Corn, Melons, and Okra

If you grow newer corn hybrids, they'll hold their flavor for a week or maybe more. But regardless of the type, it's best to wait until the silks at the ear tips turn brown. Feel the ears and make sure they're full and solid.

Test Garden Tip: If you're not sure, peel back the suck and pierce a kernel with your fingernail. If the juice looks milky, your corn is ready. If the juice is clear, give the corn a little more time.

Tips for Growing Corn

 

Watch for cantaloupes to be ripe when they bear a yellowish color on the bottom of the fruit. Look for a brown line around where the stem attaches to the fruit. For watermelons, the best indicators are that the curly tendrils closest to the fruit turn brown and dry, the fruit goes from shiny to dull, and when the bottom of the watermelon (where it sits on the soil) goes from light green to yellowish.

Tips for Growing Melons

 

Okra matures fast -- harvest the pods about four days after the flowers close. Pick the pods before they become tough; this is usually when they're about 4 inches long.

Test Garden Tip: Cut off any old, over-mature pods. If you leave them on, your okra won't continue to produce as well.

Tips for Growing Okra