How To Harvest Vegetables (The Right Way)
December 12, 2022
It is crucial to harvest the vegetables at the right time. Sometimes, a chilly spring can delay the ripening process or warmer than usual weather can fasten ripening. Soil fertility and water availability also affect the produce.
Vegetables like beans, squash, and peas are ready to be harvested when they are tender and immature. Some other vegetables like tomatoes, melons, and winter squash need to ripen fully before getting harvested. Check the size of mature vegetables mentioned on the seed packet and pick them when they reach the right size.
Harvest your vegetables often and early in the morning when the dew dries. Unpicked vegetables can become tough or overripe. Frequent picking of vegetables helps in prolonging the harvest. If the plant is allowed to grow to full maturity and not harvested at the right time, it will stop producing. If you fall into the "bigger is better" mindset and let the crop stay on the plant for too long, you will not have good produce.
In the case of leafy vegetables such as lettuce, harvest the outer leaves first and leave the inner leaves to continue growing. Be gentle while harvesting the vegetables. Use pruners to prevent breaking the plant. Be careful not to step on the foliage or stems of the plants while harvesting.
Most vegetable crops can be harvested several times if only the part that is ready is harvested. It is important to harvest vegetable crops at the proper maturity. At the point of maturity, vegetables are at their peak for flavor and nutrition. So, if they're done, pick them!
The ripening time varies with certain vegetables. For example, 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 and watermelon are not ready to be harvested until after they are fully developed.
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. Harvest vegetables when they are dry. Tramping through wet foliage helps to spread plant diseases!
Keep the harvested produce away from direct sun to slow the degradation process. The timing, frequency, and method of harvesting will differ from species to species.
