The Best Way to Harvest Vegtables

Choose a time in the morning for harvesting vegetables. Vegetables contain the most water in the morning just after the dew dries. Take a knife, trowel and basket or bucket with you.

Harvest vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers, when they are soft but firm. Observe the color. Pick only tomatoes that are deep red in color per type. Harvest peppers when they are full size. Pull the tomatoes and peppers from their stems or cut the stems just above the top of the fruit with a sharp knife.

Dig up root crops, such as carrots, beets, onions and potatoes, when they are the desired size and color. Harvest carrots and beets once they reach 1-inch in diameter. Pulling on the greens uproots the vegetable. Use a trowel to loosen the soil around the vegetable if they are hard to pull.

Pick leafy vegetables when still young and tender. Harvesting the outer leaves of lettuce, chard, spinach and kale encourages continued production. Harvest the entire head once it reaches the desired size before it bolts, sending up a seedhead.

Pick beans and peas when the pods are firm and full but still tender. Choose pods that are still green and not turning yellow. Pinch the top of the beans or pea pods and pull them from their stems. Harvest these plants every one to two days for maximum yield.

Harvest cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and eggplants when they reach their mature size. Pick these fruits when their color is right and their skins are firm. Cut the stems from the top of these vegetables with a sharp knife.

Harvest broccoli and cauliflower heads when they reach the desired size. Pick broccoli heads once they are dark green and cauliflower when it is white. Harvest these vegetables before they bolt and produce a seedhead.

Place your harvested vegetables in your basket or bucket. Take them into your kitchen immediately and wash them. Store them in the refrigerator until needed.