As the season for harvesting vegetable gardens approaches, many are left anxious, trying to figure out when exactly their produce is ready for picking. Harvesting at the wrong time can not only affect the quality of your yield but also trigger things like rot in your fresh vegetables.
Mark divulged a straightforward method to find the perfect moment: “The easiest way to check is to look on the packet of seeds. It will always have on there a maturity date. Follow that because it’s going to be different for every single type of vegetable.”
For those who may have discarded or lost their seed packets, fear not, as the expert shared other indicators on the actual plant that can let you know when to harvest: “The best thing to do is look for size, colour, aroma and flavour.”
When it comes to tomatoes, Lane reassures that they are “very forgiving” in terms of picking time. For those who might pick their tomatoes while still undersized or slightly green, he recommends simply placing them on a windowsill and waiting for them to ripen.
Green beans require a keen eye for the perfect pick, with Mark advising: “You want them to be swollen but you don’t want them to be bulging.”
For those uncertain about the readiness of their green beans, Mark suggests a taste test: “If it tastes sweet, it’s alright. If it tastes bitter, probably no good it’s probably gone too far.”
Bell peppers change their flavour depending on the harvest time. Once they turn green, they possess that sharp, distinctive pepper taste, but leaving them on the plant will sweeten them and change their colour from green to red.
When it comes to potatoes, the plants give a clear indication of when it’s time to dig in. Mark explained: “Once the plant has flowered then the leaves go brown and a little bit papery, that’s the perfect time to pick.”
Mark also offered advice on the digging process: “Get in there with a fork and get underneath, be careful because you don’t want to harm any of those tubers because otherwise you could end up with rot. You’ve got to protect those tubers.
“But again it will depend on the variety. Some will only need 75, some might need 135 days. On average, anywhere between 90 and 120. If they’ve already flowered, wait until those leaves start turning then get in there.”
“Get in there with a fork and get underneath, be careful because you don’t want to harm any of those tubers because otherwise you could end up with rot. You’ve got to protect those tubers.”