Vegetable Harvest and Storage
Denny Schrock Department of Horticulture, University of
Missouri-Columbia
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Timely harvest and proper storage help to maintain the quality and
freshness of garden vegetables. This publication gives information on how
and when to harvest vegetables, special harvest preparations and storage
requirements, and appropriate length and kinds of storage. The following
terms are used in this publication: * Light freeze: 28-32 degrees F *
Moderate freeze: 24-28 degrees F * Severe freeze: less than 24 degrees F
You should recognize that "ideal" storage conditions for many
vegetables are not attainable around the average home or farm. It is
important, therefore, to recognize the limitations of the best storage
available. Refrigerators can be used for storage. If two refrigerators are
available, one can be kept at a cold temperature (32-40 degrees) and the
other at a cool temperature (45-50 degrees). If there is only one
refrigerator with the control set for normal operation, the temperature in
the center storage section is usually between 38 and 42 degrees F. Check
the setting of the temperature control by placing a thermometer in
different places in the refrigerator. Remember also that frequent opening
of the refrigerator door raises the temperature inside. Basements are also
possible storage places. Temperatures in most heated (air-conditioned)
basements will usually be 65 degrees F or warmer in summer and 60 degrees
F or cooler in winter. Separate sections can be partitioned to vary the
temperature and humidity. You can use outdoor air, dirt floors or wetted
sacks to vary the temperature and humidity needs. Unheated basements, if
well ventilated, can provide good storage conditions for some vegetables.
Different vegetables require different temperature and humidity levels for
proper storage. Cold, moist storage (32-40 degrees F, 90-95 percent
relative humidity) Root crops Beets: Begin harvest when beet is 1 inch in
diameter or smaller for baby beets. Main harvest is when beets are 2 to 3
inches. Tender tops make excellent greens regardless of the size of the
root ball. Harvest spring-planted beets before hot weather (July). Harvest
fall beets before the first moderate freeze. For storage, wash roots, trim
tops to 1/2 inch, place in perforated plastic bags and store in
refrigerator, cold moist cellar or pit. Storage life is 2 to 4 months.
Carrots: Harvest spring carrots before hot weather (July). Baby carrots
may be harvested when roots are 3 inches long. Fall-planted carrots should
be harvested before the first moderate freeze. For storage, wash roots,
trim tops to 1/2 inch, place in perforated plastic bags and store in
refrigerator, cold moist cellar or pit. Storage life is 2 to 4 months.
With a heavy layer of mulch, carrots may also be overwintered outdoors in
the ground. Horseradish: Harvest after several severe freezes. Store in
the ground all winter; mulch with straw or leaves and dig when needed.
Parsnips: Harvest in late fall after several moderate freezes. Exposure to
cold develops the sweet flavor. For storage requirements, see carrots.
Potato, Irish: Harvest in July when the tops have yellowed or died. Do not
leave in ground exposed to high soil temperatures from sun. Wash potatoes
and remove the diseased or damaged ones. Cure for about a week in a
shaded, well-ventilated place (open barn, shed, garage). Avoid exposing
tubers to light. Store in as cool a place as possible at this time of
year. You are not likely to find ideal storage conditions (40 degrees F,
85-90 percent relative humidity) at this time of year other than
commercial cold storage. Cool basements are probably the best storage
available. Keep humidity high and provide good ventilation. Storage time
is 2 to 4 months. Radish: Harvest when 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. Wash
roots, trim both taproot and tops and store in plastic bags in a
refrigerator for up to a month. Winter or black radishes are stored the
same as carrots. Salsify: See parsnips for harvest and storage. Turnip:
Turnips can be harvested from the time they are 1 inch in diameter. They
are best as a fall crop and can withstand several light freezes. Store the
same as carrots. Turnip greens may be harvested and used the same as beet
greens. Cole crops (cabbage group) Broccoli: Harvest terminal head while
florets are still tight and of good green color. Smaller side heads will
develop. Store in perforated plastic bags for up to one week in the
refrigerator. Freeze any surplus. Best quality will be found in shoots
that are harvested during cool weather. Brussels sprouts: Harvest the
sprouts (small heads) when they are firm; begin from the bottom of the
plant. Sprouts can stand several moderate freezes. Harvest all sprouts
