Summer is leaving, and fall is arriving with plenty of activities communities can enjoy.
As many gather for a time of cooler evenings and changing leaves, one gardener shares common mistakes you might be making this harvest season and how to avoid them. Your produce will thank you.
The scoop
In a TikTok video, master gardener Jessica (@fromdreamtoseed) gives an overview of three ways to ensure harvests from your local garden are fresh and plentiful. The first may be surprising, as they reveal that not harvesting enough is a mistake to be avoided. By taking away seeds, it actually encourages plants to produce more seeds.
@fromdreamtoseed Harvesting is one of the best parts of gardening! Avoid doing these for better harvests. #gardening #gardentips #gardening101 #gardenharvest #gardenmistakes #gardentok ♬ Adore - Instrumental - GC
This was followed by the recommendation to know when to harvest certain plants, as some can be harvested at any stage and others need to be harvested further along in their life cycles.
The last thing they recommended was to clean your harvesting tools. The creator suggested disinfecting tools before using them with other plants to prevent the spread of disease.
"Harvesting is one of the best parts of gardening! Avoid doing these for better harvests," Jessica captioned the post.
How it's working
Harvesting can be an art just as much as a science. During fall, timing is everything. Many varieties should be planted by mid- to late August for a successful harvest. When purchasing seed packets, look for ones with few "days to maturity" so the plants have ample time to grow fully. As seedlings emerge, watering regularly is crucial.
As explained in the video, plants such as leafy greens can be sown in late August and are ideal to harvest after summertime.
Gardening itself is rewarding and goes beyond growing fresh fruits and veggies at your fingertips. Following best practices for harvesting can save you money. An example of this is using organic compost from garden waste to replace store-bought fertilizer, which cuts down on expenses and reduces harmful pollution. In addition, mulching with leaves and succession planting can boost soil fertility and even extend your harvest season.
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When we grow our own food, we improve both our physical and mental health. A study by the University of Colorado discovered that gardeners increased their activity levels by roughly 42 minutes per week and were found to experience lower anxiety levels than non-gardeners.
Supporting your home or community gardening efforts with native plants can help the biodiversity of local ecosystems, which only encourages a bountiful harvest.
What people are saying
The TikTok video was met with appreciation from fellow gardening enthusiasts, as they recognized that proper harvesting can yield up to $600 of produce a year and reduce water usage in drought-heavy areas.
"Good tips," one user wrote in gratitude.
"Thank you," another commented.
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