Aug. 9 Column: When to Harvest Vegetables

The one bright spot in this COVID-19 mess is that there are so many new vegetable gardeners. How cool is that?! I remember when I was a new gardener, it was difficult to know when to harvest vegetables. That seemed like a perfect topic for today’s garden column. You can read it in The Spokesman-Review: The perfect time to pick your home-grown vegetables. Or you can read the text of my column at the bottom of this post. It’s not as pretty as the newspaper version but it’s a simple alternative for many of you.

I think eggplants are one of the trickiest vegetables to harvest at the right time. The trick is to pick them when their skin is glossy and thin. That’s just one of the many veggies I included and I hope you’ll find my column helpful.

For this week’s “Everyone Can Grow a Garden” video, I decided to do a relatively short one on planting cover crops. We gardeners all want to get maximum production out of our garden beds, right? But it’s also important to improve the soil each year. Growing cover crops is a great way to accomplish that.

When to Harvest Vegetables column:

by Susan Mulvihill

Is it just me or are you also alarmed we’re well into August already? Since our long, chilly and very wet spring got our vegetable gardens off to a rough start, it seems only fair that the growing season should proceed more slowly.

It’s the peak of the season and there is plenty of harvesting to do. For those who are new to growing veggies, I thought it would help to discuss when to harvest different crops.

At this point, many cool-season crops are throwing in the towel because they don’t like the heat. This includes lettuce, peas and spinach which shut down and go to seed. It’s time to pull them up and focus on the other crops.

Harvest vegetables at the right time

Beans _ Always harvest bush and pole beans when the pods are young, tender and flavorful. Don’t wait until you can see and feel the seeds within the pods. The opposite is true for fava beans. Also known as broad beans, they should be picked when the pods feel firm and are practically bursting with seeds. Shell them, boil the seeds for a few minutes, then pop out the tender, green seed inside each one.

Corn _ The silks at the tip of each ear should be brown and very dry. Feel the upper portion of the ear: it should be rounded, meaning the kernels have finished filling out the ear. If you’re still feeling baffled, carefully peel back part of the husk and peek at the kernels near the tip: if they’re fully formed, the ear is ripe.

Eggplants _ Look for firm fruits that have thin, glossy skin. You can also find harvesting clues by checking the seed packet or plant label for information about the size of mature fruits.

Garlic _ Many local gardeners have already harvested theirs but here’s what to look for: when the lowest two leaves have turned brown, it’s time to gently dig them up. Move them to a sheltered location until the stalks are completely dry, then trim them off and store the bulbs in a basement or other dark, cool area.

Melons _ Watch for the stem of the melon to begin separating from the vine. The skin of the melon should turn lighter in color and you’ll probably notice yellow jackets and wasps buzzing about: they can smell that sweet, succulent flesh. Separate the melon from the vine and prepare to be amazed at how delicious a fully ripe melon can be.

Onions _ The nice thing about onions is they let you know they’ve finished growing: their stalks fall over. Once that happens, pull them up and move them to an area that is sheltered from the weather until the stalks are completely dry. At that point, remove the stalks and move the onions bulbs to a cool, dark area.

Squash _ Harvest summer squash such as zucchini while they’re young and tender. Remember that if you fail to harvest a small zucchini one day, it will be the size of a baseball bat the next. Don’t pick winter squash until fall frosts are approaching and their skins are hard. (note: I didn’t have room in my column to add that it is so important to “cure” the skin of winter squash for 2 weeks after you pick them, and prior to putting them into storage. They will last for far longer than you thought possible! For more on this, please watch my video called How to Harvest Winter Squash. This link goes to my YouTube channel.)

Tomatoes _ Since they come in so many colors, my best advice is to wait for some to turn the appropriate color and then eat one. If it was tender and delicious, you will know what to look for.

Tomatillos _ The fruits are hidden inside little husks during the growing season. When the husks change color and burst open, you can pick them.