The Joy of Your First Harvest: Small Wins, Big Flavour
There’s something deeply satisfying about walking through the garden and realizing — it’s time. A handful of peas, a sprig of dill, a single strawberry warmed by the sun. It might not look like much in a basket, but that first harvest? It’s gold.
For gardeners — whether you’ve planted a full plot or just a few pots by the back step — those early harvests are a moment of quiet victory. You’ve watched over seedlings, weathered wind and cold snaps, and now the garden is giving something back.
Here’s how to make the most of those first pickings — and keep your plants growing strong all season.
1. Harvest Early & Often
This is one of the best-kept secrets of a thriving garden: many plants actually grow better when you harvest frequently. Lettuce, spinach, kale, and most herbs (like basil and cilantro) love a good trim.
By snipping the outer leaves or top stems regularly, you’re encouraging new growth from the center. It keeps leafy greens tender and herbs from bolting too early.
Heidi’s Tip: Use clean scissors or pinch with your fingers just above a leaf node — that’s where the plant will push out new growth.
2. Small Doesn’t Mean Less
A homegrown cucumber might not look like the ones in the grocery store — and that’s a good thing. Flavour often peaks before size does. A baby zucchini picked young is buttery-soft and perfect on the grill. One sprig of fresh thyme has more fragrance than a whole bottle of dried.
So don’t wait until everything is “store-sized.” Taste now, and often.
Zucchini PSA: Check your plants daily — or you’ll end up with one the size of a canoe. You’ve been warned. 😉
3. Simple Ways to Enjoy Your Early Harvest
Not sure what to do with a small handful of this or that? Here are a few quick ideas straight from my own kitchen this week:
Toss basil or dill into butter and spread it on grilled corn
Add spinach to scrambled eggs or breakfast wraps
Muddle mint into lemonade (or a mojito, if you’re celebrating)
Layer sliced radishes or cucumbers on toast with a little cream cheese
Snack on peas right in the garden — no plate required
4. It’s Not Just Food — It’s Encouragement
Each harvest, no matter how small, is a sign that your efforts are working. You showed up, watered, weeded, hoped — and now the garden is answering back. That little strawberry isn't just fruit. It's feedback. It says: Keep going. You're doing great.
I hope your garden is starting to offer a few small surprises, too.
And if it hasn’t yet — hang in there. Your moment is coming.
Happy picking,
Heidi