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Your plants will reward you if you pick from them often and don ’ t wait until everything on them is past-peak .”
Garlic — After at least one-third of the tops of garlic have died back in the summer , it is time to start harvesting garlic . Pull or dig out the entire plant and brush off the excess soil . Don ’ t wash them , but lay them out or hang them in a warm , but shady area for a few weeks . Once the neck is dry and the outside skin starts to flake , then the tops can be cut off and it is ready for use .
Peppers — Pick or cut off bell peppers when about cricket ball size and shiny green . Cutting is preferable to avoid pulling off branches . Keep them on the vine longer if you want them to turn red , yellow , or orange . Maturity is usually 75-85 days . Hot peppers will be red or yellow when ripe , but can be eaten green . The whole plant can be pulled out just before frost and hung inside for continued harvests .
Summer Squash — Harvest when they are tender and shiny or glossy . Unless the variety requires otherwise , harvest when squashes are 3-5cm in diameter and more than 15cm long . When they can be indented with a fingernail , they are ripe enough to harvest . Cut from vine or twist off if it can be done without damaging the vine . Harvest frequently or the plants could stop producing . Leaving ripe fruit on the vine also leads to harder skin and the quality and taste deteriorate . Spaghetti and banana squashes can be picked when golden coloured . Summer squashes start to ripen at about 50 days .
Snap beans — Pods can be harvested when they are almost full sized , but before the seeds inside of them start to push out the pod walls . Beans should be barely pliable and snap when bent , and harvested just above the “ cap .” Unless growing a yellow bean , pick before they turn yellow . Bush beans will be harvestable in about 60 days , pole beans before 90 days , and up to 100 days for Lima beans .
Tomatoes — Because there is such a range in colour and size of tomatoes , judge by firmness . Don ’ t let them stay on the vine too long to the point of starting to get soft , unless the point of growing them is for juice or sauce . After picking , get them into the shade as soon as practical or inside the house . Like peppers , if frost is imminent , the whole plant can be cut and brought in for an extended harvest . Most tomatoes can start getting harvested between 55 and 75 days from being planted .
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE HARVESTING
Even when you have timed everything perfectly and know the optimal time to harvest each type of vegetable , there are still some things to keep in mind .
Tread lightly while harvesting — Stepping on vines or even other vegetables while harvesting can cause openings and wounds which can then be infected by any number of pathogens . When walking through your crop when it is wet , you can inadvertently spread disease as you go . When possible , it is better to harvest when it is dry .
Handle the harvest gently — Many types of produce are prone to easy bruising . Once bruised , they typically lose some of their sweetness and their shelf life is reduced . Bruises also open up the opportunity for insects or diseases to set in .
Inspect your harvest — You may not have noticed the insect or disease when you were picking but you don ’ t want to transfer it back onto the rest of your crop . Make sure to properly dispose of it and note what it was so that you can be on the lookout for the same pest .
Harvesting your garden is the reward for all your hard work and care . By doing it right , your plants will be happier and your crisper full .
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38 Maximum Yield