Your feline friends are an important part of your family, so why not feed them like your family too? Buying the correct type of food can lead to a longer, happier, and healthier life for your cat. To help with your complete cat food buying guide, we’ve put together some key details below to keep in mind!
Life Stages
Kittens and adult cats have very different nutritional needs. Look for life stage descriptions when reading labels. If the label says “complete and balanced for all stages of life,” that particular food is safe for a kitten and adult cat. You’ll also find cat food designed only for “adult maintenance,” which is meant only for adult or senior cats. Kitten food will be made for “growth and reproduction” as it generally has more protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. The higher amount of nutrients helps with proper growth and a healthy weight.
Ingredients
When buying cat food, it’s important to read through the ingredients. Protein, such as chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, etc., should be within the top three ingredients, as they are listed in order by weight. Cats get their nutritional requirements from meat sources, so their diet must be meat-based. Flavour is also an essential factor. Look for food with specific proteins listed, such as beef or chicken, over generic terms like “meat-flavoured,” as cats aren’t fond of plant-based flavours and thrive on a diet consisting primarily of meat. When choosing the “right” flavour for your cat, chicken is the most popular choice as it is incredibly gentle on a cat’s digestive tract and is often enhanced with essential nutrients that improve their health. Another option is turkey. Like chicken, turkey-flavoured cat food is also easily digested. Every flavour comes with its own set of benefits; for example, fish-flavoured food should contain a healthy dose of Omega 3s.
Whether you should choose grain-free food for your cat is debatable. Grains contain carbohydrates, which your cat can use as an energy source. If you do choose to feed your cat grain-free due to allergies, their food can still be full of other carbohydrates, such as potatoes, for an extra energy source.
Specialty Food
There are many different cat food options available that help with health conditions. Premium cat food companies, such as Hills Science Diet and Royal Canin, have created specialty formulas that help cats battle mild health conditions, including urinary care, hairballs, sensitive stomach, and weight control. Consult with your veterinarian before putting your cat on a regimen of these kinds of cat food.
Dry Food vs. Canned Wet Food
When it comes to types of cat food, you have two options: wet and dry. Wet food is recommended for felines who show a lack of interest in drinking directly from the bowl. However, too much wet food intake can cause them to gain excess bulk, resulting in various health complications. On the other hand, dry food improves oral hygiene and costs less than its wet counterpart. Both dry and wet cat food have pros and cons.
Dry Cat Food:
Pros
- Less expensive
- Can be left out all-day
Cons
- Less moisture
- Less protein
- More carbs
Wet Cat Food:
Pros
- High moisture content
- More Protein
- Fewer carbs
Cons
- Easily spoils if left out
- More expensive
We recommend feeding your feline a combination of dry and wet food—dry food to keep costs down and wet supplies to help increase palatability. Mixed feeding is also beneficial because it’ll prevent your cat from developing a strict taste for a specific diet.
You now know what to look for when buying cat food. The next step is to work with your veterinarian to ensure the food you plan to purchase is appropriate for your cat’s needs. Cats’ dietary needs can vary depending on breed, life stage, and medical history.
Stop by your local Feeds’n Needs to find a wide range of different cat food brands and formulas! Our experts are here to help answer any questions you may have.
For more information on your cat’s health, check out our other blogs!
Pet Obesity Awareness
Benefits of a Raw Diet
Hidden Sugars in Dog Food
How Hidden Sugar in Your Dog’s Food Can Affect Their Health
Did you know that there is a hidden ingredient in most processed dog foods that can seriously affect their health? That’s right, your dog may be consuming large amounts of sugar and starch without you even realizing it! In this blog, we will uncover the truth about hidden sugar in dog food and its impact on pet’s health.
The Role of Starch in Processed Dog Foods
According to AAFCO (Association of Food Control Officials), there is no minimum amount of carbohydrates required for dog food, and this is because they are not required for your dog’s health. So, if this is the case, why would pet food companies still put starch in their processed kibble? The answer is simple – it’s necessary for the process used to produce the kibble. When exposed to heat and moisture, starch gelatinizes and helps to bind the food together when it’s made into its final form.
