How to Know When to Harvest Your Vegetables
Picking the right time to harvest vegetables is more art than science in many cases, especially in the homestead garden. Experience and trial and error over the course of time will be your best guide to ensure that your crops are at their peak freshness. However, there is a general rule of thumb that you can follow for many crops in order to eyeball when that time approaches. Let’s take a look at some suggestions that you can keep in the back of your mind as you progress through the growing season.
Broccoli
Broccoli is generally ready once the heads are tight and just on the verge of turning yellow and flowering. You can also use some of the naked shoots that come off of the main stem. Cut them off with their stems attached, but make sure that you leave a few inches of the main stem in the ground. This will allow the plant to continue to grow and produce more broccoli.
Cauliflower
You want to eyeball the cauliflower in order to harvest them before the heads get too spongy. You are looking for a nice firm feel and white appearance. Once this happens, cover the heads by tying the leaves together and let rest for about a week. Then harvest them by cutting the heads with a little bit of stem attached. Most cauliflower heads will generally be bigger than 5 inches in diameter when ready for harvesting.
Cabbage
Cabbage heads are ready for harvesting when they are still solid and dense and in one nice ball. The trick is to harvest them before these heads start to split open. We all know what good heads of cabbage look like in the supermarket, so the aim is to pick them when they have that general appearance in the garden. You can also get another harvest late in the season once the new heads are about 2 inches in diameter.
Carrots
Carrots get sweeter with age, and many people prefer to harvest them after the first frost and the ground gets really cold. However, you can harvest the carrots anytime after they’ve gotten to be about 1-2 inches in diameter. Planting them in a staggered schedule can help to extend the harvest time and give you more fresh product to use in the late season.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers can be harvested as soon as they are at least 2-3 inches long. Keeping them in longer will make them bigger, especially with certain varieties. You will know the cucumber is ready once it becomes dark green, has a uniform color and looks like those you find in the grocery store. What you want to avoid is waiting until they appear bloated or start to become yellow. Make sure you check the expected growth size of your cucumbers based on the variety you are using.
Eggplant
Most eggplant varieties are ready once they get bigger than 6 inches and have a nice, even, glossy and dark appearance. Avoid over-growing them in the same way that cucumbers get bloated and soft. Cut the eggplant at the stem, about an inch above the head, and leave it intact until you’re ready to cook it.
Garlic
Garlic is ready once the bulbs start to turn a little bit yellow and dry out. Pull off the bulbs and place them on a screen and allow them to dry out further before storing or using. Trim off the roots near to the bulb and remove the outer layer of material after they have dried. Keep the garlic in a cool and dry place.
Green Beans
Green beans do not like cold weather or frost, so you want to harvest them when temperatures are still warm. They also are usually ready after about 45 days of growing, so you can easily get in a couple of crops in a season.
Potatoes
Most varieties of potatoes are ready to be pulled once the plant parts dry out. You want to use a spade and dig around and below the potato to avoid breaking it as it is harvested. Keep in mind that you can re-plant a piece of a potato to start a new crop.
Sweet potatoes should be harvested in the fall right before frost comes and kills off the vines. You want to allow the potatoes to dry out by laying them on the ground for a few hours before bringing them inside. You also want to keep them in a hot room, around 80-85 degrees for a few days to allow them to cure before storing them in a cool and dark place.
These are just a few examples of what to look for when planning your harvest. There are dozens of other plants that will be covered in future articles, but feel free to add to this list as well as offer any advice to help new and first-time homesteaders to a have a great harvest.
