Harvest For Highest Quality

This article appeared in “Growing Fall Vegetables and Annuals in Texas,” produced by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, College Station.

Many gardeners do not know when to harvest homegrown vegetables. Proper harvesting at the right stage of growth is essential for good yields of high quality vegetables from the fall garden.

• Bean, snap - when pods are nearly full size but before seeds begin to show appreciable enlargement.

• Beets
  • greens - when leaves are 4 to 6 inches long.
  • tops and small beets - when beets are 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter.
  • beet roots only - when roots are 1-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter.

• Broccoli - when flower heads are firm and fully developed, but before individual flowers start opening; cut 6 to 7 inches below flower head.

• Brussels sprouts - when buds along the stem become solid, and thereafter as higher buds become firm. Remove leaves along stem to hasten maturity.

• Cabbage - when heads become solid; to prevent splitting of mature heads, twist plants enough to break several roots, and thus reduce water uptake from the soil; excessive water uptake causes splitting.

• Carrots - when roots are 3/4 to 1 inch or more in diameter; during cool, dry periods, leave carrots in the ground for later harvests.

• Cauliflower - when curds (heads) are 4 to 8 inches in diameter but still compact, white, and smooth; exclude sunlight when curds are 2 to 3 inches across by covering them with an inverted cabbage leaf (this may need replacing once or twice), or by loosely tying the outer cauliflower leaves together above the curd; curds exposed to sunlight rapidly become discolored, rough in appearance, and coarse in texture.

• Chard - thin and use small plants when they become 6 to 8 inches tall; thereafter remove only outer, older leaves when 8 to 10 inches long; new leaves continue to grow for a continuous harvest of young, tender chards.

• Collard - break off older, lower leaves when they are 8 to 12 inches long; new leaves continue to grow for a continuous harvest.

• Kohlrabi - when bulbs (thickened stems) reach 2 to 3 inches in diameter.

• Lettuce
  • leaf forms - when older, outer leaves are 4 to 6 inches long.
  • heading forms - when heads are moderately firm, and before seed stalks start; take older, outer leaves from either leaf or head lettuce as soon as these leaves are 4 to 6 inches long; new leaves provide a continuous harvest of tender, tasty leaves until excessive cold weather.

• Mustard - when older, outer leaves are 6 to 8 inches long; new leaves provide continuous harvest until leaves are strong in flavor and tough in texture from hot weather.

• Parsley - when older leaves are 3 to 5 inches long; continue to take older, outer leaves for fresh, tender parsley until heavy frosts in early winter.

• Peas
  • regular varieties - when pods are fully developed but still bright green.
  • edible-podded varieties - when pods are fully developed but before seeds are more than one-half full size, if pods are to be eaten; harvest when seeds are fully developed but still fresh and green, if pods are to be discarded.

• Potato - when tubers are full size and have a firm skin; new potato tubers may be dug at any size, but generally are not harvested before the tubers are 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter.

• Radish - when roots are 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter, thin radishes to 1 inch between plants, to insure rapid, uniform growth and crisp roots.

• Spinach - when larger leaves are 4 to 6 inches long; pull larger whole plants or harvest older leaves, and allow new growth to develop.

• Squash, winter types - when fruits are full size, the rind is firm and glossy, and the bottom of the fruit (portion touching the soil) is cream to orange colored; light frost will not damage mature fruits.

• Sweet potato - late in the fall, but before the first early frost; lift to avoid cuts, bruises, and broken roots; cure in a warm, well-ventilated place for 2 to 3 weeks, and store in a cool, dry place.

• Turnip - when roots are 1-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, but before heavy frosts in the fall.

This article appeared in the May-June 2000 issue of Lawn and Garden Update, edited by Dr. Douglas F. Welsh, and produced by Extension Horticulture, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, The Texas A&M University System, College Station, Texas.