DIY Network

Harvesting Hints Harvesting Hints From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-115

So the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts you've planted in your garden are off to a good start... but when can they go from garden to table? Here, learn the basic guidelines for harvesting....

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Sprouts develop where the leaves join the main stem. The sprouts mature from the bottom of the plant up.

• Although they are grown somewhat alike, cauliflower matures faster from transplant to harvest than Brussels sprouts. The sprouts should mature in 80 to 90 days -- the cauliflower in 60 to 70 days. As soon as the soil cools in early fall, Brussels sprouts will begin to grow quickly. They sometimes will reach 30 inches in height by the time the first sprouts appear on the main stem. If you've never seen a Brussels sprout plant, it's worth growing it just to see its unusual form with one tall central stalk and the large, blue-green leaves.

• Sprouts develop where the leaves join the main stem. The sprouts mature from the bottom of the plant up. To encourage the existing sprouts to grow large or size up, you can pinch out the growing point at the top of the plant. This will help the plant direct all its energy into maturing the sprouts and not the leaves. This is called "topping." The sprouts should be topped about three weeks before harvest time or the stalk is about 20 inches tall.
  

  Another method opposite of topping is to remove the lower leaves.

• Another method opposite of topping is to remove the lower leaves, Some gardeners believe that the sprouts develop better if the lowermost six to eight leaves are removed from the side of the stalk as the sprouts develop. Two or three additional leaves can be removed each week, but several of the healthy, full-sized leaves must be left at the top of the stem to continue feeding the plant. Without leaves, the plant will stop growing.

• Cauliflower heads don't like direct sunlight – the heads will discolor unless they are protected from full sun. Cauliflower bears only one head per plant. To keep the heads snowy white, you'll need to "blanch" the heads by tying them up! You simply tie the inner leaves around the head to keep it white. This tying also will protect the heads from any heavy rainfall. You should tie off the heads when they are slightly smaller than a door knob

• You can tie off the cauliflower heads by bending the two innermost leaves over the heads until they break and tie them in place with a twist tie to "blanch" the heads. You can also use twine or clothespins to hold the leaves together. A more simple way to blanch the heads is by covering the top of the curds with a salvaged cabbage leaf. Just lay it over the head like a big sun hat!

• You really can't see at what rate the heads are developing once they're blanched. The best way to keep track of when you covered each head is to use rubber bands of various colors to keep track of which color you used on what day.
  

  Cauliflower heads don't like direct sunlight – the heads will discolor unless they are protected from full sun. Cauliflower bears only one head per plant.

• It will usually be about a week – 7 to 10 days – from the time you tie up your heads until they are ready to harvest. You should pick the heads when they are about 8 inches wide. In your home garden the head will probably be smaller than what you find in the supermarket. Begin cutting some of the cauliflowers while they are still fairly small rather than waiting for them all to mature. You have waited to long to harvest once the florets start to separate

• You should cut cauliflower in the morning when the heads still have some dew on them, but in frosty weather wait until noon. Using a sharp knife, remove the heads by cutting the stem just below the head. Be sure to cut the heads before they become over-mature and the curds develop a coarse "ricey" appearance. If left too long, they will discolor and lose their crisp firmness. As you harvest the heads, leave a ruffle of a few green outer leaves attached to protect the heads and keep their quality. You can also harvest some of the cauliflower leaves that can be stored and eaten like cabbage.

• The Brussels sprouts take a little longer to mature than the cauliflower -- about a month longer. After plants are fully grown, Brussels sprouts pop out all along the plants' thick stalk. Each plant should produce 50 to 100 sprouts clustered closely around the main stalk. Try to harvest the sprouts after a good fall frost. The cold snap will sweeten the flavor of the sprouts. The sprouts can be harvested when they reach about 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter.
  

  You should cut cauliflower in the morning when the heads still have some dew on them, but in frosty weather wait until noon.

• You should harvest when the sprouts are large enough to pick but while they are still tight and firm. Be sure to pick the lowest sprouts first starting from the bottom of the stalk and working up, which is how they mature. You can snap the sprouts off the stalk, or carefully use a small sharp knife to cut them off. Always leave enough trunk so new sprouts can grow from the topmost sections of the stems. The plant will continue to push out new leaves at the top. And just like cauliflower, you can cut off the leafy stems and use them like cabbage.

• Brussels sprout plants can be harvested whole from the ground and stored in a cool dry place. Entire sprout stalks can be kept for up to three weeks before use. To harvest the whole plant, you cut them at ground level, and remove all the leaves from the stalk. You then hang the sprouts in a cool dry place.

• Cauliflower will keep in the refrigerator up to a month, but it's better to harvest and eat your crops straight from the garden. Otherwise, you can blanch your cole crop in hot water and freeze your yield.