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When to Harvest
Vegetable Seed Guide
To get the best taste, texture and cooking quality, vegetables should be harvested at optimum maturity. This chart indicates the best stage of growth to harvest. Another aid to planning a successful garden is the “Days to Maturity” date printed on each seed package and in this guide. This is based on normal growing conditions and will indicate how many days until the plant reaches optimum maturity.
| Vegetable | Part Eaten | Too Early | Optimum Maturity | Too Late |
| Artichoke, Globe | Immature bloom | Small flower buds | When buds are 2" to 4" in diameter | Large buds with loose scales or bracts |
| Asparagus | Stem | Insufficient length | 6" to 8" long; no fiber | Excess woody fiber in the stem |
| Beans, Lima | Seed | Insufficient bean size | Bright green puffy pod; large seed | Yellow pods |
| Beans, Pole Green | Pod and seed | Insufficient size | Bean cavity full; seed ¼ grown | Large seed; fibrous pods |
| Beans, Snap Bush | Pod and seed | Insufficient size | Turgid pods; seeds just visible | Fibrous pods; large seed |
| Beets | Root and leaves | Insufficient size | Roots 2" to 3" in diameter | Pithy roots; strong taste |
| Broccoli | Immature bloom | Insufficient size | Bright green color; bloom still tightly closed |
Loose head; some blooms beginning to show |
| Brussels Sprouts | Head | Insufficient size; hard to harvest |
Bright green; tight head | Loose head; color changes to green-yellow |
| Cabbage | Head | Insufficient leaf cover | Heads firm; leaf tight | Loose leaf; heads cracked open |
| Cantaloupes | Fruit | Stem does not want to separate from fruit | Stem breaks away easily and cleanly when pulled |
Yellow background color; soft rind |
| Carrots | Root | Insufficient size | ½" to ¾" at shoulder | Strong taste; oversweet |
| Cauliflower | Immature bloom | Head not developed | Compact head; fairly smooth | Curds open; separate |
| Celery | Stems | Stem too small | Plant stands 12" to 15" tall; medium-thick stem | Seed stalk formed; bitterness |
| Collards | Leaf | Insufficient leaf size | Bright green color; small midrib | Large midrib; fibrous |
| Corn, Sweet | Grain | Grain watery; small | Grain plump; liquid in milk stage | Grain starting to dent; liquid in dough stage |
| Cucumber | Fruit | Insufficient size | Dark green skin; soft seeds | Skin beginning to yellow; hard seeds |
| Eggplant | Fruit | Insufficient size | High glossy skin; side springs back when mashed |
Brown seeds; side will not spring back when mashed |
| Lettuce, Head | Leaves | Head not fully formed | Fairly firm; good size | Heads very hard |
| Okra | Pod | Insufficient size | 2" to 3" long; still tender | Fiber development; tough pods |
| Onions, Dry | Bulb | Tops all green | Tops yellow; ¾ fallen over | All tops down; bulb rot started |
| Peas, English | Seed | Peas immature and too small to shell | Peas small to medium; sweet bright green |
Yellow pods; large peas |
| Peas, Southern (green) | Seed and pod | Peas immature and too small to shell | Seeds fully developed but still soft; soft pods |
Hard seeds; dry pods |
| Pepper, Pimiento | Pod | Insufficient size | Bright red and firm | Shriveled pod |
| Pepper, Red Bell | Pod | Chocolate-colored pods | Bright red and firm | Shriveled pod |
| Potato, Irish | Tuber | Insufficient size | When tops begin to die back | Damaged by freezing weather |
| Potato, Sweet | Root | Small size; immature | Most roots 2" to 3" in diameter | Early plantings get too large and crack; damaged by soil temperature below 50°F |
| Rhubarb | Stem | Small size; immature | Stem 8" to 15" long is best | Fleshy stem becomes fibrous |
| Soybeans | Seed | Seeds not developed | Thick pods; bright green | Dry pods; seed shatters out |
| Squash, Summer | Fruit | Insufficient size | Rind can be penetrated with thumbnail |
Penetrating with thumbnail is difficult; large seed |
| Squash, Winter | Fruit | Soft rind | Rind difficult to penetrate with thumbnail |
Damaged by frost |
| Tomatoes | Fruit |
May be harvested in three stages: Mature green – tomato is firm and mature, color changes from green to light green, no pink color showing on blossom end. These tomatoes will store one to two weeks in the refrigerator. Pink – pink color about the size of a dime on the blossom end. At room temperature, these tomatoes will ripen in about three days. Ripe – tomato is full red but still firm. Should be used immediately. |
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| Watermelon | Fruit | Green flesh; green stem is difficult to separate | Melon surface next to the ground turns from a light straw color to a richer yellow |
Top surface has a dull look |
*Disclaimer: This guide contains recommendations for the mid-atlantic and south eastern regions of the United States. Climate and dates may vary per year. Be sure to verify weather conditions for your area. A climate zone map can typically be found at your local county extension office. You can also contact your local Southern States for advice and information on growing your garden.