More Gardening Tips
Summer is the perfect time to start your fall and winter vegetables. The heat can make it tough to spend time working in your garden; try to take advantage of marginally cooler days. Early in the month of August, try to plant starters or seeds of green onions, carrots, beets, lettuce, spinach, radishes, and winter cauliflower. The unused spots in your garden can be perfectly used to plant mesclun greens and leaf lettuce. Mixing compost into the soil before seeding will ensure faster growth.
When to Harvest
Asparagus - Harvest when they are 6 to 8 inches tall. Remove the large and small diameter spears; allow 20 to 50 percent of the spears to remain intact as they will provide energy for next year’s crop. Cutting might damage some spear tips that have not yet emerged from the ground. Snapping a spear is easy; bend it from the top toward the ground and then snap!
Beans, Snap - Harvest after 50 days for bush plants, 65 days for plants on poles: when pods snap easily, are crisp to the touch, yet the edges are still bendable.
Beans, Lima - Harvest after 65 days for bush plants or 80 days for plants on poles. When pods are mature, the ends feel kind of soft and the pod is a bright green color.
Beans, Shell - Harvest after 70 days when beans are noticeable in the pods but before pods begin to dry.
Beans, Dried - Harvest after 90 days, when plants may be turning yellow and dry but not crunchy. Sever the entire plant and pick the pods then leave in sun to dry. When the beans are completely dry, shell them and store in the freezer.
Beets- Harvest after 60 days; when root grows to be medium-sized (11⁄4 to 2 inches in diameter), the leaves tastes better when cooked green.
Broccoli - Harvest 65 to 75 days from transplanting within the time period from direct seeding in the fall. Individual bud and head size determined by variety, Yellow flowers indicate over maturity More Info
Brussels sprouts - Harvest 90 days after transplanting. Remove sprouts from the stalk when they are 1 to 2 inches in diameter and firm, the lower sprouts develop first. Remove the leaves when cutting the sprout.
Cabbage - Harvest 80 days from transplanting, cut the mature heads when they are solid, but before they crack or split. In addition, you can harvest a later crop of small heads or sprouts that develop on the base of the cut stems. The sprouts will be 2 to 4 inches in diameter and should be picked when they are hard.
Carrots- Harvest after 75 days or sooner, taking into consideration desired size and weather effects. Sugar content is higher in mature roots, but younger ones are softer.
Cauliflower- Cauliflower is ready for harvesting 7 to 12 days after blanching; 65 days from transplanting when the head is rice-like, compact, firm, and white in appearance and flower head grows to be 6 to 8 inches in diameter. To keep the head white, bring the outer leaves together and tie over the center of the plant at the beginning of formation.
Chinese cabbage - Harvest after 80 days, cut entire plant at the ground level when the head is fairly compressed or the plant has reached the desired size.
Collards - Harvest after 55 - 60 days, when leaves are large enough to pick. If not harvested soon the leaves become larger and tougher.
Sweet corn - Harvest 17 to 21 days after silken, Kernels should be bright, plump, and milky, except super sweets, which may appear watery. Small, soft kernels and large, hard, starchy kernels are tasteless after 70 to 85 days.
Cucumbers, pickling - Harvest when cucumber is dark green all over, firm, and crisp. Cucumbers is at its best when it grows to be 8 to 10 inches long and 1 to 1 1⁄2 inches in diameter, if they are large, dull, puffy, and yellow they are long past the harvesting stage. In that case, remove old fruits from the vine so that young fruits will develop. For Pickling - Harvest after 55 days, before cucumbers become dull, puffy, or yellow, frequent harvest is necessary. Start cutting when cucumbers are 2 inches or less in length for pickles, and 4 to 6 inches for dills. Larger cucumbers can be used for relish. For slicing - Harvest after 62 days, when cucumbers grows to be 6 to 8 inches long or begin to turn yellow, right before the ends become soft.
