LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- You've done the hard work in the garden all summer long — from planting, to watering and fertilizing, so don’t let it go to waste.

“When you're harvesting, you want to make note when you plant, what actual varieties you're planting. Some fruits and vegetables will harvest at different times,” said Jeff Wallitsch, of Wallitsch Gardens.

Bell Peppers

  • Green bell peppers can be harvested when they’re about the size of your fist.
  • Yellow and red peppers need to stay on the vine longer in order for them to start changing color.
  • Home-grown peppers will typically be smaller.

“Sometimes you see those really big peppers in the store. A lot of those are greenhouse grown, so they have a really good environment to do that,” Wallitsch said.

Tomatoes

  • You can harvest them when they reach their final color, like red or orange.
  • Or you can harvest them when they're about 50% ripe.
  • Put them on your counter or a window sill to finish ripening.
  • Pulling them off the vine at 50% ripe can also help prevent them from cracking due to inconsistent watering.

Cucumbers

  • Harvest when they’re about 6-12 inches.
  • They’re ready to be picked when the skin is more smooth than it is prickly.

Zucchini

  • If you push your fingernail into the skin and it goes in, it’s ready to be picked.

Corn

  • Look for the husk starting to turn brown.

Onions

  • When the top falls over and it looks like it’s starting to die, pull it out.

Remember — your crops may have imperfections and that’s okay.

“They're not going to look perfect like they do at the grocery store, but they taste better,” said Wallitsh.

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