These general rules will help you maximize the quality, flavour, and storability of your harvest.
- Time of Day is Key: Harvest in the morning hours. Plants replenish their water overnight, making morning-picked vegetables crisper and longer-lasting. If the morning is not possible, harvest in the evening, avoiding the heat of the day.
- Keep it Cool: Immediately after harvesting, keep your produce cool and shaded. This helps maintain the crisp texture achieved from a morning harvest.
- Manage Flavour with Water: You can subtly influence the flavour of many vegetables by adjusting water levels in the days leading up to the harvest. Increase water for milder, more tender flavours, or slightly reduce it for stronger, more concentrated flavours.
- Blanching for Milder Flavour: Certain vegetables, such as celery and leeks, can be blanched ahead of the harvest. As the stalks begin to thicken, cover the lower portion of the plants with burlap or cloth for two weeks to shade them from direct sunlight. This makes the flavour milder and increases stalk size.
- Outsmarting Pests: You are not the only one who knows when your vegetables are perfect! If you are competing with pests like squirrels, raccoons, or mice, consider harvesting crops a little earlier and letting them ripen indoors. This is a crucial strategy for successful urban gardening.
- Monitor the Weather: Heavy rain can cause tomatoes or zucchini to split, while sudden heat waves can cause cool crops like lettuce or broccoli to bolt (flower) and become bitter. Harvest in advance of any major weather events that could degrade the quality of your vegetables.
When to Harvest
The optimal harvest time is the key to unlocking the best flavour from your home garden. In fact, picking vegetables at their peak maturity is one of the greatest advantages of home vegetable gardening. It allows you to prioritize taste and quality over the needs of transportation or grocery store display, giving you the best return on your investment of time and effort in your garden. For when to harvest, see our growing guide on When to Harvest Vegetables.
Ready to Grow More?
Join our community of gardeners and start growing your own food in the city! From balcony boxes to backyard plots, community gardens, and urban farms, we’re dedicated to helping you succeed in vegetable gardening and urban agriculture.
- In the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)? Join Our Program at Downsview Park: Enroll in our full-season Grow Veggies program for hands-on learning and a share of the harvest.
- Get Monthly Tips: Sign up for our monthly Grow With Us newsletter to receive seasonal tips and our gardeners’ to-do lists.
- Follow Us: Find us on Instagram or Facebook to see what we’re growing at our teaching garden in Toronto.
Homestead T.O. 