The perfect month or week to harvest can vary by region and growing conditions, but you can always rely on your produce to let you know when it’s ready to be picked; keep an eye out for these signs in your veggie garden for the best time to harvest cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, and more. When is Harvest Season: Yield times vary, but most types are in bumper-crop mode from mid-July through September. How You Know It’s Ripe: The tomato uniformly reaches its mature color (whether it’s red, orange, or yellow) and pulls easily from the stem. Test Garden Tip: Keep picked tomatoes at room temperature; refrigeration diminishes flavor and texture. If the first frost is coming soon, harvest all full-size fruits, even if entirely green; keep them in a cool area, and most will eventually ripen. When is Harvest Season: Successive sowings of corn in spring bring yields from mid-July to September. How You Know It’s Ripe: The silks turn brown but not dry. Kernels are formed and full all the way to the top. Dimpled kernels are past peak. Test Garden Tip: Sugar-enhanced (SE) hybrids, such as Peaches & Cream and Kandy Korn, retain their sweetness longer than older types, which start mellowing the moment they’re picked. Store SE types (in their husks) in the refrigerator for up to a week, or blanch and freeze for up to a year. When is Harvest Season: Unlike its spring-planted onion cousins, garlic is planted in fall and harvested in late July or after the following summer. How You Know It’s Ripe: The cloves are full and firm. As soon as the tops of plants start to turn brown, dig up one bulb to check. If cloves are plump, not shriveled, they’re ready to harvest. Test Garden Tip: Cure bulbs (with leaves attached) for two to four weeks in a warm, shady spot, then cut off the tops. Store bulbs for up to six months in a cool place. When is Harvest Season: Most melon varieties mature in late summer and early fall. How You Know It’s Ripe: The green, curly tendrils near the stem start to dry out and turn brown. Test Garden Tip: Another way to know if your watermelons are ripe? Carefully lift them and check the spot on the bottom that’s usually resting on the ground; when the melon is ripe, it’ll change color from pale green or white to yellow. When is Harvest Season: Cucumbers come on strong in midsummer heat. With regular picking, vines will continue to produce through early fall. How You Know It’s Ripe: The spiny, bumpy skin of a small cucumber smooths out. However, small cukes are crisper and less seedy, great for eating and pickling! Most varieties are about 2 inches in diameter and 5-8 inches long at their peak. Test Garden Tip: It’s best to err on the immature side, as cucumbers can turn from just right to overripe overnight. Refrigerate for up to a week. When is Harvest Season: Potato hills can supply your meals with a fresh daily starch from July through October. How You Know It’s Ripe: For mature storage potatoes, harvest when plant tops die back. For new potatoes, begin harvesting two weeks after plants bloom. Test Garden Tip: Potatoes keep longer in storage if left in the ground until skins toughen up. Don’t water after the tops die back. Cure mature potatoes in a cool, dark, humid place (such as a basement) for two weeks. The ideal winter storage is darkness and a temperature of 40-45°F, so your garage or basement might provide perfect conditions. When is Harvest Season: All peppers produce from midsummer until frost. How You Know It’s Ripe: You’ll know flavor and heat are at their peak when fruit reaches full size and begins to color up. However, most peppers are delicious at any size. Test Garden Tip: Before frost, pick all peppers, even small ones. Fresh peppers last a week or more refrigerated; excess can be frozen, dried, or canned. When is Harvest Season: Early summer to fall. How You Know It’s Ripe: The green tops flop over in midsummer, signaling that onions have reached full size. For young scallions, harvest when shoots reach 10-12 inches. Test Garden Tip: Cure storage onions in a shady area or garage for a few weeks. Once skins are dry, cut off tops and store in a cool place indoors.
