There aren’t many things more satisfying than going out to your garden and harvesting your produce. All the digging, watering, and weeding you’ve done in your vegetable garden suddenly become worthwhile when you’ve picked your first tomato. One of the advantages of having a garden is that you can pick your vegetables when they are at peak quality, but how do you know when to harvest them? 

Ripening and harvest times vary between vegetable types. Some vegetables, like zucchini, are picked while still immature. Some crops, like butternut squash, aren’t picked until they are fully developed. Meanwhile, tomatoes can be picked when fully ripe or partially ripened and ripened indoors. 

Most plants and seeds that we purchase will include information on days to maturity. This information can give you a general idea of how long it will take for your vegetables to be ready to harvest. Unfortunately, it won’t tell you when your vegetables will be ready to pick. Instead, you’ll have to take a look at your plants for different signs to see when they are ready.

Harvesting different vegetables

Snap beans (commonly called green beans) should be picked when the pods are fully grown but before the seeds have started to get large (you shouldn’t be able to see any bulges on the pods). The beans should be crisp and snap easily. When picking, break off the stem above the cap and harvest frequently. 

Beets can be harvested when they are 1 ½ to 3 inches in diameter. For many varieties, once the roots get larger than three inches, they begin to get tough and fibrous (woody). The leaves of beets can also be eaten, they should be picked when they are 4 to 6 inches long.

Broccoli heads are actually clusters of flowers. They should be harvested when the head has fully developed but before the buds begin to yellow and loosen up. When harvesting, cut the stem 5 to 6 inches below the head. Some varieties may produce secondary side shoots that can be harvested later.

Carrots can be harvested once they reach your desired size, typically ½ to 1-inch diameter (usually 60-70 days). Carrot tops may break when pulled, so digging or loosening soil may be helpful. Carrots planted in late summer and fall can be harvested until the ground freezes. 

Sweet Corn should be harvested early in the morning while in the milk stage (the juice of the kernel will be milky when punctured). At this stage, the kernels are fully formed but not mature. As harvest time approaches, the silks will begin to dry and brown, the tip kernels will start to fill, and the ears will become firm. Ears should be eaten or processed as soon as possible after picking them for the best quality. 

Cucumbers should be harvested before their skin begins to turn yellow and seeds become hard. The size of the cucumber will vary depending on the type. 

• Pickling are usually picked between 2 and 6 inches long
• Slicing 6-8 inches long
• Burpless 1-1½ inches in diameter and up to 10 inches long. 

Cucumbers develop quickly, so plants may need to be checked every other day. 

Garlic should be harvested when half of the leaves have turned yellow (usually around late June/early July). Bulbs should be cured in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area for several weeks. Once garlic is cured, the stems and roots can be cut off and bulbs cleaned by removing the outermost skin.

Leaf lettuce can be picked whenever it is large enough to use. The entire plant or individual outer leaves can be picked. Harvest before hot weather causes lettuce to turn bitter and bolt

Onions can be harvested as green onions when they are 6 to 8 inches tall. Begin harvesting dry onions (bulbs) when the tops begin to fall over and die (usually late July or early August). Once the bulbs are dug, air-dry for several days in a dry, sheltered area with good air circulation to fully dry and cure. 

Pea harvest depends on the type. 

• Garden (English) peas are picked when pods are firm and feel full, but before pods begin to yellow and peas become hard and starchy. 
• Snap peas should be harvested when the pods begin to fatten but before the seeds get large. 
• Snow peas should be harvested when the pods have reached their full length, around 3 inches, and the peas are the size of BBs.

Peppers can be harvested at any size. Green bell peppers are typically picked when they are mature (3-4 inches long, firm, and green). If you are growing colored types of bell peppers, wait until the fruits change color (red, yellow, orange, etc.). One way to tell if the fruit is mature is that it will easily break off of plants when picked. 

Hot peppers can also be picked at any stage but are typically picked when fully ripe (they are also at their hottest). The mature color of the fruit will vary by the variety (red, orange, yellow, etc.).

Potatoes can be harvested when the tubers are small and immature (new potatoes) or fully mature. Mature potatoes should be harvested after most of the vines have died. New potatoes can be dug when the tubers are larger than 1 inch in diameter. New potatoes don’t store well, so they should be used right after being harvested.

Potatoes develop 4-6 inches below ground, so a shovel or spading form may be useful. Take care not to damage potatoes while harvesting. 

Sweet Potatoes are often harvested around, but before, the first frost of the fall. Dig/lift sweet potatoes with a shovel or spading fork, taking care not to cut, bruise, or damage the roots. Cure in the warmest room of the house (above 70°F) for two weeks.

Radishes should be harvested when they are about 1 inch in diameter (about 3-4 weeks after planting). Radishes become hot and tough when left in the ground for too long.

Spinach leaves can be harvested when they reach 3 to 6 inches long. The entire plant or individual outer leaves can be picked.

Summer Squash, such as straightneck, crookneck, and zucchini, should be harvested when small and tender (the rind can be punctured with your thumbnail). Pick when the fruit is 2 inches or less in diameter and 6-8 inches long. When growing conditions are favorable, you may need to harvest every other day or daily.

Winter Squash, such as acorn, butternut, hubbard, and pumpkins, can be harvested when the fruits have turned a deep, solid color, no longer have a glossy appearance, and the rind is hard (cannot be punctured with your thumbnail). When harvesting, try to leave at least 2 inches of stem attached. Complete harvest before heavy frosts arrive. 

Tomatoes are at their highest quality when allowed to ripen on the vine. Tomatoes should be firm and fully colored (red for most but will vary depending on variety). During hot conditions (90°F), tomatoes will quickly soften, and color development is reduced. During these conditions, pick tomatoes when they begin to develop color and ripen indoors. Before the first frost of the fall, you can harvest mature green fruit and ripen indoors.   
 

Here are a few other things to keep in mind while harvesting vegetables:

• Be careful when picking vegetables, and avoid bruising or damaging them. Damaged vegetables will go bad faster than those that are undamaged. 
• If you use a container to put your vegetables in while harvesting, place them instead of tossing them in. Also, avoid stacking too much produce on top of itself. Both can cause bruising, which reduces the quality and life span of the vegetables. 
• If vegetables won’t easily come off, cut them off with a knife or pruners. Pulling them off can damage the plant. 
• Stepping on vines or breaking stems creates openings where diseases can enter the plant. 
• Wait until plants are dry to harvest. Harvesting while plants are wet can spread plant diseases. 
• Check your garden frequently for ripe produce during harvest time. If you find vegetables past their harvest time, remove them from the plant so that they don’t rot, and so the plant continues to produce (the plant will continue to use resources on developing the fruit instead of making new flowers and fruit)

Good Growing Tip of the Week: Almost all vegetables are best when harvested early in the morning. If you can’t harvest in the morning, keep produce out of direct sunlight and cool as soon as possible. Vegetable quality is typically the highest at the moment of harvest and begins to decrease afterward.