The Hidden Ingredient – Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are sugar molecules that come in the form of sugars (simple carbohydrates), starch, and fibre. When carbohydrates are eaten, the digestive system breaks them down into glucose. Glucose is sugar in the blood which the body can use for energy.
Understanding The Glycemic Load
The glycemic load of food refers to how much that food will raise blood sugar levels after it is eaten. When the glycemic load of food is high, it can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, which triggers the production of insulin in the pancreas. Insulin is produced to move sugar from the blood into cells, which lowers blood glucose levels. The speed at which food is digested can impact how quickly blood glucose levels spike, triggering insulin production. It’s worth noting that carbohydrates may be digested slower if the food is high in protein and fat, meaning that blood sugar won’t rapidly spike, and insulin won’t be produced.
The Impact of a High Glycemic Load
Insulin Spikes & Obesity – As we previously discussed, when your pet eats food with a high glycemic load, it can cause a rapid spike in blood glucose levels, leading to insulin production. Insulin works to lower blood glucose levels by moving sugar from the blood and into the cells of the body, where it can be used for energy or stored as fat to be used later. Over time, eating high glycemic foods can increase blood glucose levels to be higher than your dog needs for energy, and will end up being stored as fat that is never used. This can lead to obesity and, in severe cases, can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes.
Gut Health – Harmful bacteria thrive on sugar, so when your dog eats a high-carbohydrate diet, these harmful bacteria can start to outnumber the good bacteria. This imbalance of bacteria can lead to many issues like leaky gut syndrome, autoimmune diseases, and malnutrition. Since the good bacteria in your dog’s body are responsible for making many vitamins and minerals in the intestines, when harmful bacteria outnumber the good, it can cause malnutrition, despite your dog eating a healthy amount of food in a day.
Yeast Infections – Yeast, a type of fungus, also thrives on sugar, so when your dog eats a high-carb diet causing an imbalance of bacteria, it can cause the yeast to colonize and grow out of control. This overgrowth of yeast can lead to infections which can be either local (present in one area of the body), or systemic (spread throughout the body). These yeast infections are commonly misdiagnosed as allergies or food sensitivities.
How to Calculate the Glycemic Load of Dog Food
Since carbohydrate content isn’t required to be listed on dog food packaging, how do you figure out how much is in the food? Calculating the glycemic load of a food is simple. Just look at the guaranteed analysis on the bag and add the total percentage of fat, moisture, protein, and ash (Ash is usually between 5-8%; use 7% if not listed). Once you’ve added these numbers, subtract that total from 100%.
- Ex: 11% fat + 12% moisture + 35% protein + 7% ash = 65
Now calculate 100 – 65 = Glycemic load of 35%
Glycemic Load Levels:
High – 20+ glycemic load
Medium – 11-19 glycemic load
Low – 0-10 glycemic load
How Can You Find a Low-Glycemic Dog Food?
Since carbohydrates are necessary for dry kibble production, finding one with a low glycemic load can be difficult. An excellent choice for the lowest possible GL would be to feed a raw diet as they don’t require any starch for production. Feeds’n Needs is proud to offer Big Country Raw pet food at all our retail locations. Another option is to choose a food high in protein and fat, such as Acana or Orijen pet foods. The high amount of protein helps prevent your dog’s blood glucose and insulin levels from spiking. Choosing a food with the lowest possible glycemic load can prevent many potential health concerns, so it’s worth taking the extra time to calculate the percentage when looking into a new food for your dog.
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You now have a better understanding of the complexity of hidden sugars in dog food. Having this knowledge is critical to making informed decisions when it comes to choosing a food that is best for your pet and their health. Stop by your local Feeds’n Needs to chat with one of our experts about our different food options and let us help you choose the perfect one for your canine companion!
Eager to learn more about pet health and nutrition? Check out these blogs!
