size. Rind
should
be firm and glossy and bottom of fruit is cream to orange color. Leave
squash on stems for better storing and pick before fall frost.
Tomatoes
For
canning or juice pick fruits that are fully colored. If cracking at the
top is a problem in hot weather, pick them when they are turning pink.
These tomatoes will ripen in the shade indoors. Before the frost, pick
green tomatoes and store in a dark place where they can ripen.
Turnips
Harvest
when roots are 2 to 3 inches in diameter but before the frost. When
grown
for greens, pick leaves when 4 to 6 inches in length.
Source:
University
of Illinois Extension
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