For gardeners, late summer often means it’s nearly time to enjoy the rewards of months of planting and care. While some crops — like tomatoes, which should display a uniform red, yellow, or orange hue — clearly signal ripeness, others require a closer look.

Key signs for popular vegetables
Zucchini should be picked at 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) for best tenderness; oversized squash can become tough. Green beans are ready when about pencil-thick — harvesting every couple of days encourages more production. Green peppers can be picked anytime, but are fully mature (and sweeter) when red.

Cucumbers are edible at all sizes but should be harvested before their skin becomes too smooth to avoid bitterness. Sweet corn is ready when its silk turns brown, and kernels release a milky fluid when pierced.

Cantaloupes will detach easily from the vine when ripe, honeydew melons soften at the bottom, and watermelons are ready when their undersides turn creamy white.

Crème fraîche creates a creamy broth in this recipe for briny-sweet steamed clams

Root crops’ readiness
Garlic bulbs mature when only about five leaves remain green. Onions are ready once their tops flop and brown. Beets are best at 1½–3 inches (3.8–5 cm) wide; larger roots may become woody. Standard potatoes are fully ready when foliage dies back, while “new” potatoes can be dug two to three weeks after blooming. Carrots can be harvested once their tops emerge above the soil and can remain in the ground for extended storage.

Source: Agency