Harvest and Storage
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Harvesting, Storing, and Cooking Snap Beans: A Gardener’s Guide
Through hands-on experience in my home garden,, I’ve learned that timing the harvest just right makes all the difference in flavor and texture. Whether you’re picking crisp bush beans or tender pole beans, harvesting at the peak of freshness ensures the best taste. When picked young and firm, snap beans are sweet, juicy, and perfect […] More
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How to Harvest and Store Leeks
Harvest leeks when they are big enough to use. Most leeks mature 100 to 120 days after sowing seed, but a few varieties mature in as few as 60 days. Some varieties mature at ½ to ¾ inches in diameter; others can grow to 1 inch (2.5 cm) or more in diameter. Related articles: When […] More
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How to Harvest and Store Sweet Potatoes
Harvest sweet potatoes as soon as they are big enough to eat—usually when the ends of the vines begin to turn yellow. Harvest sweet potatoes before the vines are touched by frost. Frost can damage the tubers below. Related articles: When to harvest sweet potatoes How to harvest sweet potatoes How to cure sweet potatoes […] More
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How to Harvest and Store Eggplant
Harvest eggplant young as soon as the skin becomes glossy. The flesh of young eggplant will be more tender and the seeds smaller. The plant will produce more fruit if kept picked. Related articles: When to harvest eggplant It is better to harvest eggplant just before it’s ripe than to wait too long. How to […] More
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How to Harvest and Store Celery
Celery is ready to harvest 85 to 120 days after transplanting depending on the variety. Celery is finicky and can be a challenge to grow. The optimal temperatures for growing celery are 65° to 75°F (18°-24°C) during the day and 60° to 65°F (15°-18°C) at night. Related articles: Temperatures must stay above 55°F during the […] More
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How to Harvest Sweet Peppers for the Best Flavor
After years of growing sweet peppers in my garden, I’ve learned that the perfect harvest timing makes all the difference in flavor. Picking too early can leave peppers tasting bland, while waiting too long might result in an overripe, less crisp texture. Through trial and error, I’ve discovered the ideal signs that indicate when sweet […] More
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How to Harvest and Store Peas
Harvest green peas when they are young and tender. They will become hard and starchy if left on the vine for too long. Green peas are best shelled and cooked within an hour of harvest. Harvest edible-pod peas when the peas are just beginning to form; when the outline of the pea is just visible […] More
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How to Harvest and Store Sweet Corn
Corn is ready for harvest about 17 to 24 days after the first fine strands of silk appear at the top of the ears. Corn may ripen more quickly in hot weather and more slowly in cool weather. Related articles: When to harvest sweet corn How to test sweet corn for ripeness How to harvest […] More
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When and How to Harvest Cucumbers
Harvesting cucumbers at the right time is key to ensuring they remain crisp and flavorful. From my experience, cucumbers should be harvested when they are bright green, firm, and have reached their ideal size. Slicing cucumbers are best picked when they are 6 to 8 inches (15–20 cm) long, while pickling cucumbers should be harvested […] More
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How to Harvest and Store Summer Squash for Maximum Freshness
Summer squash, including zucchini, yellow squash, and pattypan, grows fast and needs frequent harvesting to keep plants producing. Over the years, I’ve learned that timing is everything—picking squash at the right stage not only improves flavor and texture but also encourages more fruit to develop. Harvest too late, and the squash becomes tough and seedy; […] More
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Harvesting & Storing Winter Squash for Long-Term Use
Winter squash is one of the best crops for long-term storage, providing homegrown food well into the colder months—but only if it’s harvested at the right time and properly cured and stored. Over the years, I’ve learned firsthand that timing is key when picking squash—harvest too early, and the flavor and storage life suffer; wait […] More
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How to Harvest and Store Asparagus
Harvest asparagus when spears are 6 to 9 inches (15-23 cm) long, about the thickness of your index finger, and before the tips begin to separate. When to harvest asparagus How to harvest asparagus How to extend the asparagus harvest There are some proven ways to increase and extend the asparagus harvest: After ferns turn […] More
Stephen Albert