Benefits of a Raw Diet
Pet Obesity Awareness
Pet Seasonal Allergies
Sources:
Healthy Foods for Diabetic Dogs | Dogabetix
Do Dogs Need Carbs? | Dog Food Advisor
Hidden Sugars in Dog Food: The Silent Health Threat – Human & Pets (humanandpets.com)
Is The Sugar in Your Dogs Food Slowly Killing Them? (acabonacfarms.com)
How Hidden Sugars In Your Dog’s Food Are Making Them Sick (theluckypup.com)
Low-Glycemic Dog Food by Canine Nutritionist | The Canine Nutritionist
Importance of Fiber in a Horses Diet
Why is Fiber Important in a Horse’s Diet
Fiber is one of the most important components of a horse’s diet, and as an equine owner, it is essential to understand why. Let’s take a look at why it is important and what can happen if your horse isn’t getting enough fiber in their diet:
Why Do Horses Need Fiber – Fiber provides up to 70% of a horse’s energy needs while maintaining gut health and encouraging natural grazing behaviors.
Daily Fiber Requirements – While no daily fiber requirement has been established for horses, nutritionists recommend feeding a minimum of 1.5% of your horse’s body weight in dry forage to maximize their fiber intake.
Different Types of Fiber – There are many different types of fiber in the equine diet, each with varying nutritional profiles and degrees of hindgut fermentation. These include lignin, pectins, gums, cellulose and hemicellulose.
Sources of Fiber – Horses mainly get their daily fiber requirements from forages like hay and pasture grass; however, fiber can also be obtained from processed forage products like beet pulp and soybean hulls.
Fiber Deficiency in Horses – A horse’s gastrointestinal tract is a huge, complex organ. Insufficient fiber intake can lead to severe issues such as hindgut acidosis, gastric ulcers, dehydration, colic, stereotypic behaviours, etc.
As fellow animal lovers, we know that your horse’s health and well-being are top priorities, which is why we are committed to providing our customers with the best quality feed and forage products. Stop by your local Feeds‘n Needs to check out our line of premium horse feeds and accessories; your horse will thank you!
Check out our other horse-related blogs here:
Maintaining Your Horses Health
Deworming Your Horse
Horses Hoof and Skin Health
Fall Wild Bird Feeding
As cool, crisp temperatures slowly return, you might notice increased activity at your seed feeders. This is the perfect time to let your winter birds know your yard is their go-to spot! How do you adjust your bird-feeding routine for the season? We have some fall feeding tips to keep your local birds happy and healthy throughout the season.
What’s the Best Food for Fall Bird Feeding?
While many feeder birds will gravitate to a variety of food in the wild, once cool weather hits, those same birds will start looking for food that’s easy to get and packed with energy.
Select the Right Seeds: Many seed types are available for your bird feeders. The best fall-feeding options are those with a lot of protein, such as sunflower seeds, Nyjer seeds, peanuts, and safflower seeds. If you buy mixed seeds, look for those with high percentages of sunflower seeds, nuts, and safflower seeds inside. These seeds will give birds a high-quality source of sustained energy to withstand cooler weather or to help fly long distances.
Suet Cakes Deliver: With the right bird feeder, suet can be a valuable addition to your autumn bird-feeding efforts. Birds can pick it apart to build up their own fat reserves. While many suet cakes can spoil in warm weather, they’re perfect for fall and winter feeding.
Keep Feeders Full and the Birdbath Warm
Did you know that birds that don’t migrate during the winter assess and re-assess their fall and winter options all summer? They take note of where full feeders are for cold winter nights. Set up your feeders in a safe location and keep them full so those birds recognize your yard as a reliable source of food. Birds will remember and avoid returning if you leave a feeder empty for over a few days. When winter hits, they’ll fly right by your yard, looking for cold-weather fuel elsewhere.
Birds also need water to drink and bathe in all seasons. If you add a water feature like a birdbath to your yard, it will become even more attractive to birds. Fresh, clean water is a must, so the water needs to be changed every couple of days. If your fall weather is cold enough, consider switching to a heated birdbath to keep the water from freezing.
