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5 Garden Vegetables and When It’s Time to Pick Them

Posted by San Diego Landscaper on Sunday, 26 July , 2015
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People all over San Diego County have been installing urban gardens, and many of them have been nothing short of amazed when they have been using them long enough to see firsthand what they actually produce in terms of volume. Most people have also been amazed when they have actually tasted the food that they have grown for the first time, as there is nothing from a retail grocery store that compares to food that comes right from the dirt in your own yard or from the garden on your own patio. It’s getting to be that time of year when people are starting to wonder about when it’s going to be time to pick their vegetables and bring them to the table.

While the timing in certain parts of the country such as the Midwest is more calendar-based because of the approaching fall and winter months that are cold and not amenable to growing crops, places like San Diego are a bit different because there are certain types of plants that can be grown all year given the mild climate here. Therefore, the best way to know when to pick certain vegetables is by look and feel. Below are five vegetables that are commonly grown in San Diego County and signs that they are ready to be picked and eaten.

1) Beans
Beans tend to continue to grow from the stalk after you pick some of them, but the best time to pull them off the plant is when they have reached a few inches of length but they are still thinner than a common office pen. Picking them too late can lead to tough and bitter texture and taste.

2) Broccoli
Broccoli is a bit confusing for people with gardens at first because they are used to seeing enormous crowns in the grocery store. Instead, people should pick off the crowns when they are anywhere between three and four inches wide for the best flavor and texture.

3) Carrots
Carrots are difficult for some to harvest because they grow under the soil and cannot be seen. However, experienced gardeners know that when the stalks on carrots change to a darker color and a bit of the carrots start to stick up out of the soil that it’s time to bring them in the house.

4) Tomatoes
Tomatoes are among the most commonly grown food crops in urban gardens, and there are many different varieties. Picking tomatoes is based on a change in color and on texture, as they need to be somewhat soft before they are ready.

5) Lettuce
The difference between the taste of garden-grown lettuce and store-bought lettuce is remarkable. Lettuce should be harvested when the plant reaches approximately four or five inches in height.

Planting and managing a garden is a skill, and it’s one that pays off by way of having delicious, extremely healthy and very economical food at your disposal. If you’re thinking of adding an urban garden to your property, contact the San Diego landscaping professionals at Juniper Landscape Company today to learn more about this possibility.

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Juniper Landscape Company is a provider of professional landscaping services in San Diego, we strive to make San Diego a beautiful place by doing business with integrity and creativity.

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    Juniper Landscape Company is great. I have used them for landscape design, and they have transformed my yard into a garden retreat. Now they keep it up every week, and it looks gorgeous. They are the best San Diego landscapers! I would highly recommend Juniper Landscape Company if you are looking to landscape your... Read More
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    Our commercial property is located at 5150-5250 Murphy Canyon Road (the corner of Clairemont Mesa Blvd and Murphy Canyon Road). Please be advised that we have maintained a landscaping contract with Joe Cryns for 16 years. Also, he was the landscaper for our property before the Chou’s purchased it. We have found Joe and his... Read More
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    I must say that Juniper Landscape Company exceeded my expectations, completing the job in a timely fashion and for a fair price which we negotiated ahead of time, and which did not change even though there were difficulties with the terrain around my home in Stonebridge Estates (Scripps Ranch). Juniper Landscape Company was on-time,... Read More
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    Thanks to the entire team at Juniper Landscape Company for a Great Job!!! It was a pleasure working with everyone…and Gabe did a great job leading the activities on-site. We were very satisfied with how the whole project progressed. The service was great...and we love the finished product! We wish everything could have gone... Read More
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    I had my front and back yards fully redone and wanted them ready for a party at my house. They worked long days and sent big crews to make sure they finished in time. The results were spectacular, and I highly recommend Juniper Landscape Company!!!... Read More
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    Jesse and Gabe did a fantastic job in the design and installation of our new backyard! They completed the job on budget and on time. Would highly recommend them to all!!... Read More
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    I have a side strip of yard which is on the street. The original landscaping was VERY high maintenance and not attractive. I was always out there cleaning up the leaf litter or be fined by the HOA. I hired Juniper Landscape Company. They came out and actually listened to what I wanted. They... Read More
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    Juniper Landscape Company has been fantastic. Before them, we ran through three or four other lawn and landscape maintenance companies who did spotty and sometimes outright poor work, were not always reliable and who ended up creating problems for us in a variety of ways. That experience led us to subscribe to Angie's List... Read More
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    Jesse & Gabe, I want to extend my thanks to you and your crew for participating in the Yard Crashers project the past few days. I know we are all exhausted due to the demands of filming and the logistics of the project with so many people involved. One of the positive elements I found in... Read More
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