prior to the first severe freeze and store in the refrigerator in
perforated bags for up to 3 weeks. Freeze any surplus. Cabbage: Harvest
when heads are solid. Remove loose outer leaves. Store cabbage in
refrigerator, cold cellar or outdoor pit in plastic bags for up to 2
months. Cauliflower: Tie outer leaves above the head when curds are about
1 to 2 inches in diameter (except colored types). Heads will be ready for
harvest in about 2 weeks. Cauliflower may be stored in perforated plastic
bags in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Freeze any surplus. Chinese
cabbage: Grows best in the fall, although varieties that mature in less
than 55 days can be planted in early spring. Harvest head after the first
moderate frost in the fall and store in perforated plastic bags in the
refrigerator, cold cellar or outdoor pit. Chinese cabbage will keep for up
to 2 months. Harvest spring cabbage when heads solidify but before a seed
stalk forms. Kohlrabi: For standard types, harvest when the swollen stems
are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Stems become woody if left too long before
harvest or if grown under poor conditions. Giant, heirloom types may reach
1 foot in diameter and still retain high quality. Cut off root and leaf
stems and store in plastic bags as indicated for carrots. Storage life is
2 to 4 weeks. Greens Chard (Swiss): This is a summer green that is
harvested continuously. Merely break off the outer leaves. Swiss chard is
a beet relative developed for its top. A spring planting will provide
greens from early summer to the first moderate freeze. Store in plastic
bags up to 2 weeks in refrigerator. Collards, kale, mustard, spinach:
Harvest the leaves and leaf stems of greens when they reach suitable size.
Either harvest the whole plant or the outer, larger leaves. Greens do not
store well, but may be kept in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to
2 weeks. Freeze any surplus. Salads Endive (Escarole): Harvest whole
plant. Wash thoroughly to remove soil and sand. Gather leaves together and
tie with rubber band. Store in plastic bags in refrigerator for up to 3
weeks. Lettuce: Head, semi-head and leaf lettuce can be stored for up to 2
weeks in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator. Individual leaves
may be harvested at any stage of development before the plants bolt (go to
seed). For best quality, successive plantings at two-week intervals are
suggested. Parsley: Parsley will overwinter if planted in a protected
place such as a cold frame. If planted in the open, it can be carefully
lifted with a ball of soil just before the soil freezes, potted and taken
into the house in a cool, sunny room and harvested for several weeks.
Parsley leaves will keep in plastic bags in the refrigerator for about one
week. Legumes Lima beans: Harvest when pods have filled. For tender limas,
harvest when a bit immature; for "meaty" limas, harvest when
mature. Shelled limas can be stored in perforated plastic bags in the
refrigerator for about a week. Surplus limas can be canned or frozen.
Garden peas: Harvest when pods have filled. For tender peas, harvest when
a bit immature; for "meaty" peas, harvest when mature. Unshelled
peas can be kept in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for about
a week. Freeze or can surplus. Oriental or snow pea types are harvested
when pods are full-sized but before the peas inside begin to swell. Edible
podded or snap peas are harvested when pods have filled out but before the
peas inside become starchy. Southern peas (Crowder, Purple Hull, etc.):
For fresh use, freezing or canning, harvest when seeds are large and plump
but moist. Either shelled or unshelled peas may be stored in the
refrigerator for several days. Other vegetables Asparagus: Harvest by
snapping 6- to 12-inch spears off at ground level but before the top
begins to fern out. Store in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to one
week. Freeze or can any surplus. Onions, green: Harvest green onions when
they attain sufficient size. Cut off roots; remove top, leaving an inch of
green. Place in plastic bag and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Rhubarb: Harvest leaf stalks when 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. Do not use
leaves. Rhubarb can be stored in perforated plastic bags for up to 3 weeks
in the refrigerator. Surplus rhubarb can be frozen. Sweet corn: Harvest
sweet corn when kernels are plump and tender. Silks will be dry and
kernels filled. Check a few ears for maturity: Open top of ear and press a
few kernels with thumbnail. If milky juice exudes, it is ready for
harvest. Harvest at peak of quality, husk to conserve space, and store in
plastic bags for no more than two days in the refrigerator. The new super
sweet varieties will store for a week or more. Freeze or can surplus corn.