Watch Out for Squirrels
Autumn is a foraging time for squirrels. You can prevent access to your feeder by using a squirrel-proof bird feeder. You can also distract them with their own food. Set up a squirrel feeder far away from your bird feeder.
Want more wild bird-feeding tips? Expand your bird knowledge with our many bird blogs.
Keep Backyard Birds Healthy in Winter
How to Properly Store Bird Seed
Keep Feeding Areas Clean and Maintained
Best Winter Bird Feeders
Winter Backyard Bird Enthusiasts
Basic Guide to Gerbil Care
Gerbils are playful and curious little animals that are easy to care for and make great pets for children. In this blog, we will provide a basic guide to gerbil care, so you have all the information you need before bringing home your tiny new companion!
Things to Consider Before Getting a Pet Gerbil
- Gerbils are very social animals and should live in pairs of 2 or more. It’s best to get littermates or adopt young gerbils of similar ages so that they can grow up together. If you already have a gerbil or pair of adult gerbils, it can be challenging to introduce a new one as they are very territorial creatures and may fight each other.
- Gerbils can reproduce quickly, so it’s best to keep only same-sex pairs together in an enclosure.
- The lifespan of a gerbil is 2 – 4 years on average.
- Adult gerbils grow to 4 inches long, with their long hairy tails adding an additional 4 inches.
Housing
Gerbils are known for their love of digging and burrowing, and a great way to nurture these natural instincts is to house your gerbils in a large glass tank or aquarium with a secure wire lid. It is recommended that 5 gallons of space be provided per gerbil. An enclosure that is 16″ wide by 30″ long and 12″ tall is the minimum size needed for a pair of gerbils.
Wire cages will also work to house gerbils. However, because of their digging habits, they may end up kicking bedding through the metal bars, making a mess. Make sure to choose a wire cage with bars narrow enough that your gerbils can’t escape through them but not so close together that they could get body parts stuck between them.
Plastic cages are not recommended for gerbils as they are easily chewed and destroyed and don’t provide adequate ventilation.
Gerbils should also have a nest box in their enclosure where they can hide out and sleep. Nest boxes should be made of sturdy materials like wood or ceramic.
Bedding
Since they love to dig and burrow, fill your gerbil’s enclosure ¾ of the way full with bedding like small animal paper bedding or aspen shavings. Avoid using pine or cedar shavings, as well as bedding that has been chemically dyed, as these can be harmful to your gerbils.
You can also add additional nesting materials like dye and scent-free toilet paper, paper towels and tissues that your gerbils can shred and build nests with. Spot-clean any soiled bedding daily, and thoroughly clean the enclosure with mild soap and hot water once weekly. Pick up some Boxo comfort paper bedding and gerbil-safe aspen shavings at Feeds’n Needs!
Food & Water
The best way to provide your gerbils with a healthy, balanced diet is to offer them quality dry food formulated for gerbils. Follow the manufacturer’s recommended feeding guide to feed your gerbils a daily portion of food. Place their daily food allowance in a ceramic or metal bowl or scatter it around their enclosure to encourage their natural foraging instincts! Fresh fruits, veggies and seeds like peas, broccoli, apples and sunflower seeds can be given as treats in limited quantities. Remove any uneaten treats after a few hours to prevent spoilage.
Your gerbils should always have access to fresh water in a sipper bottle that attaches to the side of their enclosure. Refresh their water daily, and thoroughly clean their water bottle once weekly when you clean their enclosure.
Pick up a bag of quality gerbil food, like Sunburst hamster and gerbil food, at Feeds’n Needs. While you’re there, don’t forget to grab some gerbil treats and a drinking bottle, too!
Exercise & Enrichment
Gerbils are playful and active little animals, and they need lots of enriching toys and climbing materials to keep them happy and healthy. Since their teeth never stop growing, they should always have access to things to chew on, like wooden toys, toilet paper tubes and other safe materials to wear them down. Include lots of things for them to climb and play on in their enclosure, like ramps, ladders and platforms to keep them active. Exercise wheels are another great way to keep them active and fit; choose a wheel with a solid surface in which your gerbils won’t get their tail or other body parts stuck.
