There’s no denying that vegetables fresh from your garden taste the best, but when should you pick them to ensure the greatest quality and flavour?
Asparagus
Asparagus plants should not be harvested until the third year after planting. When the stalks are 6 to 10 inches high, snap them off at the soil level. Harvest them for a maximum of 6 weeks.
Beans
Start harvesting green beans about 2 to 3 weeks after first bloom when the pods are smooth and green. They should snap easily in half. Check them often and don’t allow them to mature on the plant.
Beets
Beets are best when they are about 5 cm in diameter, but can be harvested as early as 2 cm in diameter or as late as 7.5 (used for soups and processing). The inner green leaves may be eaten as well.
Broccoli
The part of broccoli that we eat is actually the unopened flower buds, so it is necessary to harvest it before the flowers bloom. Cut the head and up to 12 inches of the stem the first time and then the plant will develop side heads that can be harvested later.
Brussels Sprouts
Start twisting off the lower heads when they are about 1 to 2 cm in diameter, bright green in colour and firm.
Cabbage
Cabbage may take 2 to 3 months to mature, depending on the weather. Harvest them when they are between 10 cm and 25 cm in diameter and are firm to the touch. Do not allow them to grow beyond this stage or they will split open.
Carrots
Depending on your preference, carrots can be harvested anywhere from three quarters of an inch to 4 cm in diameter before they start getting woody. If left in the ground, a light frost is said to improve the flavour of the carrots.
Cauliflower
As cauliflower heads begin to form, tie the leaves around the head to protect it from the sun and check it often. The cauliflower is ready to be harvested if the heads are tightly packed, smooth and white in colour with no brown spots.
Corn
The corn silks will dry and turn brown about 3 weeks after they appear. At this point, peel back the husk on a cob and pierce a kernel about 5 cm from the tip. If the fluid that comes out is watery, the corn is not ready. If it is milky, it is the right time to pick.
Cucumber
The ideal length at which to harvest cucumbers will depend on what you want to do with them. For sweet pickles, pick them at 7.5 cm; for dills, 15 cm; and for slicing 20 cm. Harvest cucumbers often and do not allow them to mature on the vine. Once they turn yellow, they become hard and bitter.
Eggplant
Harvest eggplant when the fruit is firm and bright purple.
Garlic
When the garlic top falls over and begins to dry and brown, dig out the bulb, brush off the dirt and dry before storing.
Lettuce
The outer, older leaves of leaf lettuce can be picked when they are about 4 inches high and the plant can continue to be harvested in this manner throughout the summer. Head lettuce should be picked when firm and before seed stalks appear.
Onions
Onion tops will collapse and begin to yellow when the onion is ready to be dug out and stored. For fresh use, harvest onions between ¼ and 1 inch in diameter.
Peas
When the pod is bright green and full, it is time to carefully pick peas without damaging the vines. They are sweeter if harvested before they are totally mature; you’ll need to taste them to be sure. Do not allow pods to mature on the vine.
Potatoes
New potatoes can be harvested when they are 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inches in diameter, usually just as the tops start to flower. For full size potatoes that can be stored, wait until the plant above ground dies and turns brown. Make sure to harvest before the first hard frost.
Pumpkins
When the rind is bright orange and the vines have begun to die back, the pumpkin is ready for harvest.
Radishes
The shoulders of radishes will push out of the soil when they are ready to be picked. They can be harvested when they are as small as marbles or as big as 2.5 cm in diameter. If you wait any longer, they can become woody and bitter.
Tomatoes
When the fruit is fully red and slightly soft to the touch, twist and pull from the vine gently. Tomatoes are usually ready about 5 days after the first hint of pink shows.
