One of the most common mistakes made by beginning vegetable gardeners is harvesting the crop at the wrong time. Since ripeness varies according to planting time, the weather in any given year, the variety of the particular vegetable planted, and many other things, one can't just say, "Harvest this vegetable on August 20th." So we've gotten together a general guide for harvesting many commonly-grown vegetables.

We thought of restricting it to vegetables that grow easily here, or to summer harvest only--but greenhouse-growing is becoming more popular so we decided to do the long list.

Asparagus: Begin harvesting when spears are 6-10 inches tall and before heads open. Snap them off at ground level; new spears will continue to grow. Stop when the average spear diameter is less than 1/4 inch.

Beans (snap): Pick before you can see the seeds bulging. They should snap easily into two. Check daily, as they will get tough quickly.

Beans (lima): Pick when well filled, but not over-mature.

Beets: You can harvest and eat the green tops that you thin out of the rows. Beets are somewhat a matter of preference when it comes to the right size. Most prefer a diameter of 1.5 to 2 inches, but they are ready any time after the shoulders come above the soil line.

Broccoli: We eat the unopened flower buds of broccoli, so check often as weather warms, and get them before they bloom (don't expect your heads to get to supermarket size). Harvest when the buds are about the size of a match head. Remove with a sharp knife; leave between 4 and 6 inches of stem.

Brussels Sprouts: Harvest when they are green, plump and firm (usually an inch or more in diameter). Harvest by twisting off or cutting the sprout from the stem.

Cabbage: Harvest cabbage when the head is firm and has reached adequate size, depending on the variety and growing conditions.

Cantaloupe (muskmelon): The color should change to beige and the fruit will "slip" from the stem easily. You may be able to notice a sweet smell when ripe.

Carrots: Depending on variety, pull when about 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter. The top of the carrot will show at the soil line; you can gauge when the diameter looks right for your variety. If the diameter looks good, chances are the length is fine too.

Cauliflower: As with broccoli, your cauliflower heads will probably not get to supermarket size. Harvest when the head looks full and while the curds of the head are still smooth.

Chard (Swiss): Harvest as leaves become large enough.

Collards (kale and mustard): Harvest young plants or lower leaves on older plants. Leaves should be young and tender. Taste improves with cool weather.

Corn: Pick after the silks become brown. The kernels should exude a milky substance when pricked.

Cucumber: Check daily and harvest early (if harvesting for pickling, even earlier). Timing and length will vary with variety. The fruits should be firm and smooth. Over-ripe cucumbers can be very bitter or pithy, even before they start to turn yellow.

Eggplant: Slightly immature fruits taste best. The fruits should be firm and shiny. Cut rather than pull from the plant.

Garlic: The garlic tops will fall over and begin to brown when the bulbs are ready. Dig gently, don't pull, and allow to dry before storing. Shake off dirt rather than washing.

Kohlrabi: For the best texture, harvest once the kohlrabi "bulb" is between two and three inches in diameter. Too much larger than that and it will be tough and woody.

Leeks: Harvest leeks when they are about 1 inch in diameter.

Lettuce (Head): Harvest once the head feels full and firm with a gentle squeeze. Hot weather will cause it to bolt or go to seed rather than filling out.

Lettuce (Leaf): Harvest the outer leaves once the plant has reached about 4 inches in height. Allow the younger, inner leaves to grow. Leaf lettuce can be harvested in this fashion for quite some time. If seed stalks begin to form, harvest the whole plant immediately and refrigerate.

Okra: Harvest frequently; figure about 3-4 days from flower to mature pod. Err on on the immature side--the pods get woody and tough as they get older. Remove old pods, even if you missed one too long, so they'll keep producing. Wear gloves and long sleeves when harvesting; okra has small spines (they look like hairs) that can make you itchy--even 'spineless' varieties have some.

Onions: Onions can be dug once at least half the tops have ripened and fallen over. Allow the onions to dry in the sun.

Onions (bunching): Dig before bulbing starts or before they become too thick (over 1/2 inch diameter).

Peas (English): The pea pods should look and feel full. Peas are sweeter if harvested before fully plumped. Peas really need to be tasted (raw) to determine if they are sweet enough.

Peas (edible pod): Harvest when the pods are fully developed, but before seeds are more than half size. (You'll need to develop a feel for this one.)

Peppers (bell, sweet): Fruit should be full size but still green, firm and crisp in texture. If red fruits are desired, leave on plant until red color develops.

Peppers (chile): Fresh fruit should be full size, shiny green to slightly red, firm and crisp in texture. Dry red fruit should be allowed to turn completely red and dry on plant.

Potatoes (Irish): "New" potatoes can be harvested when the tops start to flower. Carefully dig at the outer edges of the row. For full size potatoes, wait until the tops of the potato plants dry and turn brown. Start digging from the outside perimeter and move in cautiously to avoid slicing into potatoes.

Potatoes (sweet): before freezing weather. Cure under warm conditions (80°-85° F) for a week.

Pumpkins: Once the pumpkins have turned the expected color and the vines are starting to decline, they can be cut from their vines.

Radishes: Radishes mature quickly. Harvest as soon as they reach edible size. They will go quickly to seed.

Rhubarb: Delay harvest until second year after establishment. Established plantings (3 years) can be harvested for about 8 weeks. Harvest the largest stalks by grasping each stalk near the base and pulling slightly in one direction.

