Get Ready For Harvest

SURVEY YOUR GARDEN REGULARLY

Your eyes are your best tool. Make it a habit to check your garden daily, inspecting how your vegetables are progressing. Don’t hesitate to move the leaves for a closer look. As you monitor your garden, watch for these signs to help determine when your produce is ready to harvest.

CHECK FOR COLOUR CHANGES

Vegetables often signal they’re ready for harvest by changing color. Tomatoes, peppers, and squash are usually easy to spot as they shift from green to vibrant shades of red, orange, or yellow.

Cucumbers and zucchini are a bit trickier. While they also change color, it’s a more subtle shift, typically from lighter to darker green, which can be harder to notice. If you're unsure, check if they're firm to the touch and free from yellowing or soft spots. If they have any of these signs, they likely need more time to ripen.

Leafy greens, such as lettuce, kale, and spinach, are among the first crops ready for harvest. With careful harvesting, you can enjoy three to five harvests per plant by preserving the crown, or the center, of the plant.

These greens are ready to pick when the leaves reach about 10 centimeters in length. Instead of cutting the entire plant, remove the outer leaves just above the crown. Use scissors or sharp pruning shears for a clean cut, which helps encourage continued growth.

YOUR GARLIC IS READY

Preparing garlic for the table involves two key steps: harvesting and curing.

STEP 1: HARVESTING

The best indicator for harvesting garlic is the condition of the leaves. When 30-50% of the leaves have turned brown and wilted, it’s time to harvest. Garlic can be stubborn to pull, so gently loosen the soil around the bulbs to make extraction easier.

STEP 2: CURING

After harvesting, curing is essential to remove moisture from the cloves, making them ready for storage.

If the weather is sunny, lay the garlic bulbs in rows on the ground to dry, using the leaves to shade neighboring bulbs from sunburn. If rain is expected, move the bulbs indoors and hang them in bundles to dry. Once fully dried, store the garlic in a cool, dry place for long-term use.

• Herbs can be trimmed by scissors or pinched by hand. Whichever method you choose, make sure that your hands (or tool) are clean before plucking.
• Avoid harvesting when the sun is highest as this can be stressful for your plants. Instead, plan to harvest in either the early morning or late afternoon.
• When pruning pick the leaves from the top first.
• If you have sage or thyme in your bed, try to harvest it before it blooms because the flowers will diminish the flavor of the herbs.
• Make it a habit to pluck your herbaceous herbs (basil, dill, mint, cilantro) at least once a week. When picking, remove the top two inches of growth. This will keep your plant healthy and strong.
• Herbaceous herbs, like basil, may die after they bloom. To avoid this from happening, prune your leafy herbs regularly and cut the plant right where the leaf meets the stem.
• Avoid heavy pruning woody herbs, like rosemary, thyme, and lavender, in the fall, as the tender new shoots may struggle in the cooler temperatures.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups of basil leaves
• ½ cup of pine Nuts
• ¾ cup of Olive Oil
• ¾ cup of parmesan Cheese
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Salt (to taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the pine nuts and the basil into a food processor and pulse. For a nuttier flavour, roast the pine nuts before pulsing.
2. Add the garlic and parmesan cheese. Pulse until the mixture is well blended.
3. Now, slowly add the olive oil. While adding the oil, continue to blend the mixture periodically. This will help prevent the mixture from separating. Continue the process until the pesto is a smooth texture.
4. Add salt to taste.
5. Add the pesto to your favorite dish.
6. Enjoy