When kids harvest the garden, they are not just helping you harvest the vegetables. They are harvesting knowledge. Knowledge of when to harvest, what to harvest and how to harvest vegetables in the garden is useful throughout life. Most kids tend to keep interest in something they have a close and touchable relationship with. The best way to give kids hands-on harvest experience is to just get them out there to do it. Here’s how to harvest a few main crop vegetables.

Tomatoes
Harvest tomatoes when they are firm but pliable. Hold the tomato gently in your palm and slightly grasp the tomato. If it easily comes off the stem, the tomato is ready to be picked. If it doesn’t come off easily, then leave it until it does. If a tomato does fall off before it is ripened fully, it can be put in a sunny window inside to ripen.

Peppers
Harvest peppers when they get to the desired size. Most bell peppers can be picked when they are green, but leave a few to fully mature into the red (yellow, purple, brown or orange) versions. To harvest without damaging the plant, cut the stem about half an inch above the fruit.

Beans
Beans should be harvested every one to two days during summer. This will keep a steady supply of beans growing and maturing. The more beans that are picked, the more the plant will keep producing. Beans are fun for kids to pick. Hold the stem in one hand gently. With the other hand, grab the bean as close to the stem as possible and quickly but gently snap your wrist. The bean should come off easily when it is mature.

Squash, zucchini and cucumber
These vegetables are grouped because they are harvested the same way. Squash and zucchini are best harvested when they are smaller, but they can be grown quite large. The more you harvest, the more the plant will keep producing. Read the instructions on the plants you planted to find out how big the cucumbers should be full maturity to know when to harvest them. Most slicing cucumbers should be six inches long when they are harvested. The kids will squeal in delight when they see just how prolific squash can be.

Get out and harvest
Summer is the hottest time of the year. The vegetable garden has finally come into its own. The kids are probably busy playing in the water and eager to get away from the garden. Maybe they are off in other parts of their lives with friends, bikes and sleepovers. Have the kids forgotten about their beloved gardens? IA lack of production may have them turned off from the garden this month. The garden may have produced some vegetables, but mid to late summer is when the main crops of vegetables really get going in most places. When production gets going, the kids should be encouraged to get out there and harvest.

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