Gardening Guide: When and How to Harvest

My favorite part of gardening is harvest time. I love going out to the garden in the morning and picking fresh lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and other vegetables. It is always so surprising to see the many delicious treats out there. As a kid, I remember picking green beans at my grandparents' house and I really enjoyed spending time with them. For me, there is a comforting feeling that goes along with just being in the garden.

I especially love to eat the fresh produce from the garden. I visited the local farmer's market about 10 years ago, when we did not grow any lettuce that year (we were remodeling and moving), and was shocked at the price they were asking for a bag of lettuce greens. I did end up buying a bag of greens since that was the reason for my visit that day. However, it was about four times what I had expected to pay. I'm sure the price has gone up even more since then. Anyway, I now value produce from the garden even more, and getting to eat it fresh and right away is the best.

There are many things to harvest from the garden like leafy greens, strawberries, peas, beans, tomatoes, and zucchini. Some are harvested a little at a time and others are harvested all at once. Some are harvested and eaten right away and others can be stored to use later. Plants are harvested at different times and in different ways based on the type of vegetable.

Over the years, I have learned a lot about harvesting in my garden. Here are some tips that I can share to help you get the most out of your garden.

The first thing to consider is when to harvest. Different varieties will have varying maturity dates and the sizes of the produce will vary. Look carefully at the seed packet or plant tag to see how long it will take for the plant to mature. Some varieties are smaller and ready to harvest sooner. So make sure that you have a good idea of what to look for. You certainly don't want to miss the prime-picking window.

• Leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach, kale, and asparagus should be harvested when they are young and tender. If you harvest them too late, they will be tough and bitter.

• Cole crops like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts should be harvested when they are mature.

• Some vegetables should be harvested when they are ripe. If you harvest too early, they will not be as flavorful. Harvest too late, and some will be overripe and will not taste as good. This is true for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, squash, melons, and pumpkins.

• Many vegetables are really delicious small like cucumbers, zucchini, beans, and peas.

• Root vegetables should be harvested when they are mature. If you harvest too early, the roots will be small and may not taste as good. If you harvest too late, the roots may be tough and woody. Some root vegetables like carrots, beets, and radishes can be harvested when they are young and tender.

The next thing to consider is how to harvest. Harvest your produce in a way that will not damage the plant or the produce.

A plant's ideal growth is not necessarily the goal for us as gardeners. Our goal is to consume fruits and vegetables and get the most from our plants. If left alone, plants will produce massive over-ripe fruit. As gardeners, we can encourage plants to produce the fruits and vegetables that we like. This usually means we are picking the fruit well before the plant is done growing it. This works for peppers, strawberries, and zucchini. Also, for some plants, the more you harvest the more you get. This is true for cucumbers, zucchini, beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

• To harvest lettuce and spinach, you can usually take a few leaves at a time from each plant once they are big enough. By taking just a few leaves at a time, you can extend your harvest. This also works for Swiss chard, kale, and other leafy greens.

• For pot herbs, you can take a few leaves at a time or you can cut the whole plant down to the ground. The plant will grow back and you can harvest it again. This works for basil, cilantro, parsley, and other herbs.

• To harvest microgreens, you can cut the whole plant down to the ground. The plant will grow back and you can harvest it again. This works for mustard, radish, and brassicas. For pea shoots, you take just the tips, and the plant will continue to grow and produce more peas. For sunflower shoots take the whole plant it does not grow back.

• With broccoli, you can sometimes get a second harvest if you cut the main head off. The plant will produce smaller broccolini that can be harvested later.

• To harvest cauliflower and cabbage, take the whole head.

• For Brussels sprouts, harvest the sprouts as they mature. Start at the bottom and work your way up.

• Harvest kale from the bottom of the main stem to the top.

• With tomatoes, you can pick them when they are ripe. You can also pick them when they are green and let them ripen on the counter.

• Cucumbers can be picked when they are small or when they are large. If you pick them when they are small, you can get more cucumbers. If you pick them when they are large, you can get bigger cucumbers.

• Peppers can be picked when they are green or when they are red. If you pick them when they are green, you can get more peppers. If you pick them when they are red, you can get sweeter peppers.

