How to Pick and Harvest Common Garden Vegetables
After months of toiling in your home garden, the desire to pick your vegetables may become overwhelming. However, it is important that you only harvest garden vegetables when they are mature. Picking too early or too late is a common mistake made by every home gardener. It is also important to understand that vegetables have varying growth cycles based on the type of plant and the amount of sunlight and water each receives. You won’t be able to pick every veggie at one time, but the following guide will ensure that you harvest common garden vegetables at the time when they taste the best. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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TomatoesThis red and juicy vegetable is usually the first veggie that beginner home gardeners attempt to plant, and there’s a good reason why. They are easy to grow! Tomatoes typically grow and become ripe with little human interaction. The color guide is an easy way to determine when tomatoes are ripe. They should be red to red-orange in color. Anything green will be too firm and undeveloped. If left on the vine too long, they will taste like mush. A good test is to touch the tomato. If it falls off the vine with little resistance, then it is ready for your next salad.
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Green beansBush beans are another vegetable that requires little fuss after planting. The best time to pick is when the beans reach 4 to 6 inches in length.
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BroccoliBe careful when harvesting broccoli. It is important that you do not let this vegetable grow to full maturity. Pick the plant while the buds (florets) are still small and compact. If you wait too long, the buds will turn to a yellow flower and become inedible.
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CucumberCucumbers are another plant that you have to pick before it becomes over-mature. If this plant remains on the vine too long, it will turn yellow and have a mushy taste and texture. Pick when the vegetable is green and about 6 to 8 inches in length.
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Squash or ZucchiniTreat both yellow and green squash with the same care. You will pick both at the same time. Squash will reach anywhere from 11 inches to 2 feet in length. Pick the squash if it falls off the vine without much resistance. Also, test the firmness. You should be able to subtly dent the skin of the veggie.
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PeppersGreen, red, yellow, and orange peppers are all harvested at different stages in the vegetation cycle. Many of the pepper species start off green or yellow before reaching the ripe state. Make sure you properly label or leave a clear indicator in your garden so you can identify which pepper plant is which. Pick green peppers when that reach the size of either a baseball or softball. The same goes for yellow peppers. Red peppers begin as a green pepper. Leave red peppers on the vine longer so they can reach their red color. Otherwise, the pepper might have a undesirable taste. Orange peppers begin vine life yellow. Leave them on the stem long enough to reach the bright orange color.
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Tips & Warnings
Be patient with vegetables. They do not all turn ripe at the same time.
Water evenly and consistently.
Do not over-water to speed up ripening.
