 Hello, this is Bethany O'Rear, Regional Agent for Alabama Extension. Thank you for joining me today to learn more about harvesting and storage spring and summer, a part of our series for home vegetable gardeners called Grow More, Give More. At the end of this talk, you'll see a list of several publications you might find useful at our website, asus.edu. So let's get started. Harvesting It's so important to know what you're picking. Some vegetables can be picked for almost a whole month, but others are one and done. We'll talk about these specifically as we move through this talk. Onions can be harvested as young shoots. These are green onions and should be harvested straight out of the ground at 6 to 8 inches tall. Bulb onions take much longer to develop, anywhere from 3 to 5 months depending on variety, and then their tops will start to brown and fall over. They need to be allowed to dry and cure out of sunlight and rain for storage over the winter. English peas are also referred to as green peas. They have a lot of sugar in them and like to be picked in the morning. Make sure to pick every day to keep the crop going. Potatoes can be harvested when they're new, the size of a large marble with a thin skin, or they can be harvested weeks later at full size. If you harvest them at full size, make sure to give the skin a chance to dry or cure as we call it. Snapped beans and lima beans are some of my favorite vegetables, but you need to know whether you're growing them for the pods, the outer shell, or for the seeds, or beans. If you're growing for the outer shell, pay attention when you see beans starting to bulge because that may mean they're growing too large. Southern peas can be picked fresh or allowed to dry on the vine. Many home gardeners think tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are the plants that make their efforts worthwhile. These should be picked when they're ripe but blemish-free. Once you see a tomato start to ripen, make sure to check the rest of the plant daily. Many pepper varieties will ripen from green to red over time. They'll harvest when it appeals to you, but you might want to let a few ripen later into the season and see whether you like them. By the way, most blemish fruits are perfectly fine for eating, but you will want to stay ahead of the growing curve. And when you're harvesting eggplant, don't try to wrestle them off the plant. Be sure to use a sharp knife. Okra is best picked small and use gloves to protect your hands from the spines. While you're looking at those gloves, note that the measurement from the top of your index finger to the base of the thumb is a good measure of the 2 to 4 inches for harvest size. I was taught to harvest them every other day to keep the size in check and I think that's a rule that never fails. Summer squash, zucchini, and cucumbers can be harvested every two or three days. Be sure to check closely among the vines to make sure they're not getting too large. If you find them hiding on the back fence and they are two feet long and yellowed, donate those to your compost pile. Sweet corn should be picked in the morning and eaten or processed that day. You know it's perfectly ripe if you can eat it raw on the field. It is just that sweet. For more information, check out our resources at aces.edu. Have gardening questions? We have answers. Call the Master Gardener Helpline at 877-252-4769. Thanks for watching and until next time, next time, happy gardening.