12/02/2024
It's that time of the year. Starting Seeds.
Harvest, Sweet Harvest
Usually you will harvest early morning when the dew is dry, but the midday heat isn’t wilting or draining the plants. Herbs have the most oils then as well. I, however, sometimes harvest by head lamp, so if you see lights in the high tunnel *Mind yo business**. Harvest happens when is good for you and the produce is ready.
Seeds like Peppers, Onions and Celery now is the time to get a good start on those are they do take a while to get up to size to plant out.
March is the time for tomatoes, tomatillos and early cold crops to be seeded.
Plants put in in April, generally are ready in late June (think Hodge podge- for you non Maritimers that is the very first potatoes, carrots, beans, and peas you haul out of your garden and after boiling, you simmer them in cream and butter, its like a little taste of heaven honestly).
Plants sown in Late May will be usually be ready mid to late August.
Some vegetables need to be left in the ground until a light frost has “sweetened” them- parsnips, turnips, brussel sprouts, even carrots and beets.
Some plants like lettuce and spinach need to be watched carefully for “bolting”. Pick early and frequently. Bolting happens when the plant rapidly goes to seed in hot weather.
The more you pick beans, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and peas, the more they will produce.
Others, like potatoes, are done when you pick them. Potatoes should be “dug” when the plant looks like it is dying after it has flowered. Cut back the foliage to the ground and leave the potatoes in the ground for another two weeks. Alternatively you can harvest and “cure” (toughen the skin” inside on racks away from the sun for two weeks. If you have lots, you will want to find a way to store them.
Onions are ready when the stalk is falling over after flowering.
If your tomatoes are green and the first frost is coming, you can pick them, wrap them in newspaper and store until they turn red. Sometimes right into December!
And if you have nothing to preserve, that’s okay as well! There is nothing wrong with just growing what you eat, in fact its a pretty great way to live for a few seasons. But if you live somewhere like I do I guarantee you will want to plant enough to enjoy garden goodness all through the winter.
Pickled, frozen, dehydrated, canned, freeze dried and cold storage: there are so many ways to preserve the harvest.
