Lawanda's Garden

You’ve planted, then watered and weeded all summer.  But how do you know when your produce is ready for picking?  Here is a quick harvest-time guide to some of the vegetables and fruits that are ripening now.

• Apples:  Ripening dates vary from the first week in August to the third week in October.  Taste is the indication of ripeness.  A bulletin available from the Winnebago County Extension office entitled “Apple Cultivars for Wisconsin” lists approximate ripening dates for each type of apple.  Once you know when your apples ripen, keep a record so next year you will have an idea when to start the taste testing.
• Beans:  When the pods are almost full size but before seeds begin to bulge.  Regular picking encourages more production.
• Cabbage:  When heads become solid.  To avoid the splitting of solid heads that you don’t want to harvest immediately, pull plants upward enough to break a few roots which reduces inflow of water from the soil.
• Carrots:  When roots are ¾ to 1 inch or more in diameter up until heavy frost in late fall.
• Dill:  For use in making dill pickles, cut fruiting top with several inches of stem when seeds are fully developed but not yet brown.
• Garlic:  Pull just before the first fall frost.
• Horseradish:  Dig roots in late fall or early the following spring.
• Kale:  Break off outer leaves as they become 8 to 10 inches long.  New leaves will grow from the center for a continuous harvest.
• Muskmelon:  When a crack appears completely around the base of the fruit stem.
• Parsnips:  In very late fall after early frost, and in early spring before new growth starts.
• Pears:  Pears are picked while still green.  Pick when the dark green skin turns a lighter green or yellowish green, the lenticels (spots) change from white to brown, the skin takes on a waxy feel and the pebbly surface of the fruit becomes smooth, and the fruit stem separates from the spur or twig with an easy upward twist of the pear.
• Peppers:  When fruits are firm, good size and appropriate color.  In 2 to 3 weeks “mature-green” peppers will change to red and be fully ripe.
• Potatoes:  When tubers are full size and skin is firm.
• Pumpkins:  When fruits are full size, the rind is firm and glossy, and the portion of the fruit touching the soil is cream to orange.
• Tomatoes:  When fruits are fully colored.  Leave completely red fruits on healthy plants 5 to 8 extra days if planning to juice or can to ensure full flavor and maximum sugar content.