September is a pivotal month in the horticulture calendar . As the summer Clarence Shepard Day Jr. commence to ebbing and the coolness of fall edges in , your late summer craw are ready for their moment of aura . This meter of year can be a nurseryman ’s dream or a bit of a cephalalgia , depend on how well you ’ve prepared . I empathise how overwhelming it can be to manage the final harvests , specially when you ’re juggle an regalia of craw . But do n’t worry , we ’re in this together ! I ’m here to walk you through the ins and out of harvesting and hive away your previous summertime green goods , ensuring that all your severe workplace pay off .
It ’s such a thrill to assemble those last tomato , peppercorn , and other vegetable that have been soaking up the summer Dominicus . But I also know how disheartening it can be to fall back produce to pests , weather , or improper memory board . There ’s nothing worse than realizing a misunderstanding toll you your cautiously tended crops ! So , rent ’s dig into the item — because with a picayune cognition and care , you may savor the spirit of summertime well into the colder months . We ’ll explore the best practice for harvest , some tricks for keeping your garden truck fresh , and ways to salt away it so that it lasts as long as possible .
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the gem of the late summertime garden , are n’t they ? There ’s just something so satisfy about pluck a absolutely ripe tomato from the vine . September is the time to check that you ’re getting every last one before the first frost hit . I always urge harvest tomatoes just as they start to turn coloring — this can help prevent gadfly like hoot from getting to them before you do . The sound news show is that Lycopersicon esculentum will continue to ripen off the vine , so do n’t interest if they ’re not fully scarlet when you pick them . Just place them in a sunny spot indoors , and they ’ll be perfect in no time !
For storing , it ’s unspoilt to keep tomatoes at room temperature if you plan to expend them within a week . However , if you want them to last longer , consider canning or freeze down them . Canning is a rattling way to preserve that summer feel , and it ’s astonishingly wide-eyed once you get the hang of it . If canning feels too daunting , freeze is your next best bet — just be sure to parboil the tomatoes first to preserve their grain and flavour . Trust me , there ’s nothing like opening a jar of homemade tomato sauce in the middle of wintertime !
Peppers
Peppers are another tardy summertime favorite that requires a flake of careful timing when it comes to harvest home . Whether you ’re growing chime peppers , jalapeños , or another miscellanea , you ’ll want to reap them when they hand their full color and size . For sweet peppers , this usually means hold off until they ’re vibrant red , orange , or yellow , depending on the mixture . red-hot peppers , on the other hand , can be pluck at dissimilar stages of ripeness bet on your taste penchant . Just be cautious when handling spicy white pepper — I’ve had my fair plowshare of racy surprises !
When it comes to storage , peppers are somewhat various . They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks , but if you ’re looking to salt away them longer , freeze is an excellent option . Like tomatoes , capsicum should be blanched before freeze to serve maintain their texture . you could also dry hot peppers by hang them in a quick , dry place — this not only carry on them but summate a countryfied charm to your kitchen ! If you ’re feel adventuresome , consider pickling some of your peppers for a tangy treat that ’ll spice up up your winter meal .
Zucchini
Zucchini is one of those craw that can really surprise you with its fertile nature . If you ’ve ever uprise zucchini , you know what I mean — sometimes it feel like they duplicate in size overnight ! The best clock time to glean courgette is when they ’re about 6 to 8 inches long , as this is when they ’re the most raw and flavorful . await too long can ensue in tumid , but less tasty , fruits . I totally get how it feels to miss the right windowpane and end up with a baseball squash racquet - sized zucchini — don’t concern , it go on to the full of us !
Once harvested , zucchini can be salt away in the icebox for up to a week . But if you ’ve got more courgette than you know what to do with , regard freezing it . Simply slice the courgette , blanch it , and then stack away it in deep freezer base . Another great option is to tear up the courgette and freeze it in parcel — this is stark for baking zucchini bread or supply to soups during the colder months . And do n’t blank out , those larger zucchini can still be put to just use in recipes that call for stuffed or baked zucchini . Waste not , want not !
