CHART • Post-Harvest Handling & Storage of Summer Produce

Once harvested, crops can quickly deteriorate in the summer heat. Whether you bring your vegetables to your own table or to market, you'll want to cool and store them quickly so they retain their appearance, flavor, and nutrient profile. Use this chart as a quick reference to cooling methods, temperature ranges, relative humidity, and approximate length of time vegetables can be held.

Note that these figures are approximate, and the methods are simply those in general common use in the US during warmer months of the year. There is no single right way to handle the harvest of a particular crop, so you will want to adjust your practices to the conditions at hand. The many variables to consider include quantity, size, and maturity of crop; the scale of your operation; time, labor, and equipment resources; microclimate; conditions at harvest and time of day; whether or not you plan to transport your produce; and how long you expect the particular crop will be stored before it is enjoyed.

Also keep in mind that just as the sun, wind, and heat of the field or greenhouse can quickly damage a fresh crop, so, too, can chilling injury occur at temperatures below optimum storage temperatures — even, in some cases, 10–20°F above freezing. Furthermore, both heat damage and chilling damage are cumulative.