Baby corn may be harvested just as silks emerge, before the ear is 3
inches long. Cool, moist storage (45-50 degrees F, 80-90 percent relative
humidity) Vine crops Cantaloupe (muskmelon): Harvest when the stem slips
easily from the fruit. Lift the melon; if ripe it should separate easily
from the vine. Store ripe melons in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for
up to 10 days. Try a few boxes of frozen melon balls. Squash, summer:
Harvest when fruit is young and tender. Skin should be easily penetrated
with the thumbnail. Store for up to a week in a perforated plastic bag in
the refrigerator. Cucumber: Harvest cucumbers before seeds become
half-size. This will vary with variety. Most varieties will be 11/2 to
21/2 inches in diameter and 5 to 8 inches long. Pickling cucumbers will be
a bit more blocky and not as long as slicers. Store slicing cucumbers in
the warmest part of the refrigerator (45-50 degrees). Place in plastic
bag. Storage life is about one week. Pickling cucumbers should be cooled
quickly in ice water and can be kept up to two days in a plastic bag in
the refrigerator. Watermelon: Harvest when underside of fruit turns from
whitish to yellowish. The tendril at the juncture of the fruit stem and
the vine usually dies when the fruit is mature. Thumping an immature melon
gives a ringing metallic sound, while a mature melon gives a dull thud.
Watermelons will store at room temperature for about a week and at a
temperature of 45 to 50 degrees F for 2 or 3 weeks. Other vegetables
Eggplant: Harvest when fruits are nearly full-grown, but color is still
bright. Eggplants are not adapted to long storage. Keep in warmest part of
refrigerator (45-50 degrees) for about a week. Beans, green: Bean pods
will be most tender when the small seed inside is one-fourth normal size.
The pods become more fibrous as the beans mature. Harvest before pods
begin to swell because of the developing bean seeds inside. Store green
beans up to one week in perforated plastic bags in the warmest part of the
refrigerator. Can or freeze surplus. Okra: Harvest okra pods when they are
2 to 3 inches long. Over-mature pods are woody. Store in plastic bags in
the warmest part of the refrigerator for about one week. Freeze surplus.
Peppers, sweet: Harvest when fruits are firm and full size. If red, yellow
or other colored fruits are desired, leave on plant until mature color
develops. Mature peppers will be sweeter than green peppers. Sweet peppers
can be stored for 2 to 3 weeks in the warmest part of the refrigerator in
plastic bags. Cool, dry storage (32-55 degrees F, 50-60 percent relative
humidity) Onions, dry: Harvest onions when the tops have fallen over and
the necks have shriveled. Remove tops, place in shallow boxes or mesh bags
and cure in open garage or barn for 3 to 4 weeks. Store in mesh bags in as
cool a place as can be found in midsummer (32-35 degrees). During humid
(muggy) weather, keep ventilated. Peppers, hot: Pull plants late in the
season and hang to dry in sun or a warm place. Store in a dry cool place
(usually a basement). Warm, dry storage (55-60 degrees F, 60-70 percent
relative humidity) Pumpkins, winter squash: Harvest pumpkins and winter
squash when the skin is hard and the colors darken. Both should be
harvested before frost. Remove the fruit from the vine with a portion of
the stem attached. Store on shelves in a single layer so air can circulate
around them. Warm, moist storage (55-60 degrees F, 80-85 percent relative
humidity) Sweet potatoes: Harvest in fall before frosts and freezing
temperature. Handle carefully in the digging process. Cure for one week at
temperature of 80 to 85 degrees F. Ideal storage is at 55 degrees F and 85
percent relative humidity. (This might be accomplished in a basement with
ventilated boxes covered with periodically moistened burlap sacks.)
Tomato: Ripe tomatoes will keep for a week at 55 to 60 degrees F. Green,
mature tomatoes, harvested before frost, should be kept at a temperature
between 55 and 70 degrees F. For faster ripening, raise temperature to 65
to 70 degrees F. Mature green tomatoes should approach normal size and
have a whitish green skin color. Keep mature green tomatoes from 3 to 5
weeks by wrapping each tomato in newspaper and inspecting for ripeness
each week. Do not store tomatoes in the refrigerator.
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G6226, Vegetable Harvest and Storage (out of stock).
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Copyright 1999 University of Missouri. Published by University
Extension, University of Missouri-Columbia. Please use our feedback form
for questions or comments about this or any other publication contained on
the XPLOR site. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work Acts
of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States
Department of Agriculture. Ronald J. Turner, Director, Cooperative
Extension Service, University of Missouri and Lincoln University,
Columbia, Missouri 65211. € University Extension does not discriminate
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