When Do You Harvest a . . .

[digitS']

I was recently asked, in kind of a funny way, about harvesting cucumbers for eating fresh from the garden.

Why don't you fill in the blank, "When Do You Harvest a . . . ?" There are lots of veggies that come from a garden. I used to get in trouble with lettuce . . .

My answer about cucumbers is that they should be filled out, like a sausage. Watch them, they will change quickly especially since you are trying to harvest an immature fruit. They are green and you aren't "ripening" a cucumber for the table.

A little off-topic (on my very own thread ): I have tried to make "refrigerator pickles" and they have turned out too sweet to my tastes. I used slicing cucumbers both times, as the recipes called for. But, can someone use really immature, wrinkled little cukes as refrigerator pickles?

Steve

 

[baymule]

When do you harvest a........... tomato? In my garden, when it shows enough color to get the birds attention. Then let it ripen in the safety of the kitchen window sill.

When do you harvest a............ Tromboncino squash? When it is between 24"-36" long for summer squash. Haven't let one just keep growing until it turned a tan color yet.

 

[canesisters]

When do you harvest spaghetti squash??

I have 4 on the vine that are already bigger than the ones I get in the store. But according to what I've been able to find - I need to wait till they turn yellow and the skin gets tough enough that I can't stick my fingernail in it (haven't tried sticking a nail in it - but they are all still as white as can be). Hoping I can get them before something else does.....

 

[Jared77]

When do you harvest a green zebra tomato?

That one drove me nuts. I did it by palpation, if it was soft and felt ripe like another colored tomato then I'd pick it. If not it stayed. They were super productive but spending forever out there gently squeezing tomatoes to check if they were ripe got old fast. Good flavor but not enough to warrant that much effort. I'm open to suggestions on this. I haven't planted them since because of that.

 

[catjac1975]

They do not taste very good until they change color. The spaghetti doesn't form until then. But, they keep a long time.

When do you harvest spaghetti squash??

I have 4 on the vine that are already bigger than the ones I get in the store. But according to what I've been able to find - I need to wait till they turn yellow and the skin gets tough enough that I can't stick my fingernail in it (haven't tried sticking a nail in it - but they are all still as white as can be). Hoping I can get them before something else does.....

 

[digitS']

Green Zebra . They aren't like Tigerella tomatoes, Jared.

It was easy with those. I learned that you have to wait until the red & green striped tomato turned into a red & yellow striped tomato.

Lettuce was easy to cull . . . which isn't the same as harvest for a sandwich . . . it was just a matter of tasting the leaves. Fortunately, I had learned the value of Wilted Lettuce Salad (click) as a youngster .

Steve

 

[Jared77]

My problem was they were green with yellow stripes at the size of a grape and then green with yellow stripes at the size of a tennis ball. Literally it was like picking a ripe avocado. I liked the peppery tomato taste, they were good when added to things but as I said not THAT good that it was worth the time I spent on them. DW said no more unless its easier to ID the ripe ones.

 

[bj taylor]

when do you harvest a zucchini squash? before they get to baseball bat size. a nice friend gave me some squash today. I was whining about the bugs getting my squash. his squash were huge. I wanted to tell him that he might like his squash better if he picked them a little sooner - but you know what they say; don't look a gift horse in the mouth. so I just smiled, and expressed gratitude for my squash.

 

[Jared77]

Ill take those baseball bat sized zucchini. Bread and candy yes I did say candy are great for those monsters.

 

[canesisters]

cabbage

I have 3. Two are so-so, but one is huge. Well... the outside leaves are huge, the head inside is about 6" across. When is it ready to pick????