Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
lettuce or other greens. That way they stay fresher and keep longer.
For root crops, it is great to have a bucket of water handy to quickly
wash off the dirt. Otherwise you are tracking it inside the house. Use
the muddy water to water your containers or other plants.
Harvesting can be fun and a great way to get your family together.
Tasting as you pick is totally okay! Make it an event. If you have lots
of veggies, get your neighbors involved and share the pickings or
make a meal together with some of the harvested veggies. Canning
is another great way to get a group of friends together to have fun
now and enjoy later.
Knowing When to Pick Your Veggies
Different vegetables are harvested at different times and in many
different ways. Certain vegetables need to be harvested on a regular
basis to keep the plant producing more. Some you harvest at the
peak of ripeness and the plant only produces one item; others will
keep producing a crop over several weeks, and still others will pro-
duce a second crop but in smaller sizes.
Salad Veggies
Salad vegetables such as arugula, romaine, radicchio, spinach,
Swiss chard, Oriental greens, and salad greens can be harvested by
cutting individual baby leaves or cutting the mature plants. For baby
greens to be used in salads, cut when the leaves are two to three
inches high. Do not disturb the roots. That way another set of greens
will grow. You can usually get two cuttings before the plant will stop
producing or start tasting bitter. For a mature plant, check the seed
packet to see how long the variety is supposed to take to mature; if
left too long, lettuce can have a bitter taste. A mature plant can be
cut off at the base of the plant or individual leaves can be cut as well
