So how do you know when plants are done and ready to harvest?

[LittleSweetPeas]

We planted a bunch of veggies from seedlings which have grown quite big. I've never done this before so I have no idea when I'm supposed to harvest them. They are almost all leafy--chard, collards, spinach, lettuce. We probably planted them about 2 months ago? I now know for next year to record what I planted and when. :lol

Also, after I do harvest them do I pull them up entirely by the root? Can I plant another crop of veggies there? I saw our nursery has peppers, zucchini, strawberries, etc. as seedlings and would like to try to grow them.

Oh, one more. I threw some carrot seed down in there but I can only see one little sprout. Do you think I'll see more soon or should I give up on those. I planted the seed the same time as the seedlings.

[Iarwain]

How you harvest depends on what it is and what you plan to do with it. I like young greens so I harvest sooner than others might. I cut them off about an inch above ground level and then they grow back again so I can cut again later. You can start harvesting as soon as it looks big enough to eat and take as much as you need at the time. Head lettuce (rather than leaf lettuce) you leave to mature until it is a decent size and then you can pull it up or cut it off at ground level. Leaf lettuce you can do that way or the cut and come again way. You will know you left it too long if it starts to get tall and leggy instead of short and leafy. That's the last stop before going totally to seed and it tends to be a bit tough and bitter at that point.


Carrots come up slowly so be patient with them before you call them a total loss.


And again I must express my jealousy at others' ability to have their garden in so soon. We just put in our peas and some early mesclun (salad mix) this week and we have to wait quite a while to even plant the rest of our stuff.