You won’t be short of things to harvest in August and September, but we do have some top tips to make sure you get the most out of your vegetables….
- Don’t leave peas too long or they turn a bit bitter. Wait for the pods to fully swell and then pick them while they are lovely and sweet.
- Some things are best picked often to encourage more growth – beans, courgettes, peppers, tomatoes, peas, cucumbers – and even if they end up on the compost heap it’s better to pick them before they go over.
- Peppers don’t always ripen, so don’t be disappointed if they stay green for ages.
- Veg tastes better the fresher it is, so try to get things from the veg patch to your plate asap!
- When potatoes are ready you can cut the foliage off and leave them in the ground for a few weeks, digging up what you need when you need.
- Root vegetables store well – read our guide.
- Take a pair of scissors/secateurs when you are harvesting. It’s a better way of picking things like beans and peas, as it’s easy to pull of a whole bit of stalk by mistake and ruin the remaining smaller pods.
- Cabbages are ready as soon as the heads are firm and dense.
- Cut off spears of broccoli before the flower buds start to open up.
- To make the most of leafy veg and lettuces, make sure you keep them well watered so they don’t bolt in dry weather and pick the outer leaves often to encourage new growth from the centre.
