Harvest may begin about 70 days after seeding. Successive harvests of the tips are made from a single planting. At each harvest, about 3 inches of the tip of a branch are cut or pinched off. This results in more branching and more new, succulent growth. The thick leaves as well as the tender stems are cooked.
Harvesting continues throughout the summer and until the first fall frost.
Insects and diseases Green leafy vegetables have few insect or disease problems. Good sanitation and replanting when plants are too thin are two ways to avoid loss to insects and disease. Aphids You may find colonies of aphids on green leafy vegetables. These tiny insects will be grouped on plants and not generally throughout the row. Washing them off or hand-squashing and washing is usually adequate.