Garden harvest  is a crucial part of maintaining a successful garden. It ensures the highest quality and taste of your crops while also ensuring that they are productive and not overtaken by pests.

The optimal time for harvesting depends on the vegetable in question. Some vegetables, such as beans, peas, and summer squash, are at their peak of flavor when they are tender and immature, while other veggies, such as tomatoes, melons, and winter squash, need to be allowed to completely ripen on the vine so that their flavors develop fully.

Know the subtle clues that indicate a crop is ready for picking to avoid waste and get the most out of your garden’s bounty. Some fruits and vegetables are easy to tell when they’re ready by their appearance or the texture of the skin, while other varieties may require a bit more practice to recognize when they’re at their optimum maturity.

From Garden to Table: Harvesting and Storing Your Garden Bounty with Harvest Baskets

Keep a close eye on your crop: Picking too early results in small, sour vegetables; picking too late produces tough, stringy, and rotten produce that can be difficult to prepare.

If you’re not sure when a crop is mature, check the seed packets or any information that was provided with transplants for the variety in question to find out how long it takes to reach its full size.

Be gentle with the garden plants you harvest: Do not yank or tear stems, which can lead to disease infection and poor future yields. Use tools such as a knife, scissors, or hand pruners when needed to safely pull off the plants you want.