Rutabagas: The bulbs should be about 3 inches in diameter. Rutabagas can be mulched, left in the ground and dug up as needed. Cold weather improves their flavor.

Spinach: Spinach goes to seed quickly. Harvest by cutting at the soil line before you see a flower stalk beginning to shoot up. Or cut just below the crown for a one-time harvest.

Squash (Summer): Pick young and check often. The skins should be tender enough to poke your fingernail through.

Squash (Winter): Color is a good indicator of winter squash maturity. When the squash turns the color it is supposed to be, cut from the vine.

Tomatoes: For the best taste, harvest tomatoes when they are fully colored and slightly soft to the touch. Gently twist and pull from the vine. If your plant looks like it may be over-producing, you can also harvest some as they start to ripen and let them finish indoors. If you like fried green tomatoes, harvest as they reach full size (or just as the first color change begins, if you like them a bit less tart).

Turnips: The turnip shoulders should be about 1.5 to 3 inches in diameter at the soil line, when ready. Overripe turnips become woody.

Watermelons: The white spot on the bottom of the melon should change to yellow when ripe. Some people can hear a change in the sound made when the melon is thumped with a finger.

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When I was a kid, the arrival of Indian summer was the last summer hurrah! It was still light enough to play outside after dinner, and warm enough to wear shorts. Even though school had begun, you still had a couple of weeks of warm summertime fun. Well, now I realize that it was also a couple more weeks of summertime flower color for my parents to enjoy in their gardens! Somehow, I think they must have planned ahead to ensure that the gardens were beautiful.

That's right. Now is the time to tuck into your garden beds and patio paradise containers some of your favorite late summer and fall blooming perennials and shrubs. You may be the type of gardener who has a complete plan of colors, sizes and shapes in mind. Or you might be a gardener that loves just to collect plants of all colors, sizes and forms. You know who you are and what your style is.

There are plenty of late summer and autumn bloomers to choose from. Our plant selection is a veritable treasure chest of Indian Summer colors. Come into the garden center and begin choosing today. Don't forget to pick up a good soil amendment like Master Nursery Bumper Crop. Oh yes, and to promote those non-stop blooms, feed them regularly with Gardner & Bloome OMRI Rose & Flower Fertilizer.

Then sit back on a lounge chair or hammock--and enjoy your Indian summer garden in full bloom!

The pesky little insect has ruined countless hikes, BBQ's and campouts. This vector has literally killed millions of people throughout history, and still affects millions around the world today. As daunting as this sounds, there are steps you can take to co-exist and stay healthy.

What attracts the mosquito? After 30 million years of evolution, the mosquito has perfected its hunting skills. The mosquito uses three sensors to attract its prey:

• Chemical sensors: Mosquitoes sense carbon dioxide and lactic acid up to 100 feet away. Unfortunately, we give off these gases as part of our normal breathing.
• Visual sensors: Clothing that contrasts with the background enables the mosquito to "zero in" on you.
• Heat sensors: Mosquitoes detect heat, so they can find warm-blooded mammals very easily.

The best thing you can do to control mosquitoes is to use a mosquito repellant with DEET and eliminate standing water around your home. A mosquito can lay up to 250 eggs at one time in still water, and they can hatch as fast as 7 days. Check your gutters frequently for collected water (especially if they sag and aren't level), along with birdbaths, buckets or boggy areas of the garden.

Burning citronella candles, using an electronic bug zapper, or spraying surfaces near entertainment areas with a mosquito barrier spray like Green Light Spinosad will also help kill, or at least repel, mosquitoes. We also highly recommend using Mosquito Dunks if you have areas of standing water that you can't drain.

Diligence is your best protection. Stay indoors at dawn and dusk hours, wear pants and long-sleeved shirts if possible, avoid any standing water, and repair broken screens.

Although it can be a constant battle, by incorporating the use of insect repellents and breeding prevention (eliminating standing water), mosquitoes and the diseases they carry can be reduced, making the outdoors more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

How often should I water my lawn?

Answer:
The key to a healthy lawn is to water deeply but infrequently. Deep and infrequent irrigation stimulates root growth, resulting in healthy, drought tolerant, and pest resistant turf.

Most lawns require between 1" and 1.5" of water per week. But the height of your grass can also contribute to water needs. A lawn maintained at 2-3 inches in height will hold more water than a lawn maintained at 1.5-2" of height, which will be more subjected to heat stress in summer. Soil type also comes into play, since sandy soil holds water less effectively than a heavier clay type soil.

To determine how long it takes to water your lawn at the required rate, place several shallow containers such as margarine containers in different areas of the lawn for 15 minutes while irrigating. Measure in inches the depth of water from the containers. The average depth of water in these containers, multiplied by 4, is the inches of water per hour emitted by your sprinkler system. Then adjust your sprinkler timers accordingly. If you notice water runoff prior to achieving full irrigation, then you will have to water in a couple of cycles spaced at least half an hour apart to allow for complete penetration.

A lawn should be watered when the soil begins to dry out, but before the grass actually wilts. If you notice footprints in the lawn that don't bounce back after you walk on it, or areas with a blue-green or smoky tinge, then your lawn is stressed. The lawn should be watered before these signs of wilting are obvious. You will find that most lawns, though, will need to be watered at least twice per week, usually less in spring and fall, and only during periods of extended dry weather in winter if your lawn doesn't go dormant. Obviously, if your area is under water restrictions, do the best you can within those restrictions.