Watermelon is a popular melon that can be grown in any garden, as long as you have adequate space and sunlight. One tricky aspect of growing watermelon is knowing when the mature melons are ripe enough. It's important to pick them at the peak of ripeness because, like other melons, they don't continue to ripen off the vine. We're sharing 10 telltale signs to look out for when your watermelon is all ripe and ready to harvest. Weight If the watermelon feels dense and heavy for its size, this can be a good indicator of ripeness. The heavier the melon, the more juice has formed inside. But if you're not sure how heavy a watermelon should be, find two melons of approximately the same size and weigh both in your hands. You can practice this technique in the grocery store, too, to get a feel for how dense and heavy a ripe melon should feel. The Stem Is Mostly Brown If the watermelon stem has turned brown or is more brown than green in color, this is also a potential sign of ripeness. This indicates more energy from the vine has gone into the melon. Dried Out Tendrils The tendril is the curly section of the stem opposite where the watermelon is attached to the vine. Once the tendril turns brown and dry, the watermelon is ready to harvest The Ground Spot Is Yellow The ground spot (also sometimes called the "field spot" or the "belly spot") is usually a small round area on the watermelon where it has been lying in contact with the ground. Once this spot turns yellow, it's a sign the melon has ripened while still on the vine. Don't pick the melon if this spot is still white. If your watermelon doesn't have a ground spot, use some of the other signs to determine its ripeness. Note: this method won't work for miniature watermelons that are grown vertically on a fence or trellis. Smooth But Dull Skin Surface The surface of the watermelon skin should be dull and not shiny. A shiny rind or skin is still too immature to be harvested. The skin should also be free of cuts or bruises. Blossom End Firmness The blossom end of the watermelon is the one opposite the stem. Press gently on this spot; if it's mushy, the melon is overripe. If it's solid, the melon is underripe. If it presses in slightly, the melon is ripe for harvest. Smell A ripe watermelon will have a sweet but not overpowering smell when you sniff the blossom end. If the smell is overly sweet, rich, or cloying, the melon may be overripe. Vibrant Color Your watermelon may have any number of color characteristics depending on the variety; some melons are solid color and some have stripes. Look for a photo online of the variety to get a sense of how deeply colored a ripe one is (often a seed packet will have a photo of a ripe melon also). Wait until the melon reaches a vibrant color before harvesting. Even a watermelon that tends to be a paler green will reach a richer color as it gets ripe, so this is a sign along with the others listed to help you determine ripeness. Uniformity of Shape Different varieties of watermelon have different shapes: some are round, while some or more oval. You want to aim for a uniform shape with no unusual lumps or flat spots. Hollow Interior Sound Thump gently on the surface of the watermelon with your knuckles. A hollow, crisp, and resonating sound is a sign the watermelon is ripe. You will also feel a slight vibration. If the sound is dull and not resonant, the melon is not ready for harvest yet. How to Harvest When you've determined your watermelon is ripe enough to harvest, follow these techniques to do it properly. Cut It Off Cut the melon from the vine with a sharp knife or pruning shears. The watermelon may not pull loose on its own. Clean It Down Gently clean the melon with a soft cloth and mildly soapy water and rinse thoroughly. This is to remove any potentially harmful bacteria (that might be in the soil or left behind by garden wildlife) that might transfer from the skin into the fruit when you carve into it. Store Properly Store your watermelon at a temperature of between 50-60F. If stored at temperatures above 75F, the shelf life is only about 5 days. It's best to eat your watermelon as soon as possible after picking it. If you have any leftover cut portions, place them in the refrigerator.

Dill plants benefit from repeat harvests, regenerating new growth for fuller, bushier plants. Start harvesting when plants are 5 to 6 inches tall with four or five sets of fronds. Harvest dill seeds for pickling when they are bright green. Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a full-flavored, annual herb that completes its life cycle in one season. Harvesting equates to pruning, which means more growth and a full, bushy habit. Done correctly, you'll enjoy dill for fresh use throughout the growing season. Leaves, flowers, and seeds are all edible. Find out how and when to harvest each part of the plant, along with tips for preserving and storing dill for use over winter. When to Harvest Dill Start harvesting dill fronds when plants reach 5 to 6 inches tall with four or five leaf-bearing stems. This herb grows rapidly, so you can start snipping fairly early in the growing season. For best flavor and moisture content, plan your trip to the herb garden in mid-morning, just after dew has dried but before the heat of the day sets in. Repeat harvests generate new growth to extend the plant's life cycle. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! How to Harvest Dill Dill features upright, branching growth with delicate, alternate, fern-like leaves or fronds. Harvested correctly, plants regenerate, putting out more stems and leaves. Use a small snipper to avoid bruising or stripping stems. Here's what to do. Select a plant with four or five fronds, Use your snipper to make a sharp cut across the leaf stem just above the growth point on the main stem. Look for tips of new fronds starting to emerge along a central stem to locate the right spot. Continue harvesting additional leaves and stems with this method, but remove no more than one-third of the leaves at each cutting. The first few harvests will be small, but the amounts increase as the dill plant puts out new growth. Dill flowers and seeds Depending on the variety, dill generates flowers between 45 and 70 days. Once flowers appear, plants cease to put out green growth, signaling the end of the annual