Harvest Calendar – an indispensable tool for every gardener.
This tool will help you properly plan your work in the garden and harvest ripe produce on time. Our calendar covers the main vegetable, fruit, and berry crops traditionally grown in the United States. It shows the optimal periods for harvesting each crop from June to October. Using this calendar, you can effectively organize the process of harvesting, processing, and storing your crops.
Remember that exact timing may vary slightly depending on your region, weather conditions, and specific plant varieties.
| Crop | April | May | June | July | August | September | October |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetables | |||||||
| Cucumbers | ● | ●●● | ●●● | ● | |||
| Tomatoes | ● | ●●● | ●●● | ● | |||
| Zucchini | ● | ●●● | ●●● | ●● | |||
| Potatoes | ● | ●● | ●●● | ● | |||
| Eggplants | ● | ●●● | ●● | ||||
| Bell Peppers | ● | ●●● | ●● | ||||
| Pumpkins | ● | ●●● | ●● | ||||
| Carrots | ● | ●●● | ●● | ||||
| Beets | ● | ●●● | ●● | ||||
| Onions | ●● | ●●● | ● | ||||
| Garlic | ●●● | ●● | |||||
| Peas | ●●● | ● | |||||
| Beans | ● | ●●● | ●● | ||||
| Fruits | |||||||
| Apples | ● | ●● | ●●● | ●● | |||
| Pears | ●● | ●●● | ● | ||||
| Plums | ●●● | ●● | |||||
| Peaches | ●● | ●●● | ● | ||||
| Apricots | ●● | ●●● | |||||
| Sweet Cherries | ●●● | ● | |||||
| Watermelon | ● | ●● | ●●● | ● | |||
| Cantaloupe | ● | ●● | ●●● | ● | |||
| Berries | |||||||
| Strawberries | ● | ●● | ●●● | ● | |||
| Raspberries | ● | ●●● | ●● | ||||
| Currants | ●●● | ● | |||||
| Blueberries | ●● | ●●● | ● | ||||
Legend: ● – minimal harvest, ●● – peak harvest, ●●● – mass harvest
Note: Harvest times may vary depending on the region, weather conditions, and specific plant varieties. In some southern regions of the US, certain crops like strawberries may have earlier harvest seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions about Harvesting (FAQ)
How to determine if vegetables or fruits are ready for harvest?
Harvest readiness is determined by several signs: fruit color, size, firmness, and aroma. For example, tomatoes should be fully red, cucumbers should reach their characteristic size, and apples should easily separate from the branch with a gentle twist.
What is the best time of day to harvest?
The best time to harvest most vegetables and fruits is in the morning after the dew has dried but before the heat sets in. This ensures the best freshness and storage life. Some berries, like strawberries, are best harvested in the morning or evening.
How to properly store harvested crops?
Proper storage depends on the type of produce. Root vegetables are stored well in a cool cellar, and fruits in boxes in a cool place. Tomatoes can be stored at room temperature, and herbs in the refrigerator. It’s important to ensure proper humidity and ventilation for each type of produce.
Should vegetables and fruits be washed immediately after harvesting?
Most vegetables and fruits should not be washed immediately after harvesting if you plan to store them. Water can promote mold growth and accelerate spoilage. It’s better to clean them of soil by dry methods and wash them just before consumption. Berries are an exception; they can be lightly rinsed before storage.
How to determine when to harvest potatoes?
Potatoes can be harvested when their foliage begins to yellow and wilt. This usually occurs 70-80 days after planting for early varieties and 90-120 days for late varieties. Before mass harvesting, you can dig up a few plants to check the size of the tubers. It’s best to harvest potatoes in dry weather.