Container Gardening Complete

Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 226 6/5/17 3:16 PM
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 227 6/5/17 3:16 PM

226 chapter 5

the vine, leaving 2 to 3 in. of stem attached to

the squash to help prevent rot. Cure unwashed,

harvested squash by putting them in a spot that’s

between 70° and 80°F for two weeks. Then, move

them to a cool basement or storage area between

45° and 65°F, if possible, where they’ll last up to

8 months.

Cole crops are members of the Brassica family.

Some, such as cabbage, kale, and collards, have

edible leaves, while others, such as Brussels

sprouts and kohlrabi have edible stems or stem

buds. Cole crops with edible flower buds include

broccoli, rapini, and cauliflower. Most cole crops

are cold-season vegetables, much preferring the

cooler temperatures of spring and fall. Their

flavor becomes sweeter after being touched by

a few fall frosts. Harvest cole crops that were

planted in fall or summer after they’ve been

subjected to several fall frosts. Those planted

in the early spring should be harvested before

summer’s heat arrives. Cole crops with edible

flowers, such as broccoli and cauliflower, whether

planted in the spring or fall, should be harvested

before the flower buds begin to open. Store cole

crops in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the

fridge where they’ll last for 2 to 3 weeks.

Peppers are best harvested soon after they reach their mature color. The days to maturity noted on the seed packet

can help you know when to expect your first ripe fruits.

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Harvesting and Seasonal Considerations 227

As for properly storing podded vegetables, if

they’re harvested in a fresh, green state, store

them in an air-tight plastic container or bag in

the fridge for up to 5 days. Dried beans should

be spread in a single layer on a screen or baking

sheet and placed in a dry room for 2 to 3 weeks

before being packed in airtight, lidded glass or

plastic containers and placed in a cool, dark room.

If stored properly, dried beans last for years.

Sweet or hot peppers are best harvested soon

after they reach their mature color. Check the

plant tag or seed packet for the expected color of

the mature fruits, and cut them from the plants

as soon as they attain their full color. Though

peppers are still edible in an immature state, their

flavor won’t be as well-rounded if harvested too

early. The heat in many types of hot peppers is

at its best when the fruits are at full color. Red,

yellow, and orange bell peppers are almost always

sweeter when the fruits are mature. Harvested

peppers are best stored in a plastic bag in the

fridge. If kept between 40° and 33°F, refrigerated

peppers last up to 2 months.

Podded veggies, like beans and peas, are

ready for harvest at various times, depending on

the specific type you’re growing.

• For snow peas, harvest when the pods are flat,
  before the peas inside of them start to swell
  and the pods grow tough.


• For English shell peas or edible-podded sugar
  snap peas, wait until the peas inside the pods
  are fat and sassy before plucking them from
  the vine.


• For snap, green, or string beans, where both
  the seeds and the pod are consumed, harvest
  when the pods are crisp but still tender,
  before they get stringy.


• For limas, whose pods are inedible, wait until
  the beans fatten up and then harvest them.


• Lastly, for dried beans such as cannellini,
  kidney, black, Great Northern, navy, pinto, and
  others, the pods should remain on the plants
  until they’re completely dried and beginning
  to crack open.

Shell peas are harvested when the pods are swollen and

the peas inside are fully formed. Don’t wait too long to

harvest them, though, or the peas won’t be tender.

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