Cascadian Farm Organic Goodness

Harvesting vegetables from my garden is something I look forward to all season, but knowing exactly when to pick can be sometimes difficult. Each vegetable exhibits different signs when they are ripe, either color or size or both. So how do you know when to harvest each vegetable? My dog, Molly, lets me know when the strawberries are ready to be picked, which is when they turn uniformly red. (You can read more about Molly and our garden, here.) However, when it comes to the rest of the veggies I'm on my own.

Tomatoes and peppers are the most commonly grown vegetables. Pick tomatoes when they are uniformly red; peppers should be harvested when they've reached the desired color and size. They both require cool (55°F) moist storage, which can be difficult to maintain, so don't expect to keep them for an extended period of time. The internet can be a great resource for all types of gardening information. These sites, Perry's Perennials and Home Vegetable Gardening, list specific traits that let you know when to harvest many vegetables from eggplant and squash to beans and potatoes, along with ideal storage conditions. Here are a few good tips to keep in mind when harvesting and storing any vegetable.

• Be careful not to bruise or nick vegetables when harvesting.
• Vegetables last longer in storage when they are free of blemishes, the smallest spot can spread.
• Pick vegetables in the morning, but wait until after the dew has dried off.
• Vegetables will last longer in storage unwashed. Instead wipe clean and wash just before use.
• Different veggies require different storage conditions: cool / dry, cold / dry or cold / moist.
• Most refrigerators provide cold / dry conditions good for long term storage of garlic and onions.
• Placing vegetables in perforated plastic bags in the fridge will create a cold / moist environment for a short period of time.

Never store veggies in an un-perforated plastic bag as it creates too much humidity which encourages mold growt