Eggplant - Harvest 65 to 85 days after transplanting, when fruit is half grown, are 6 to 8 inches long, and color starts to dull. The fruits are no good when they become dry, soft, and full of seeds. A knife or pruning shears should then be used to remove the fruit from the plant. The calyx should be left attached to the fruit.
Endive, escarole - Harvest after 85 days when large enough to eat, cut plants at ground level.
Harvest when gourd begins to dry, cut gourd from the vine while stem still intact.
Small Decorative Gourds- Harvest when the rind is hard; by removing gourd from the vines with stems intact.
Gourds, luffa- For eating, harvest when small (4 inches or less in length) and tender. Harvest by cutting gourds from the vines when skin turns yellow or after the gourd has dried.
Kale- Break off the outer leaves after 55 days as they become 8 to 10 inches long while still tender. New leaves will continue to grow from the center of each plant. Aged kale is hard and stringy. Cold weather improves the flavor.
Kohlrabi- Harvest by pulling after 55 days, when the bulbous part is 2 to 3 inches in diameter roughly the size of a small ball, Large, older kohlrabi is tough and woody and may have a weird tasting flavor. The young leaves can be prepared like spinach.
Lettuce, leaf- Harvest after 40 to 50 days, when leaves get to be 4 to 6 inches tall. Cut while young, taking the entire plant off at the soil surface, leaving the rest below soil intact for re-growth.
Melons
Muskmelons- Harvest 42 to 46 days from pollination, 90 days from seed, when blossom end of fruit gives into pressure from finger and melon separates easily from stem. The fruit can be held at room temperature for 1 to 3 days until the blossom end softens. The flavor is better; when they are ripen in warm, dry weather.
Honeydew- Harvest 110 days from planting when the rind changes from green to gold, and melon does not detach easily from the vine.
Watermelons- Harvest 42 to 45 days from pollination, 90 days from planting ready, when undersurface (ground spot) turns from white to creamy-yellow.
Mustard- Harvest when the leaves are full. Leaves may be picked anytime before the seed stalk forms, older leaves should be stripped off the plants first, allowing the young leaves to continue to grow. All leaves can be removed down to an inch or two from the soil, providing the plant isn’t damaged.
Okra- Harvest when the pods begin to appear on okra plants about 50-60 days after planting. 4 to 6 days from pollination, pick when pods are 2 to 4 inches long. They become hard if left to mature, so harvest them daily when they are about the size of a finger. Cut them off with a knife or gardening shears to prevent damage to the plant. If okra is harvested on a regular basis, the plants will continue producing until winter. If you plan to let some pods mature for seed, only one plant is needed for the purpose
Onions, Begin harvesting onions when about half to three quarters of the leaves have died back and onions are one-fourth to one-half inch in diameter and tops are 12 to 16 inches tall.. Gently dig or pull the onions, then store them in a dry, shady place with good ventilation, such as an outdoor barn or shed, for 14 days. After the onions have cured, separate the young, soft, and thick-necked bulbs and use them first because they won't store well.
Parsley- Harvest after 90 days from transplant or when leaves are large enough to pick. Parsley leaves can be harvested any time during the growth season; cut them off at the base of the plant. Remove the larger outer leaves, allowing new leaves to grow from the middle of the plant. The plant will retain its rich color until early winter.More Info
Peanuts- Harvest by digging 110 days after transplant, when tops are yellowing and inner hulls are brown. All pods do not mature at the same time, but dig up the entire plant.
Peas
Harvest after 65 days, English peas is best when pods are bright green and fairly well filled. Raw peas should be sweet. The pods of snap peas remain edible at any stage, whether immature, or mature, when pods are green and crisp and pods are filled, the Peas are at their best with full flavor. For southern peas, harvest by removing purple hull varieties with a gardening scissors when pod is up to 50 percent purple. Remove tan pod types when pods start changing to yellow. Peas must be green when shelled from the pod.
Peppers Harvest 75 days from transplants by picking the green bell peppers when they are shiny green and firm, Colored peppers are harvested when fully covered in yellow, red, etc. Pimiento should be fully red. Harvest hot pepper when green or fully colored.
