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Harvesting Fruits and Vegetables: What to Expect Along the Way

Royal City Nursery -Harvesting Fruits and Vegetables -harvesting blueberries

Consider this our exclusive edition of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting… A Big Summer Harvest!” There are multiple stages in the growth of fruit and vegetable plants, and different varieties have unique needs. Understanding the requirements and growth characteristics of all your different edible garden plants will help you grow the biggest, healthiest crops possible. Get prepared for harvesting with this handy guide!

Follow These Tips for Harvesting Fruits and Vegetables This Summer

Here’s an overview of some of the most common vegetables and fruits in the garden and what you need to know before you start harvesting.

Harvesting Berries

Strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry plants have been selling like hotcakes this year! Here are some fast facts to remember:

  • Blueberries will grow best in acidic soil
  • Pick your berries when they’re rich in colour but still firm
  • Berries mature quickly, so you can often harvest them every two days
  • Harvesting in the morning will prevent the sun from cooking the fruits

Royal City Nursery -Harvesting Fruits and Vegetables -person harvesting rosemary herb

Harvesting Herbs

Herbs are some of the most approachable plants to grow, but keep these tips in mind before you begin your harvest:

  • Only pick ⅓ of the leaves from a herb plant at a time.
  • Pinch off the flowers from your herbs so they’ll direct their energy towards producing more tasty leaves instead.
  • You can preserve your herbs by drying them or blending them with vegetable oil and freezing them in ice cube trays.

Harvesting Peppers

Whether you prefer them sweet or spicy, peppers are such a fun vegetable to grow, and their vibrant colours have plenty of ornamental value! Here are some tips for cultivating pepper plants:

  • Heat stress will make your peppers extra spicy, so if you want them to be ultra picante, let them bake out in the sun. If you want them milder, plant them in containers so you can move them to shaded areas during hot afternoons.
  • Wait until your peppers have developed their colour before picking. If you’re growing green peppers like jalapeños, wait until they’ve turned dark green.

Royal City Nursery -Harvesting Fruits and Vegetables -harvesting cucumber

Tomatoes and Other Vining Plants

Tomatoes and vining vegetables like cucumbers, squash, and beans are some of our favourite edible plants to grow, but they have some specific requirements:

  • Structural supports like tomato cages and stakes are ideal for keeping vining tomatoes upright.
  • Cucumbers and squash do well with stakes, trellises, or pretty obelisks. As they grow, gently twist the young vines around their supports to keep them off the ground.
  • Tomato plants grow “suckers,” which are little offshoots that drain energy from the plant but don’t produce significant leaves or flowers. They emerge from the main stems; whenever you notice them sprouting, simply pinch them off with your thumb and forefinger, and you’ll end up with a much bigger tomato harvest.

Harvesting Radishes

By early summer, your first radish harvest should be ready to go. You can sow these fast-growing vegetables multiple times a year; however, they don’t love the summer heat. Temperatures above 21°C can cause your radishes to flower instead of developing big, tasty edible roots. If you’d like another radish harvest, wait until mid-to-late August, so they’ll mature during the milder temperatures of September and October.

Royal City Nursery -Harvesting Fruits and Vegetables -harvesting lettuce

Harvesting Cool-Season Vegetables

You may notice your other cool-season vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, cilantro, parsley, and arugula have begun to bolt. Once they bolt, their leaves will become bitter and won’t be nearly as tasty. Pulling up your plants before they bolt will ensure you don’t lose out on those edible leaves. You can consider sowing some more cool-season plants at the end of the summer for an additional harvest later in fall.

If you have any questions about harvesting vegetables in Guelph, you’re welcome to visit Royal City Nursery and speak with our gardening experts! Once you learn all the tricks of the trade, you’ll love being able to grow delicious produce right at home.

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