When to harvest.....

[wheatleys wheels]

I am quite new to veg growing.. I've started a new batch of stuff from seed but I'm not sure when the following get harvested as I've never done them before:

Carrots (dont even know what the leaves look like - advice is helpful)
radishes
watermelon
peas

The carrots and radishes I have no idea because the fruit is under ground
The peas I'm not sure about if you want the peas inside
As for watermelon - Does it matter what size you let it get to and what does it look like on the plant? is it a vine?... standup stalk? etc. I have no ideas on this one.

I think I'm a little over my head with everything I've planted this year but I'm definitly not sure about these things.

advice is gratefully recieved.

[Flummery]

Carrots have feathery leaves. With these and radishes you can carefully scuff the soil around the plant to see if it's big enough to pull. Never grown watermelon - I presume it needs to ripen. Peas, if they are 'ordinary' you can feel when the pod is full. If mangetout they are picked while they're still flat.

[wheatleys wheels]

ok cool... I thought the feathery leaves were the maid of the mist that scattered itself end of last year throughout my garden... I guess I'll leave the leaves alone. As it's the "carrot" patch they more likely carrots.

As for the peas.... they are "giant" variety of "ordinary" peas (the round ones) so I'll be feeling them as per your advice.

Your advice is wonderful thank you flummery.

If anyone else reading this thread knows anythign about watermelons then I'd be glad to hear from you... any further advice about all the others is welcome.

many thanks again flummery.

[Alison]

Haven't grown water melons but have grown normal ones in my greenhouse in years gone by. Sowed them in 3" pots and then planted into 10" (I think) pots in the greenhouse. Seem to remember they grew pretty quickly and you had to keep up with them otherwise they weren't supported sufficiently. I used a wire system and then created little net "hammocks" for the swelling melons so that they didn't break the vines. Only let a few form on each plant and checked for ripeness by gently pushing the bottom of the melon to see if it gave a bit. When this happened it was ready to pick. Can't remember who told me this but it seemed to work OK. Not sure if it's the same for water melons though.

[Alice]

Hello WW, carrots have feathery looking leaves and will be ready 10 -13 weeks from when you planted them. Radish are ready 4 - 6 weeks from when you plant them. Look at the base of the plants and you will see them. Pull them as soon as they look a size for eating. No point in leaving them as they just go dry and wooden. Plant little and often is the way with radish. When your peas look as if they have peas in - pull one and see. If ok, pick them.
Watermelon - well way beyond my ken - but good luck with it.

[wheatleys wheels]

Thank you Alison... I didn't know the watermelon fruit need to be supported - I guess it's a little like squash if you grow them upwards you need to support them too. Why would you only let a few form on each vine rather than just as many as the plant wants? Unless someone tells me otherwise I will be doing what you suggest. Seems that like for like plants (e.g. squash to squash) usually are dealt with in a similar manner so I would assume the watermelon be the same as your melons.

Alice... thank you so much for giving me some time scales. At least I can have an idea on when they will be ready. guess I should check my radishes soon as some were planted in April.

[Pottypotter]

Can anyone tell me why the radishes bought in the supermarket stay crisp and the ones of my allotment go soft?

[Alice]

Thanks for the blog WW. I enjoyed looking at your garden through the years.

[wheatleys wheels]

No worries Alice... I thought it might give someone ideas as what to do with a small garden. Will keep it as up to date as I can for anyone that wants to see.

[JennieAtkinson]

I shouldn't worry too much WW - my first year of growing veg I worried about when I would know when to harvest, but when the time comes it just kind of seems - well obvious is the wrong word as I have pulled things a bit early sometimes, but you kind of have a feel that things are growing nicely, even if you have to have a little scrape of the top soil to see what is happening underneath.

Enjoy it!

[wheatleys wheels]

I am enjoying it JA even tho it's my first year of growing such a variety of veg. I just hope most of it comes to veg. and not just die at the first leaves. I didn't ask about the other veg as they all seemed more obvious to know when to pluck. I think everythig in my garden grows slower than they should. That's my "feeling". I think that's because I get less sun that most people in my garden. It's out the back of my house and the house and the garage block the sun for a large portion of the day. So things grow but slower than the rest.... and I hope it's not giong to affect the veg all that much. Thank you tho JA for the reassurance just got to let myself not worry about it too much.

[Flummery]

Lots of people seem to be feeling that things arre growing too slowly but I think we've forgotten that this year is so very advance weather wise. June will bring a big change so wait it out, talk to them and they'll come on fine! The days are very warm but nights are cool and things need a chance to get really going.

[wheatleys wheels]

hi Flummery,

I understand what you are saying but I do think things move slower in my garden... usually everyone elses bulbs are dying before mine go into bloom. This happens every year so I've sort of gotten used to it but I cant help but wonder how that will efect the fruit and veg. at least the sun is hitting the garden now.

still cant wait until everything starts to flourish. It's always a good feeling when things sprout.

[Alice]

Hello WW. It doesn't matter if things in your garden come a few weeks later than in someone elses gaden. They will still come. It's not a race. Just enjoy it when it happens.