Visit your local Feeds’ n Needs and check out our small animal toys and enrichment accessories selection!
Grooming
Gerbils spend a great deal of time grooming themselves and often groom their cage mates. They do not need baths; however, if your gerbil gets something in its fur and needs to be cleaned, you can use a damp cloth to gently rub the area clean.
Health Concerns
Gerbils are generally healthy animals. However, there are a few common health issues that you should be aware of:
- Injuries like broken bones or injured tail
- Digestive diseases
- Skin issues
- Seizures
- Kidney disease in adult gerbils
- Inner ear mass in adult / elderly gerbils
If you suspect your gerbil may be in poor health, please get in touch with your small animal veterinarian.
Training
Gerbils are usually quite gentle, only biting on the rare occasion that they may feel threatened. Gerbils can be easily hand-tamed using positive reinforcement techniques, often involving many treats! When you first bring your gerbil home, allow them a couple of days to settle in before you begin training them.
Now that you’ve learned all the basics of owning and caring for pet gerbils, you should be ready to bring home your new furry friend! Make Feeds’n Needs your go-to stop for all your small animal needs, and be sure to ask one of our experts any questions you may have!
If you love to learn, check out our blog. We are always adding more helpful advice, such as how-tos and DIYs: feedsnneeds.ca/experts-advice/
Basics of Home Canning for Beginners
Canning is a great way to preserve the fruits and vegetables you worked so hard to grow all summer long from your Vesey’s seeds you bought at Feeds’n Needs! It offers a great way to stock your pantry for the fall and winter or to give delicious homemade gifts. Learn all about canning with our guide to basics of home canning for beginners!
What is Canning?
Home canning is a simple procedure of applying heat to food in a closed jar to prevent decay. By putting prepared food into home canning jars and sealing them with two-piece vacuum caps, you can eliminate exposure to air, which is one part of the decay process.
By heating the filled jars to the proper temperature, you eliminate another part: the spoilage microorganisms and inactive enzymes that break down food over time.
You’ll remove the rest of the air from the food and set the final seal by properly cooling the jars and allowing the lids to vent.
Ingredients
Use only the best, top-quality ingredients. Preserve fruits and vegetables at their peak ripeness. Ensure they are thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed to remove any excess dirt or chemicals.
When canning jams, canning jellies, and other high-acid foods like fruits, fruit juices, tomatoes with added acid, pickles, relishes, chutneys, sauces, vinegar, and other condiments, process them at 212°F. This means you can use a water bath canner for them. Water bath canning is a basic method that involves putting your jam or pickles in a sterilized canning jar. Put the jars into the pot and cover them with at least one to two inches of water. Bring them to a boil, up to 212°F (100°C) and keep the jars at the boil for a specified amount of time, depending on your recipe.
You can pickle all sorts of vegetables with the water bath method, but you need to use an approved recipe. Ensure that the acid you use (like vinegar, citric acid, or lemon juice) reduces the pH to a safe level for whatever food you pickle.
Recipes and Instructions
Follow only current and tested home canning recipes that include the appropriate processing method for the canned food type. Also, follow the canning jar manufacturer’s directions for preparing home canning jars and two-piece vacuum caps.
How to Can
After following the processing directions in the recipe, fill the hot jar with the processed food, leaving the recommended headspace.
Remove air bubbles by sliding a non-metallic spatula between the jar and the food. Then, press gently on the food to release the trapped air. Repeat around the circumference of the jar.
Wipe the rim and threads of the canning jars with a clean, damp cloth. Center the heated lid on the jar. Screw the band down evenly and firmly until you meet resistance (fingertip tight).
After processing, remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter and set them upright on a towel to cool. Never re-tighten the bands or check the lids for a seal while the jars are still hot.
After 24 hours, check the lids for a seal. Sealed lids curve downward. Press the center of the lid to ensure it does not flex up or down. Reprocess or refrigerate any unsealed jars.
