Harvesting and Storing Vegetables from Your Garden

You always want to harvest vegetables when they are at their peak in order to get the best flavor. You also need to store them properly until you are to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Following are some guidelines that will help you get the most out of your vegetable garden.

Harvesting
There are certain vegetables that you need to check on daily in order to harvest them as soon as they are ripe. These include: beans, beets, corn, cucumbers, peas, and zucchini. (I made the mistake one year of not checking my zucchini daily and wound up with huge clubs that were trying to pass themselves off as vegetables.) You can check some of your other vegetables -- eggplants, leeks, melons, peppers, tomatoes -- every few days. Occasionally check your Brussels sprouts, dried beans, kale, parsnips, potatoes, and winter squash.

Once your vegetables are ready for harvest, certain times of day are better for picking certain kinds of vegetables. For example, mid-morning (right after the dew has dried) is the perfect time to pick lettuce and other leafy vegetables, as well as other "watery" vegetables such as cucumbers and squash. At this time of day, these vegetables will be at their crispest. "Sugary" vegetables, such as corn, peas, and tomatoes, should be harvested when their sugar content is at its peak, which is in the afternoon.

Storing
After you have harvested your vegetables, storing them properly means that you can use them a little longer before they have a chance to go bad. Wash leafy greens and pat or spin dry before placing in the refrigerator. All other vegetables should not be washed until right before you are going to use them. (The excess dampness can cause them to rot.) Store your vegetables in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator in bags specifically designed for vegetables. (Such bags will either have holes in them to allow gases to escape or have a special lining that absorbs the gases, which can cause vegetables to go bad quickly in the refrigerator.) Instead of bags, I use vegetable bin liners made of a spongy-like material filled with holes. I place the liner in the bottom of the vegetable bin and then just lay my unwrapped vegetables on it. I have found that my vegetables stay fresh much longer using this liner. (It is also washable. Just wash in some soapy water, rinse well, squeeze out the excess water, and place back in your vegetable bin. You also may be able to find these liners at your local grocery store in the produce section.)

You can also freeze many of your vegetables. I freeze all of my hot peppers that I harvest but do not use immediately. Just place them whole into freezer bags. You can then take out the number you need -- returning the remainder to the freezer -- run them under some warm water for a few seconds (just long enough to knock off some of the cold), and chop as usual. They will taste just like you just picked them from the garden. I also freeze sweet peppers. These I chop up before freezing. (Some I will cut into strips and other into chunks, so I have them already cut for whatever recipe I need them.) Once again, just take out the amount you need, run them briefly under some warm water, and toss into whatever dish you are cooking. (You can even use them in salads. They will taste like fresh sweet peppers.) I also slice up other vegetables, such as squash and zucchini, and place them in serving size freezer bags. When I need them, all I have to do is drop them into the pot or pan.

There are other vegetables that should be stored in a cool (55-65 degrees Fahrenheit), dry place. A root cellar is ideal. An unheated basement will work, as well. Vegetables that should be stored in this matter include: onions, potatoes, pumpkins, winter squash, and unripe potatoes.

Proper harvesting will ensure that you enjoy the ripest, tastiest vegetables. Proper storage means that you will be able to enjoy the bounty of your harvest for a longer period of time.

References:

Blume, James D. New Garden Book. Des Moines, IA: Meredith Corporation, 1990.

Roth, Susan A. New Complete Guide to Gardening. Des Moines, IA: Meredith Books, 1997.