life cycle. Hot, dry weather stimulates early flowering, so gardeners in these climates should succession plant for better harvests. How to Harvest Dill Seeds Once flowers open, flavor concentrates at the top of the stems. Seeds form one to two weeks after flowers appear. For pickling use, harvest heads when seeds are bright green. Yellow seeds aren't quite ready, while brown or black seeds indicate flavor and moisture loss. Cut stems just below the heads and store them whole in plastic bags in the refrigerator or freezer. Fresh dill seeds retain the best flavor for pickling. To harvest seeds for saving, wait until they turn brown or black on the plant. Cut stems just below the heads, tie them together, and place or hang them upside down in a paper bag. Once they're completely dry, shake the bag to separate seeds and stems. Harvest leaves with flower heads After dill flowers, leafy growth ceases so this is a good time to harvest most of the remaining usable leaves on your plant. Tips for Storing Dill Freezing fresh dill is often recommended as a better method for storing, however, it depends on your taste and preference. Freezing preserves color and holds flavor longer. Drying initially concentrates on a spicier flavor with less green taste. Wash dill, run it through a salad spinner, and allow it to dry before storing. Wrap clean, fresh dill stems in a moist paper towel or place leaves in a plastic bag. Keep them in the refrigerator crisper drawer for up to two weeks. Leaves can be dried in a low oven or dehydrator. Or tie several stems together and hang them in a dry location out of direct sunlight. Store fresh leaves and seeds for pickling in plastic bags in the freezer for up to 12 months. Expect some flavor loss after six months. Store dried leaves and saved seeds in glass bottles or jars in a cool, dark cupboard. Seeds remain viable for three to five years. Dried leaves lose their green flavor initially, but can be kept for several years.

We all know it's important to eat your vegetables, and dark leafy bitter greens are a great addition to any diet. They are a great source of fiber, rich in vitamins K and C, provide iron, calcium, folate, and carotenoids, and act as antioxidants to help remove free radicals from the body. In addition to their nutritional benefits, bitter greens are easy to grow in the winter, and tastier for it; cold temperatures break down starches into simple sugars, producing a milder, sweeter taste more palatable for even the pickiest of eaters. Do Brassicas Actually Get Sweeter After a Frost? University of Tennessee. Learn more about the 5 easiest bitter greens to grow in a patio container or your garden this winter. Spinach Spinach plants (Spinacia oleracea) prefer cooler weather and will produce new tender growth if harvested regularly. In the fall, wait until the soil temperature has dropped below 70°F for good seed germination and sow in a nutrient-rich, loamy soil. You can also purchase seedlings for a quicker harvest. Harvesting of leaves that are between three and six inches long can begin about 37 to 45 days after planting. Start by picking the outer leaves and then harvest the newer leaves as they reach the desired size. "A 3-inch high raised bed with good drainage will reduce the problem of damping off in young seedlings," says Clemson University fruit and vegetable research associate Justin Ballew. Kale Kale (Brassica oleracea) is one of the most popular greens to grow in winter because there are so many varieties. You can grow kale from seed or transplants for an earlier harvest. The best soil temperature for planting kale is 60°F to 65°F and every variety will have a sweeter taste if it is harvested after the first frost. Cabbage Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is a cool-weather crop that forms a tight center head of the most tender leaves. While it can be grown from seed, cabbage seedling transplants will bring an earlier harvest. Cabbage grows best at around 60°F to 65°F but can tolerate temperatures down to 20°F. Plant spacing will affect how large the head forms so each plant should be at least 12 inches apart. Cabbage plants prefer evenly moist, well-draining soil throughout their growing time. Cabbage requires about 70 days to mature from the time of planting. Once the heads are firm to the touch, they are ready to be harvested. Collards Collards (Brassica oleracea var. viridis) are considered a delicacy in the southern U.S. when at their best in the winter after the first frost. The new, tender collard leaves can be eaten raw but larger leaves must have the center stem removed and then cooked for the best flavor. Collard plants grow with a center stalk and the leaves should be harvested from the bottom of the plant. Pick only a few leaves from each plant so the plant will continue to grow upward producing more leaves. Ballew says that collard microgreens will be ready to harvest 10 to 15 days after seeding with the plant reaching full maturity in 60 to 80 days depending on the cultivar. Mustard Mustard greens (Brassica juncea) are grown for their spicy leaves and seeds. Some varieties are grown for their seeds used to flavor brown mustard. If you're looking for bitter greens, these cultivars are exceptionally tender and flavorful: ‘Carolina Broadleaf’: tender, lightly ruffled, light green leaves ‘Red Giant’: large, maroon-tinged leaves ‘Savannah’: a milder, hybrid mustard with smooth, rounded leaves Mustards reach maturity between 25 to 50 days from sowing, depending on the cultivar. Regular harvesting will help the plants continue to produce tender leaves. As warmer temperatures arrive, the plants will bolt and should be removed from the garden. Why Grow Bitter Greens in Winter? Bitter greens are a cool-season crop that should be planted outdoors in very early spring or late autumn. These plants can withstand freezing temperatures, and will not thrive in the heat and high humidity of summer. Even if you can keep the plants alive during the summer, they will not be as tasty as those grown in winter. Periods of cold temperatures break down the starches in the leaves into simple sugars producing a milder, sweeter taste.2 If you have enjoyed the rewards of gardening during the summer, planting bitter greens in the fall will provide nutritious, fresh produce throughout the winter.