Remove the bands from the sealed jars. Wipe the jars with a clean, damp cloth and dry them off. Wash the bands in soapy water, dry them, and store them away.
Storage
Label and store your jars in a cool, dry, dark place.
Now that you have home canning basics down start with a small project! It will be as fresh and delicious as the day you canned it. For the best quality, use home canned foods within one year.
Natural Goat Treat Recipes
Goats make an excellent addition to your farm. A great way to bond with your goats and thank them for their contribution is by giving them treats! Try out these easy DIY natural goat treat recipes – Your goats will thank you later!
Goat “Jerky” Treats
The first treat recipe is from The Giving Goat Blog, a healthy treat full of natural supplements that your goats will love! These treats can be made using a dehydrator or baked in the oven.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ¼ cup of flaxseed meal
- 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
- 2 tablespoons of raw organic honey
- 4 tablespoons of water
- A few sprigs of thyme
DIRECTIONS:
- Mix ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Line a dehydrator rack (if dehydrating) or baking sheet (if baking in oven) with parchment paper.
- Spread the dough onto the parchment paper no more than ¼” thick and place in the dehydrator or oven.
- IF DEHYDRATING – Dehydrate treats at 135 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 hours or until the desired texture is reached.
- IF BAKING – Bake in the oven at the lowest temperature setting until the desired texture is reached.
“Goatmeal” Cookies
This next recipe was created by Sarita Harbour from the blog An Off Grid Life. It makes oatmeal cookies that your goats, chickens, and other farm animals will love!
INGREDIENTS:
- ¾ cups of granulated sugar
- ½ cup of flaxseed
- 2 cups of quick-cooking oats
- 2 cups of sifted flour
- 1/ cup of vegetable shortening coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda
- 1 egg
- ½ cup of molasses
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix ingredients together thoroughly in a large bowl using a rubber spatula.
- Scoop small portions of the dough and roll them into balls.
- Place your dough balls on the baking sheet and press them down gently with your fingers or a fork.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.
- Once cooked, take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool completely before putting them in an airtight container.
Peanut Butter Goat Cookies
Our last recipe for you is created by Karissima Walker from the Gifts From Goats blog. These peanut butter cookies combine delicious ingredients your goats are sure to love!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup of quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup of flour (whole wheat or rye)
- 1 cup of sunflower hearts or other seeds
- ½ cup of peanut butter
- ¼ cup of molasses
- ¼ cup of water (adjust to get desired consistency)
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix your dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Now add your peanut butter and molasses.
- Add water to the mixture until the batter is a crumbly paste-like consistency.
- Portion small amounts of dough and roll into balls.
- Place dough balls onto the baking sheet and gently flatten them with a fork or your fingers.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
- Once cooked, allow the cookies to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
At Feeds‘n Needs, we know that your animals deserve the best, and we’re sure they will love these homemade treats!
Visit our blog section and explore more posts about animal health, advice, DIY’s and more: feedsnneeds.ca/experts-advice/
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Recipe
A perfect recipe for beginners!
You’ll be spoiled for life once you try this fabulous Strawberry Rhubarb Jam! You can enjoy it on toast, biscuits, scones, ice cream, yogurt… It will be a hit with all your friends and family.
If you’ve never made jam before, this Strawberry Rhubarb Jam is the best place to start. It’s super easy and doesn’t require any canning knowledge. Check out our recipe below:
Ingredients:
5 – 7 cups Rhubarb
1 – 2 cups Strawberries
½ cup Honey
1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
2 packages of Strawberry Jello
1 cup Water (optional)
Finely chop fruit. Add honey and sugar. Leave in the fridge overnight. Boil on the stove with packages of Jello and water for 20 minutes, until thick.
Place in jars. Cool. Freeze. When using, keep refrigerated for up to 6 weeks.
Tips:
Adjust the sugar amount to taste if you like your jam to be sweet or if you like it to be more tart. Optionally, use 1 cup of water for a smoother spreading jam.
