Storing your Veggies

Below are suggestions about when to harvest certain crops during the late summer and fall season.

Tomatoes: When unripe, harvest fruit that is light green or that has some hint of red in the flesh. Tomatoes picked excessively green may rot. Indoors, temperatures near 70 F are ideal for faster ripening; temperatures near 55 F delay ripening for around a month. Tomatoes stored below this temperature develop a bland or off flavor. Store unripe tomatoes in a box. Place a layer of fruit in the box and cover with wax paper. Another layer can be placed on top of the first and covered with more wax paper. Place the lid on the box when finished. Some wrap each tomato individually in newspaper. Remove tomatoes as they ripen. Placing a banana in the box and allowing the banana to ripen near the tomatoes may additionally speed ripening.

Watermelon: Watermelons are more difficult because there are no overtly obvious signs they are ripe. However, when ripe the bottom of the melon that sits on the soil turns from a light greenish-white to a creamy yellow color. There is also a tendril (curlicue) on the stem within a few inches of where the stem attaches to the melon. This tendril will be mostly to completely brown instead of green.

Cantaloupe and other Musk Melons: These are relatively easy. The skin between the netting will turn from a grey-green color to a creamy yellow. Small cracks may appear in the skin and the stem will detach very easily from the fruit. Where the stem detaches, you will also be able to smell the musk melon scent. Do not force the stem off.

Crenshaw and Honeydew: These are a little trickier because the stem does not detach when ripe. Instead the stem is cut an inch or so behind the fruit. These are usually harvested when they turn completely yellow. They also can be removed from the plant slightly early and stored for a few days at room temperature to continue to ripen. Additionally, cracks may also develop in these when it is close to ripe and the blossom end of the fruit will soften slightly.

Winter squash: These are ripe when the skins develop a waxy coating and cannot be easily damaged by scratching the outer skin with a fingernail. Unless immediately consumed, the squash should be harvested with at least 1 inch of vine attached to the actual fruit. Harvest before vines are killed or severely damaged by frost. Store winter squash at temperatures ranging from 50 to 60 F at relatively low humidity.

Onions: Harvest when the tops start to fall over. Lift them from the ground and place in a well-ventilated area. When the necks turn brown and bulbs "rustle when disturbed," they are ready to be stored. Shelf life is maximized when the bulbs are stored at low humidity and near freezing temperatures. Many factors influence storage longevity including variety and whether the bulbs were grown from seeds or sets. Bulbs should be checked periodically, and rotten onions should be removed.

Potatoes: Remove potatoes from the soil after vines start to die. Cure them in a dark area at 50 to 60 F for 2 weeks. After this, store tubers near 50 F. Lower temperatures may cause an off flavor to develop. Warmer temperatures will decrease storage life. Other crops, such as apples, pears, cabbage, celery, carrots and parsnips, can be stored for an extended period of time.

Sweet Corn: The tip of the ear should feel full when grasped, silks will be dry and most kernels will appear mature. Remove the husk at the top of the ear and puncture a few individual kernels. If ready, kernels will exude milky sap. Use immediately or store in refrigerator.

Root Crops: Harvest before hard frost or cover with several inches of light mulch such as straw or leaves. The following factsheets can be accessed online, and both provide useful information. For a complete look at home food storage, USU has produced a comprehensive bulletin . Cornell University's gives useful vegetable harvesting information. It is available here here .