• Eggplants should be firm and the seeds should still be tiny. If you wait too long the seeds can get big and the eggplant will be tough. We like to grow a Japanese variety 'Ichiban' which is long and thin. We cut them in half and put them on the grill.

• Carrots, can be harvested when they are small or when they are large. If you harvest them when they are small, you can get more carrots. If you harvest them when they are large, you can get bigger carrots. They reach peak sweetness when they are about 1 inch in diameter.

• Beets are delicious at all sizes and can be harvested when they reach the size that you like.

• Radishes can be harvested when they are small or when they are large. If you like them mild, pick them young. They get spicier the longer they grow. If you harvest them when they are large, they can have splits in them.

• To harvest potatoes, wait for the tops of the vines to start to die. Then you can dig them up.

• With turnips, you want to get them out of the ground before they get infested with root maggots.

• With onions, you can harvest them when they are small and use them as green onions. You can also harvest them when they are large and use them as storage onions.

Some garden produce is consumed right away and some can be stored. If you have more produce than you can eat, storing it may be a good option. Lots of gardeners enjoy storing their produce to use later. Canning, freezing, and dehydrating are popular storage options. Some produce can be stored in a cool dry place for quite some time.

• Canning - Hot sauce, salsa, pickles, relish, and tomato sauce can all be made from excess produce. One-of-a-kind gifts can be made and then shared with friends and family.

• Dehydrating - Some items can be preserved by dehydrating. You can make your own dried fruit and dried tomatoes. You can also make your own dried herbs.

• Cool/Dry storage - Some items can be stored in a root cellar - spaghetti squash and other winter squash can be stored in a cool dry place.

• Freezing - Some items can be preserved by freezing. You just have to be careful to not run out of space in your freezer. Blueberries are great this way. They can be frozen in one layer on a cookie sheet. Then once they are frozen store them all together in a plastic freezer bag. This way they stay round and do not get all smashed together in a lump. You can add frozen blueberries to your muffins and quick bread before baking them.

We make pesto with our basil at the end of the growing season and then freeze it. We pour the pesto out onto a cookie sheet, freeze it, then break it into chunks and store it in a plastic bag in the freezer. When you are ready to eat it, just take a piece out and thaw it. We use it this way as a topping for pizza, salads, and pasta.

The last thing to consider is how to share your harvest. In our garden, we often have a lot of produce that we can't eat all at once. If this is the case for you as well, you can share your harvest with friends and family. You can also share your harvest with your local food pantry. If your neighbors and friends also enjoy gardening, you can form informal CSA-type groups and swap your excess vegetables.

Harvesting can be a time-consuming part of gardening. To make harvesting more enjoyable, you can break up the work into smaller tasks that are easier to manage. You can also involve your friends and family. This can make the work go faster and it can be a fun way to spend time together. It is especially helpful when you have a large amount of produce to harvest.

When it is time to harvest, you can think of it in a series of smaller tasks so that it does not seem like very much work. By breaking it up into smaller tasks it can be easier to manage. Each task can be done at a different time, so you can spread your effort out over many days. Think about gathering, sorting, sharing, and storing as separate tasks.

• Gather - Gather your bounty into one place. This can be a basket or a box. Or you may need multiple baskets. This makes it easier to sort and store.

• Sort - Sort your produce into piles of like items. This way you can get a good idea of what you can eat right away and what you will need to store for later.

• Share - Share your excess produce with friends and family. You can also share your excess produce with your local food pantry.

• Store - Store your produce by canning, freezing, dehydrating, or storing it in a cool dry place.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work. If you have children, they can be very helpful with this. They can also learn to really like gardening and to enjoy spending that time with you. Invite your friends over for a work party, spend some time harvesting in the garden, and then enjoy sharing a meal with them. You can send them home with some of the bounty as a thank-you for their help.

Remember these tips when you are ready to start harvesting your garden:

• Know what to look for and when to harvest it

• Harvest your produce when it is ripe and in a way that will not damage the plant or the produce

• Store your produce in a way that will keep it fresh for as long as possible

• Share your harvest with friends and family and find a local food pantry that will put your donations to good use

• Harvesting can be enjoyable if you break it up into smaller tasks and invite your friends and family to help

I hope this helps you to enjoy harvest time in your garden like I do. Share your favorite harvest hacks in the comments below.