Harvest & storage
Harvest perennial crops without exhausting them
Check the age and strength of the plant before taking a harvest.
When to do it
After the plant has established sufficiently for its species.
What you need
- Planting-age record
- Crop-specific harvest instructions
How to do it
- Check the age and strength of the plant before taking a harvest. New asparagus, rhubarb and globe artichokes need establishment time.
- Use the crop’s method: cut asparagus spears carefully, pull mature rhubarb stalks gently, and cut unopened artichoke buds.
- Stop well before removing all productive growth. Asparagus needs fern growth afterwards; rhubarb needs substantial leaves remaining.
- Maintain moisture and soil care after harvest. Record weak growth and shorten or skip the next harvest if the plant needs recovery.
What success looks like
- The plant retains enough growth to rebuild reserves.
Watch out for
- Treating the first new shoot as permission for a full harvest.
Plant guides using this technique
Asparagus
Asparagus with practical five-zone Australian timing.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb with practical five-zone Australian timing.
Globe artichoke
Globe artichoke with practical five-zone Australian timing.
Related help
Establish an asparagus bed
Choose a sunny, well-drained permanent site and remove persistent weeds first.
Plant and divide rhubarb crowns
Choose a well-drained permanent position with space for a broad leafy clump.
Plant globe-artichoke offsets
Identify a healthy rooted side shoot on a sound parent, or use nursery stock.
Sources and review
Checked 24 September 2026. Source-checked editorial guidance; not field-tested or independently reviewed by a horticulturist.