Guide to Harvesting Your Vegetable Garden
You took the time to make a garden plan, invest in quality seeds, nurture seedlings indoors, and carefully tend each plant. Now, the question is, when should you harvest your vegetable garden?
Seed packets and plant tags for transplants typically offer guidelines on growing times and maturity. They also list the number of days before maturity. However, those projections are not always a reliable indicator of vegetable maturity and ripeness. A chilly spring can delay ripening, whereas warmer-than-normal weather might hasten ripening. Soil fertility, lack of precipitation, or too much precipitation may also affect maturity. While days to maturity provide a baseline, gauging peak ripeness often requires hands-on assessment.
Best Practices for Harvesting
Timing: For most vegetables, the ideal time to harvest is in the morning, after the dew has dried but before the sun warms the plants. This timing preserves water content, ensuring leafy greens, beans, cucumbers, and squash are at their crispest. However, there are a few exceptions (such as tomatoes and peppers) when a lower water content is preferable. For these types of vegetables, it’s good to wait until there have been a few dry days and then pick them in the heat of the day, allowing the sugar content to be at its highest concentration, yielding optimum flavor.
Handling: To minimize plant damage and disease, gently harvest vegetables by twisting or cutting them off with clean tools like knives or scissors. Avoid stepping on plants, as healthy stems and foliage are crucial for sustained production.
Frequency: Regular harvesting encourages continuous production. Plants naturally cease fruiting once seeds reach maturity, underscoring the importance of consistent harvests to prolong yield.
Tips for Effective Harvesting
Flavor and Nutrition: Vegetables such as beans, peas, and summer squash are tastiest when young and tender. In contrast, tomatoes and winter squash develop full flavor when left to ripen fully on the vine.
Size Matters: While size often indicates maturity (consult seed packet specifics), practice and experience refine judgment on optimal harvest times for various vegetables.
Tool Selection: Use appropriate tools—like scissors for delicate crops and knives or pruners for tougher stems—to avoid plant damage and ensure clean cuts.
Environmental Considerations: Harvest early in the day for peak flavor and nutrition retention. Avoid harvesting during wet conditions to prevent disease spread and maintain vegetable quality.
Leafy Greens: Begin harvesting outer leaves first to promote continued growth of inner foliage in lettuces and similar plants.
By following these guidelines, you’ll maximize the flavor, nutrition, and longevity of your garden’s bounty, ensuring a rewarding harvest season. Happy harvesting!
Fore more garden related information, check out our other blogs:
What Type of Garden Best Suits Your Needs
Gardening Tips for Beginners
How to Successfully Grow a Vegetable Garden
Starting Seeds Indoors Using Peat Pellets
How to Grow a Salsa Garden
If you’re a fan of fresh, homemade salsa, then this is the perfect summer project for you! Planting your own salsa garden is not only beginner-friendly, but it’s also a source of immense satisfaction. Follow these simple instructions and you’ll soon be enjoying delicious, fresh salsa made from ingredients you’ve grown yourself.
Step 1: Select an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight daily. A 4×4-foot raised bed or square-foot garden will grow plenty of ingredients for fresh salsa. If you are starting with a new bed, starting small (4×4) will give you a good idea of how much produce you actually use. You can change your garden plan accordingly for the following year. Your salsa garden can be in-ground, in a raised bed, or grown in containers.
Step 2: The next step is deciding what you want to put into your salsa. The basic ingredients are tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onions, and cilantro. Feel free to experiment with other vegetables, such as hot peppers and corn. Feeds’n Needs has a large selection of Vesey’s Seeds to choose from.
Step 3: Follow the growing steps on the back of your seed packages for the best results. If you’re planting from seed, the rule of thumb is to bury the seeds 2-3 times the debit of their diameter.
Step 4: If you’re starting with plants that you started indoors, bury them as deep as they are planted in their original container.
Step 5: Water, weed, fertilize, and harvest weekly throughout the growing season. Enjoy the abundance of fresh veggies and herbs and create a personalized salsa based on your taste buds!
