   Harvesting and Storing Vegetables - August 25, 2004 Jeff Schalau, County Director, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County Harvesting fresh vegetables from your home garden is a very rewarding experience. The homegrown flavor and freshness cannot be rivaled by store bought produce. Harvesting some crops at peak ripeness can be tricky. Improper handling and storage can cause harvested vegetables to spoil more quickly. This week’s column is designed to help you get the most out of your vegetable harvest. Proper storage of vegetable crops requires the proper combination of temperature and humidity. Some crops, such as winter squash and pumpkins, prefer cool and dry conditions (50-60°F and 60% relative humidity). Onions and garlic will stay fresh longest when kept cold and dry (32-40°F and 65% relative humidity). Cold and dry conditions are found in refrigerators. Green leafy vegetable and root crops prefer cold and moist conditions (32-40°F and 95% relative humidity). Cold and moist conditions are not easy to maintain (most refrigerators are too dry). Cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, require cool (55°F) and moist storage. When harvesting vegetables, be careful not to break, nick, or bruise them. The less vegetables are handled, the longer they will last in storage. Harvest only vegetables of high quality. Rotting produce cannot be stored for very long, and could spread decay organisms to other stored vegetables. Several common crops are listed below with their harvesting and storage requirements. Asparagus: not harvested until the third year after planting, store cool and moist, will last longer it stored upright. Beets: harvest when they are 1¼ to 3 inches in diameter, remove tops, store cold and moist, can last up to 5 months. Cabbage: harvest when heads are compact and firm, store cold and moist, can last up to 5 months. Cantaloupe: harvest when fruits are firm, netting is even, and they slip off the vine easily. They can be stored for one week if kept cold and moist. Carrots: harvest when tops are one inch across, remove tops, store cold and moist, can last up to 8 months. Cucumbers: harvest for slicing when 6 inches long, store cool in perforated plastic bags. Do not store with apples or tomatoes. Eggplant: harvest before the color becomes dull and stored like cucumbers. Green beans: harvest when seeds are immature (2-3 weeks after bloom) and can last one week if stored cold and moist. Onions: harvest when necks are tight and scales are dry. They should be cured at room temperature for 2-4 weeks then store cold and dry. Potatoes: harvest when vines die back, stored cold and moist, kept away from light, cured at 50-60°F or 14 days before storage, will sweeten below 38°F. Peppers: harvest when fruits are desired size and/or color, store like cucumbers, can last for two weeks. Pumpkins and winter squash: harvest when shells harden, before frost, store cool and dry, and will store for at least 2 months (depending on variety). Summer squash: harvest when 4 to 6 inches long, store like cucumbers, can last for one week. Sweet corn: harvest when the silks are dry and brown and kernels are milky, and if stored cold and moist can stay very fresh for 5 days. Tomatoes: harvest when fruits are desired size and/or color, store like cucumbers, can last for 5 days. Watermelon: harvest when underside turns yellow or produces dull sound when slapped, store like cucumbers, can last for two weeks. Enjoy your garden harvest-it will be fall before we know it! The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has publications and information on gardening and pest management. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener line in the Cottonwood office at 646-9113 ext. 14 or E-mail us at mgardener@verdeonline.com and be sure to include your address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or submit column ideas at the Backyard Gardener web site: http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/. |