It's the time that all those gardeners out there and their friends start to reap the benefits of their hard work.
It's harvest time for many backyard crops. Tomatoes are filling the vines and knowing when to pick them to get the best flavors is tricky. Master gardeners say that since they are fruits, because they have seeds, can be picked early and they will still ripen once off the vine. The best time is when the tomato just starts to "blush" in color.
"Just pick those and put them on your kitchen counter at room temperature and in a day or two they'll ripen and the science shows that they'll be just absolutely, the flavor's the same, just as fresh as if you wait that time, leaving it on the vine," explained Gretchen Staley, master gardener. "You don't lose any quality that way."
Staley also says to leave the stems on your peppers, cucumbers, and other crops which will keep them fresher longer after they are harvested.