Beans
Beans are a fantastic crop to harvest in September , and I have to say , they ’re one of my personal favorites . Whether you ’re produce green beans , wax beans , or even runner beans , September is the time to gather them in before they start to toughen up . The key to harvest home attic is to pick them regularly to boost more production , but by now , you ’re plausibly seeing the last of your harvest . When peck , verify to get them while they ’re still tender and crisp — there ’s nothing like the snap of a freshly plunk bonce !
stash away edible bean is a zephyr . They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week , but if you ’ve got a big catch , you might want to consider freezing them . Just like with courgette , you ’ll demand to blanch the beans before freezing to keep that fresh taste and texture . Another alternative is to pickle your beans , which can make for a crunchy , tangy snack during the off - season . And if you ’re into preserving , dry out beans is a great mode to hive away them for long - term use — just be sure to let them fully fledged and juiceless on the vine before storing .
Eggplants
Eggplants , with their glistening , empurpled peel , are a arresting addition to any garden . But they can be a spot cunning when it come to knowing just when to glean . Ideally , you want to pick them while they ’re still shining and firm — if they start to mislay their luster , they ’ve belike been on the plant too long . I ’ve had moments of irresolution where I was n’t certain if it was time , and I totally understand the anxiety that come with trying to get it just correct ! But do n’t care , with a little practice , you ’ll get the timing down .
For storage , aubergine are well go on at way temperature if you plan to use them within a few solar day . If you need to store them longer , placing them in the crisper draftsman of your refrigerator can serve extend their life by a calendar week or so . Eggplants do n’t block well on their own , but you’re able to prepare knockout like ratatouille or eggplant parmesan and suspend those for later . That way of life , you may savour your garden - fresh eggplants in the depths of winter without sacrifice any feeling !
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are another late summer crop that can sometimes get away from you . One minute they ’re small and green , and the next , they ’re much burst at the seams ! The best time to harvest cucumber is when they ’re about 6 to 8 inches long for slice varieties , or little if you ’re grow pickling cucumbers . Picking them on a regular basis encourages more fruit product , but by September , it ’s time to gather in what ’s go out before the vines begin to refuse . I ’ve been there — let a cucumber sit on the vine just a bit too long , only to find it ’s turned bitter . It ’s always better to reap a petty early than too late !
For storage , cucumber can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a workweek . However , if you ’re swimming in cuke , pickling is a fantastic way to uphold them . Homemade pickles are a treat during the wintertime months , and you could get creative with your saltwater flavors . If you opt fresh cucumber , consider making refrigerator pickles , which are warm and prosperous to train . And remember , cucumbers do n’t freeze well , so pickle is your good bet for long - term store .
Carrots
cultivated carrot are a solution crop that often gets overlooked , but they ’re a raw material in my garden . September is the perfect time to harvest them , particularly if you ’ve been patient and allow them to sweeten up as the weather condition cools . carrot can be reap at any size , but for the good flavor , I recommend waitress until they ’re about the width of a pollex . It ’s such a rewarding experience to pull out up a shining orangish carrot from the filth — there ’s just something so grounding about it !
For storage , carrots are quite versatile . They can be kept in the refrigerator for several weeks if stack away decent . The trick is to polish off the greens first , as they can draw wet away from the root . If you ’re expect to store carrots long - full term , deliberate stack away them in sand or sawdust in a coolheaded , dark place like a root cellar . This old - fashioned method works wonders in keeping carrots saucy for months . Alternatively , you may blanch and freeze them , though they may turn a loss some of their crisp texture . Either way , you ’ll be revel the yield — or should I say source — of your labor well into wintertime !
Winter Squash
Winter squeeze , despite its name , is in reality harvested in later summertime to former fall . This craw is one of my all - time favorites because of its versatility in the kitchen and its long storage life . Whether you ’re growing butternut , acorn , or spaghetti mash , September is the time to start harvesting . The trick is to look until the skins have hardened and the stems have dried out — this ensures that the squash vine will salt away well . I bed it can be tempting to pick them too soon , but longanimity is primal here !
Once harvest , winter squash can be stored for several months if kept in a cool , wry place . A basement or root cellar is idealistic , but if you do n’t have one , any cool spot in your home will do . Just ensure they ’re not poignant , as this can lead to decompose . One of the unspoilt things about wintertime squash is that it does n’t require any special preservation method — just harvest home , depot , and enjoy as take ! There ’s nothing quite like roasting a Juglans cinerea squelch on a chilly fall eventide , knowing that it amount from your own garden .
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