Gardening: Enjoying the harvest means knowing the signs

Growing a vegetable garden can be pretty straightforward: You prepare the soil, plant the seeds or seedlings, and stand back. Knowing when to harvest the produce is a whole other matter, especially if you are new to gardening.

Here is a guide to the correct timing for picking most veggies:

Artichoke – It’s important to harvest the buds when they are firm and the leaves, or scales, are tightly closed. If you wait until the scales start opening, they will be less tender.

Bean, Bush or Pole – Pick beans while they are young and tender, and the seeds in the pods are still small. Harvest them frequently so the plants or vines continue to bloom and produce more beans.

Corn – This is one of the trickier crops but once you know what to look for, you’ll have tender, sweet ears to savor. The silks that emerge from the end of each ear will be dry – almost like hair – and the ear should feel rounded out with kernels. You can also take a peek by gently peeling back the husk but it’s risky exposing the kernels to the air.

Cucumber – Pick them when they are the appropriate size. Avoid leaving them on the vine too long because the skin becomes tougher and the seeds inside get larger.

Eggplant – The tried-and-true method is to harvest them when the skin is glossy, but you can start picking them once they’re about half their mature size.

Garlic – Many gardeners find the timing of garlic-harvesting a bit perplexing but the rule of thumb is to dig them up once the lower two sets of leaves have dried.

Melon – We all love eating ripe, succulent melons, right? To achieve this, your best bet is to watch for the melon to start pulling away from the vine. Other sure signs of ripeness include a sweet aroma filling the air or a lot of wasp activity around the melons.

Onion – Once the stalks fall over, onions let you know they’re done growing. Pull them out of the ground and let them dry further, either on the soil surface or in a sheltered area if rain is expected.

Pepper – Sweet peppers, such as bell peppers, can be harvested while young and tender, or when full-size. If the variety you’re growing is supposed to turn a color like orange or yellow, let them mature on the plant before picking them. Refer to your seed packet or plant tag for information on when to harvest hot pepper varieties.

Potato – When the plants are in bloom, you can carefully sneak a few new potatoes for a summertime treat. Let the rest mature in the garden bed and harvest them once the plants have been frosted and turn brown in the fall.

Squash, Summer – Harvest zucchini, pattypan, crookneck or other summer squash while they’re young and tender; as they mature, they’re tougher and less flavorful.

Squash, Winter – Use the “thumbnail test”: try pressing your thumbnail into the skin of the squash. If it easily cuts into the skin, the squash isn’t ready yet; if it doesn’t, the squash is ripe and ready for picking.

Tomato – They should be harvested when they are the appropriate size and color, with a bit of softness when you feel them on the vine. The best method of all, however, is to pick one, take a bite and see if it passes the taste test.