Harvest Swiss chard when the leaves are tender and big enough to eat. Swiss chard is ready for picking 30 days after sowing if you want baby leaves. Harvest chard 45 to 60 days after sowing if you want full-sized leaves with a thick midrib. When to Harvest Swiss Chard Harvest Swiss chard any time
Harvest rutabagas when root tops are 3 to 5 inches in diameter. Young, small roots will be the most tender and succulent. Rutabagas touched by at least two frosts will be the sweetest and most flavorful. When to Harvest Rutabagas Rutabagas are ready for harvest 90 to 110 days after sowing. Harvest rutabagas when the
Harvest radicchio almost any time during growth—when leaves are just 2 to 3 inches (5-7 cm) long or after a head forms and is firm to the touch. Radicchio matures 60 to 64 days after sowing. Radicchio will grow green or reddish-green until cold weather arrives then leaves will change to a range of reds
Pepper can be harvested as soon as they are large enough to eat. Most mild and hot peppers take at least 70 days from transplanting to reach edible size and another 3 to 4 weeks to reach maturity. Some hot peppers take longer. If you know the variety of pepper you are growing (check the
Harvest eggplant young as soon as the skin becomes glossy. The flesh of young eggplant will be more tender and the seeds smaller. The plant will produce more fruit if kept picked. When to Harvest Eggplant Harvest eggplants when they are firm and glossy and big enough to eat—about one-third their maximum size. To test
Harvest snap beans (also known as green or string beans) before the seeds swell in the pods when they are no more than the diameter of a pencil. Smaller beans can be served as tender, baby snap beans. When to Harvest Snap Beans Start your snap bean harvest about 2 to 3 weeks after the
Harvest summer squash young and tender. Harvest summer squash when the skin is glossy and soft enough to be easily pierced with your thumbnail. When to Harvest Summer Squash Summer squash is edible as soon as the skin is glossy and can be pierced with a thumbnail. Harvest zucchini, crookneck, and yellow squash when they
Harvest melons when small cracks appear in the stem where it joins the fruit. Once the cracks circle the stem and the stem looks shriveled, the melon will break off with a slight twist. If more than light effort is needed to remove from the vine, it is not ripe. When to Harvest Melons Harvest
Harvest leeks when they are big enough to use. Most leeks mature 100 to 120 days after sowing seed, but a few varieties mature in as few as 60 days. Some varieties mature at ½ to ¾ inches in diameter; others can grow to 1 inch (2.5 cm) or more in diameter. When to Harvest
Spinach, baby chard, and crisp lettuce are easy-to-grow spring salad greens. When to plant and soil temperature are the keys to spring vegetable gardening. Greens—arugula, beet greens, collards, kales, and lettuce–are foundation crops for early spring because they germinate in chilly temperatures. Greens will take longer to grow in early spring than in late spring
