Container Gardening Complete

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

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 228 6/5/17 3:17 PM
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 229 6/5/17 3:17 PM

228 chapter 5

Time of Day for Harvesting

In addition to knowing when things are ripe, what

time of day you make your harvest can also affect

the storage-life of homegrown produce. Though

it’s always a good idea to pick fresh veggies

right before you’re ready to eat or cook them,

sometimes it’s necessary to harvest several days

early. In these cases, picking produce at its peak

is key to making sure it’s still in good shape when

you’re ready to eat, prepare, or process it.

For the best results, harvest from your

container garden in the morning, ideally before

10:00 a.m., when the weather is still cool and the

water content within the plants is still high. If

you wait until the afternoon to pick, the plants

contain less water and may even be water-

stressed, which can negatively affect their shelf-

life. This is especially important when harvesting

greens, such as lettuce, chard, and kale, as well

as for fruiting vines such as cucumbers, melons,

and squash. No matter what you’re harvesting,

it’s important to move your freshly picked

harvest indoors and out of the sun as quickly

as possible. If the best storage technique is

refrigeration, be sure to get your harvest in the

refrigerator as soon as you can.

If your work (or play) schedule doesn’t permit

you to harvest in the morning, pick in the evening

instead, when the plants are no longer heat- or

water-stressed.

Root crops like these turnips, parsnips (Pastinaca

sativa), carrots, and beets, aren’t overly sensitive about

when they’re pulled from the ground, but put them in

the fridge or cold cellar quickly to preserve their flavor

and moisture content.

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Harvesting and Seasonal Considerations 229

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