Chart of When & How to Harvest Vegetables
Asparagus
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When: Spears reach 6 - 10" tall
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How: Use a sharp knife & cut spears at ground
level
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Beans,
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When: Pods have filled out & before they
yellow *
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How: Twist & snap pods from plant
|
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Beans, Snap
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When: Pods have small seeds, about 1/4 the size
of plant seed
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How: Twist & snap pods from plant
|
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Beets
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When: Bulbs reach 2 - 3" in diameter **
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How: Pull from base of plant
|
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Broccoli
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When: Terminal heads have tight, dark green
florets
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How: Cleanly slice heads 4- 5" below florets
|
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Brussels Sprouts
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When: Harvest when sprouts are small & firm
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How: Twist sprouts off starting at bottom of
plant & working up
|
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Cabbage
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When: Heads are firm and before they split
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How: Cleanly slice heads from plant
|
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Cantaloupe
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When: Fruit is beige, blossom end is soft &
stem easily slips off vine
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How: Twist & pull from vine
|
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Carrots
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When: Roots reach 1 - 2" in diameter ***
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How: Twist & pull at base of plant
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Cauliflower
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When: Heads reach 1-2" in diameter, tie
outer leaves over head. Harvest 1 -2 weeks later before heads yellow
|
How: Cleanly slice heads from plant
|
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Chard, Swiss
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When: Early summer to first moderate frost
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How: Break off outer leaves of plant
|
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Corn, Sweet
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When: Tips fill out husk, silks are dry &
kernels full. Peel back top of husk & press fingernail into a kernel, if
it gives a milk-like sap, it’s ready for harvest
|
How: Twist & pull ears from stalks
|
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Cucumbers
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When: Diameter reaches 1 ½ - 2 ½", spines
soften & before cucumbers turn yellow
|
How: Twist and pull from vine
|
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Eggplant
|
When: Almost full-grown & bright & shiny
in color
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How: Twist & pull from plant
|
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Kale
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When: Leaves & stems reach size of hand
|
How: Snip
handful at a time leaving terminal bud on plant
|
|
Kohlrabi
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When: Stems reach 2 - 3" in diameter
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How: Pull plants from ground, cut tops
|
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Lettuce, Heads
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When: Head is firm & before bolting
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How: Pull entire plant from ground & slice
off head
|
|
Lettuce, Leaf
|
When: Leaves reach desired size
|
How: Snip outer leaves, working inward as leaves
mature
|
|
Okra
|
When: Pods reach 2 - 3" long
|
How: Snap pods from plant
|
|
Onions, Bulb
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When: Tops have browned and fallen over
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How: Pull
on dry, windy day, let rest in garden for 1day, cure in dry, well-ventilated
area for 2 weeks
|
|
Onions, Green
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When: 5”
tall or when desired size is reached
|
How: Pull
or snip greens to allow for mature harvest later
|
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Parsnips
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When: Late fall after a few moderate freezes
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How:
|
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Peas, Shelling
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When: Peas begin to fill pods, pods begin to swell
|
How: Twist and pull from plant
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|
Peas, Snow
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When: Pods reach desired length & before they
fill out
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How: Twist & snap from plant
|
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Pepper, Sweet
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When: Fruits are thick, firm, full-sized &
desired color
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How: Cleanly slice stem from plant
|
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Potatoes, New
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When: 2 weeks after blooming
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How: Dig up
|
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Potatoes, Main
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When: Tops have died down & ground is dry
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How: Dig up, cure in dry, well-ventilated area
for 10-14 days
|
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Pumpkins
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When: Thumbnail cannot penetrate skin, stem
browns & dries
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How: Cut from vine leaving 1-2" of stem
attached to pumpkin
|
|
Radish
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When: Bulb reaches ½-1" in diameter ****
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How: Pull from base of plant
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Rhubarb
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When: Stalks are ½-1" in diameter, &
10-12" tall (leaves are poisonous)
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How: Twist & pull stalks at bases
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Spinach
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When: Leaves reach desired size
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How: Snip or pinch leaves working from outside of
plant inwards
|
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Squash, Summer
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When: Young & tender, skin is penetrable by
thumbnail
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How: Twist & pull from vine leaving ½"
stem attached to squash
|
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Squash, Winter
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When: Thumbnail cannot penetrate skin, stem browns
& dries
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How: Cut from vine leaving 1-2" of stem
attached to squash, cure for 10 days in well-ventilated, dry area
|
|
Sweet Potato
|
When: In fall, before first major frost
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How: Dig up, cure 1 week in well-ventilated, dry
area
|
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Tomato
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When: Firm & uniformly red
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How: Twist & pull from plant
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Turnip
|
When: Bulbs are 1" + in diameter &
before first major frost
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How: Twist & pull at base
|
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Watermelon
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When: Sounds dull & hollow when thumped,
bottom yellows & tendrils brown & die
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How: Snip stem from vine
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* Beans, Lima :
For tender lima beans, harvest right before beans mature. For meatier beans,
harvest when fully mature.
** Beets: Harvest beet greens when beets are about
1" in diameter. Spring planted beets should be harvested by July while
fall planted beets should be harvested before the ground freezes.
*** Carrots: Harvest carrots planted in spring by
July and carrots planted in fall before the ground freezes.
**** Radishes: Harvest radishes planted in spring
by July and radishes planted in fall before ground freezes.
Reference: De Long, Eric. "Guidelines for
Harvesting Vegetables." Cornell.edu. Cornell
Cooperative Extension, Chemung County , Oct. 2001. Web. Aug. 2012.
<http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/vegetables/harvestguide.pdf >.
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