Department of Horticultural Science
Horticulture Information Leaflet 8108
12/97
HARVESTINGVEGETABLES
Erv Evans, Extension Associate, Horticultural Science
Larry Bass, Extension Horticultural Specialist
Distributed in furtherance
of the Acts of Congress
of May 8 and June 30, 1914.
Employment and program
opportunities are offered to
all people regardless of
race, color, national origin,
sex, age, or disability.
North Carolina State University,
North Carolina A&T State
University, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, and local
governments cooperating.
The nutritional content, freshness, and flavor
that vegetables possess depend upon the
stage of mat urity and the time of day at which
they are harvested. Overly mature vegetables
will be stringy and coarse. When possible,
harvest vegetables during the cool part of
the morning, and process or store them as
soon as possible. If for some reason
processing must be delayed, cool the
vegetables in ice water or crushed ice, and
store them in the refrigerator to preserve
flavorand quality. The following guidelines
can be used for harvesting vegetable crops.
Asparagus - Harvest the spears when they
are at least 6 to 8 inches tall by snapping or
cutting them at ground level. Up to 8 spears
per plant may be harvested the second year
after planting. A full harvest season will last
4 to 6 weeks duri ng the third growing season.
Beans, snap - Stall harvesting before seeds
develop in the pod (about the diameter of a
pencil). Beans are ready topick if they snap
easily when bent in half.
Beans, lima - Harvest when the pods first
start to bulge with the enlarged seeds . Pods
must still be green, not yellowish.
Broccoli - Harvest the dark green, compact
cluster or head (about 6 inches in diameter)
while the buds are tight, before any yellow
flowers appear. Smaller side shoots will
develop later, providing a continuous
harvest.
Brussels Sprouts - Harvest the lower
sprouts (small heads) when they are about 1
to 1 Vi inches in diameter by twisting them off.
Lower leaves alongthe stem may be removed
to hasten maturity.
Cabbage - Harvest when the heads feel
hard and solid.
Carrots - Harvest when the roots are % to
1 inch in diameter. The largest roots generally
have the darkest tops. Fall carrots can be left
in the ground all winter and harvested as
needed, if mulched.
Cauliflower -Exclude sunlight (blanch)
when the curds are 1 to 2 inches in diameter
by loosely tying together the outer leaves
above the curd (head) with a string or rubber
band. Harvest the c urds when they are 4 to
6inchesindiameterbutstillcompact, white,
and smooth. The head should be ready 1 0 to
15 days after tying.
Collards-Harvest older, lower leaves when
they reach a length of 8 to 1 2 inches. New
leaves will grow as long as the central grow ing
pointremains, providing acontinuous harvest.
Whole plants may be harvested and cooked,
if desired.
Corn, sweet- Silks begin to turn brown and
dry out as the ears mature. Check a few ear's
for maturity by opening the top of the ear' and
pressing a few kernels with a thumbnail. If the
liquid exuded is milky rather than clear, the
North Carolina
Cooperative Extension Service
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE & LIFE SCIENCES
