Page 44 - Bringing out the Potential In Our Children - Gardeners - Food Producers

carefully or you may uproot the plant. Try and harvest daily to
keep the plants productive.

It is always best to eat fresh peas immediately because, like
corn, their sugars turn to starches very quickly. Refrigerate
extra peas for up to one week in brown paper bags that are
then put inside a plastic bag and seal with a twist tie. The
paper bag will absorb any extra moisture so that the peas
aren't actually sitting in water, and the plastic bag holds in
enough moisture so the peas stay fresh. You can also freeze or
can them.

For more, use our in-depth Growing Guide:

Growing Peas

Pear Pears should be harvested when they are mature, but still
hard, and ripened off the tree for best eating and canning
qualities. If you wait until the fruit is ripe on the tree, it will be
mushy inside within a day or two.

A pear is ready for harvest when the green color lightens and
the stem of the fruit parts easily from the spur when you lift up
on the fruit with a slight twist.

Allow pears to soften and ripen indoors at a temperature of 65-
70° F (18-21° C).

Check the neck for ripeness. To do this, apply gentle pressure
to the stem end of the pear with your thumb. When it yields to
the pressure, it's ready to eat (this process usually takes a few
days depending upon the variety, some may take a few
weeks).

For storage, keep fruit at a high humidity and near freezing.
The length of storage varies with each different cultivar.

Pepper Begin harvesting when peppers reach a usable size. Steady
harvesting after that will keep plants producing new fruits.

Most peppers can be eaten when they are green and
underripe, although the flavor and vitamin C content improves
as they ripen on the plant.