Whether you’re interested in saving money or want more healthy options at your fingertips, planting a garden is a great move. Anyone can learn; knowing how and when to harvest your crop are important keys. Follow these tips to get the most out of the seeds you’ve sown:

• Let tomatoes linger on the vine until their full color comes in. If needed, you can pick large green tomatoes before the frost and allow them to ripen in a warm space.

• Carrots and beets can typically ride out a light frost before needing to be plucked. Once they crown at the soil line, it’s up to you to decide if the width meets your preference.

• Snap asparagus off at the base once spears are roughly the width of your pinky finger or 6-8 inches long.

• Look at the outer-leaf length of leafy plants to determine if they’re mature — such as 8-10 inches for chard or 4-6 inches for spinach and lettuce.

Get more harvesting tips by visiting extension.missouri.edu.