When you’re growing a vegetable to display in a fair or
other special occasion, timing
the crop for proper maturity is critical, says a University of
Georgia expert.

“Many vegetable crops don’t last long in the display,
especially in hot
weather,” says Wayne
McLaurin,
an Extension Service horticulturist with the UGA College of
Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences.

For crops that will mature ahead of time, McLaurin says,
pick them slightly immature.
And put them in good storage until a day or two before the
show. Then take them out to let
them ripen.

Some crops store well in a cool, dry place, such as a
basement. These include potatoes,
onions, winter squash, watermelons, pumpkins, dry beans and
cushaw pumpkins (sometimes
called crookneck squash).

Some Require
Refrigeration

The rest require some refrigeration and/or moisture to keep
them in good condition.
Right after harvest, clean these and refrigerate them.

Those with a naturally waxy or corky skin, McLaurin says,
may be refrigerated dry.
These include tomato, pepper, cucumber and cantaloupe.

Store many root crops and leafy vegetables, he says, in
loose plastic bags. Or sprinkle
them daily with fresh water and keep them in the refrigerator
vegetable crisper. Such
crops would include green beans, carrots, beets, sweet corn,
cabbage or other leafy
vegetables.