TOP TIPS FOR HARVESTING AND STORAGE

Garden Organic's research manager Dr Anton Rosenfeld shows you how to be canny with your vegetable harvest to prolong storage

- Dr Anton Rosenfeld

Vegetable production throughout the year inevitably generates a roller coaster of gluts in the summer, followed by relative lean periods in late winter and early spring. However, it's possible to iron out those peaks and troughs with pre-planning and good storage.

Some key things to remember are to check your variety. The description of a variety in seed catalogues usually gives an indication it stores well. The generally trend is that later varieties store better than early maturing varieties.

Make sure your vegetables are left to reach a level of maturity before being harvested to ensure longevity in storage. Any damaged and diseased produce should be set aside at this stage and either consumed first or discarded.

Some vegetables, such as onions and squashes need a period under warm dry conditions. This allows the skins to set, which provides a barrier to fungal infections getting in. As one of the main culprits for spoilage is fungal disease, keeping the conditions cool, dry and well-ventilated will reduce the chances.

PUMPKIN AND SQUASH