Potatoes- Harvest potatoes after 100 days when the ends begin to die and the skin becomes firm on the potato. Harvest main crop after vines have turned yellow. The skin is set when it does not scrape easily when rubbed with the thumb. Skin setting can be speeded up by cutting back the tops to the plants. Most of the potatoes should weigh 6 to 12 ounces at harvest. Harvest small, "new potatoes" during the growing season by carefully digging beside the plants with the fingers. Greenish or sunburned potatoes are not good. Skin should be firmly attached to tuber.
Pumpkins- Harvest 110 days after seeding, Pumpkins can be harvested whenever they are a deep, solid color (orange for most varieties) and the rind is hard. If vines remain intact and healthy, harvest in late September or early October, before heavy frosts. If vines die ahead of time from disease or other causes, harvest the mature fruit and store them in a fairly warm, dry place until Halloween. Cut pumpkins from the vines cautiously, using pruning shears or a sharp knife and leave 3 to 4 inches of stem intact. Pumpkins without stems spoil quickly. Wear gloves when harvesting fruit because many varieties have sharp prickles on their stems. More Info
Radishes- Harvest summer radishes when they are crisp and young, 30-40 days after sowing. If they are left in the ground past maturity they will go peppery and the texture will quickly become soft and soggy. They do not freeze well and will only last five days or so in the fridge. The larger winter radish plant takes 90 - 120 days to mature, harvest before ground freezes. More info
Rhubarb- Pull or cut the leaves from the stem, as they contain oxalic acid, which is poisonous. Throw away leaf blade and eat the stalk only. Take a stem as close as possible to the base of the plant, and pull gently when leaves are fully grown, whilst twisting to ensure it comes away neatly. Avoid cutting and or digging the plant, as pulling is more efficient and leaves the roots invigorated. If it is the plant's second season, only pull two stems per plant, leaving at least five healthy stems. In following seasons, you may remove 3 or 4 stems per plant, as long as you leave half the amount. More Info
Rutabagas- Harvest Rutabagas 60 to 90 days after sowing as they get larger than a golf ball. Lift rutabagas when they are 3 to 5 inches in diameter and tops are about 12 inches tall. The younger roots will be softer than older roots. Pull them, cut or twist off the leaves, and store them in a cool, waterless place, Mulch roots remaining in the ground. Optionally, use dry sand or peat soil to help retain moisture and freshness. Rutabaga leaves are also edible. Rutabagas can remain in the ground as long as the soil temperature does not dip below 24°F. More Info
Spinach- Harvest spinach after 45 days, when small and tender and the plant will continue to produce tender leaves. Young plants may be thinned and used. When plant reaches full size, harvest by cutting off entire clump at ground level. Use before leaves get old and tough.
Spinach, New Zealand- New Zealand spinach will be ready for harvest 55 to 65 days after sowing when plants get large enough. Cut young leaves and tender leaf tips for the best flavor. This cut-and-come-again harvest will encourage new growth and a longer harvest. More Info
Squash, summer- Harvest summer squash when they are still immature and tender, Rind should be easily pierce able by thumbnail, check the plants daily as fruit grows quickly. Regular harvesting will also encourage the plant’s production. To harvest summer squash, cut the fruit from the vine, leaving about 1 inch of the stem attached, when medium in size and color is good. More Info
Squash, winter (storage)- Harvest winter squash 60 -90 days from pollination before the first hard frost, when the vines have dried and the skins are hard and can't be scratched with a fingernail. More Info
Sweet Potatoes- Harvest at any stage of maturity typically 100 to 140 days from planting depending on variety. Harvest sweet potatoes before the first frost, (Usually around Halloween in certain parts of the US, other places might vary.) when roots have reached a usable size because cooler conditions can physiologically damage roots.
Tomatoes- Harvest 45 days after pollination, when color is good all over. The size is no indication of how mature the fruit is. Can be ripen after picked, but quality is better when ripened on the plant. More Info
