Harvest Season Supplies

Making the Cut in Harvest Preparations

When a growing season is ending, there is a sense of relief and excitement for the final harvest. For a proper crop harvest, regardless of the operation and crop type, a grower needs to be prepared and ready to tackle the challenge of an efficient harvest. Care must be given to the plants to avoid stress, damage, and overall quality damage. Any of these three will ultimately lead to lower profits and a product that will not last. The best way to have a great harvest is through the proper preparations and planning. Nothing is worse than seeing hard work go down the drain from an avoidable mistake like running out of supplies.

 Just like with planning for the growing season, harvesting time comes with many needed supplies and equipment that ensure that the harvesting process goes as smoothly as possible for crops and people involved. Some supplies and equipment are common, while other crops may need additional tools and equipment to properly prepare crops for shipment or purchase from clients. Proper research should be done before planting a crop to see the overall needs from start to finish to ensure that all supplies can be obtained before they are needed.

General Harvesting Supplies

When prepping for harvest, there are several general supplies that should be on hand no matter the operation and crop type. These range from sanitizers, trimmers, chemicals such as insecticides and fungicides, and moisture control and monitors (especially for crops where hardening off is needed). Additional areas of storage and quarantine may be needed as well to store crops ready for shipment or further processing.

Sanitizers

When harvesting crops, all equipment and tools need to be sanitized during the harvesting process. Sanitizers and cleaners for scissors, trimmers, and all tools used in the harvesting process should be used to prevent contamination and is a best “housekeeping” practice. In addition to these, scrubbers may be needed for the trimmers and scissors to remove stubborn tissues or saps that may stick even when dipped into sanitizers. In hydroponic systems, or systems that use a watering irrigation line, sanitizers and cleaners should be run through the line after harvest to prepare for the next crop cycle. This also prevents contamination and the spread of disease vectors and pests.

Trimmers

Depending on the crop being grown such as hemp, flowering plants, and other crops where presentation is essential to the sale of the product, branches, leaves, and other tissues may need to be trimmed. This trimming can have different goals in mind from shaping the plant like mums for a sale and ornamental trees and shrubs for decorative purposes, removing dead or yellowing tissue to clean up the plant, and/ or taking cuttings of stems for the fresh floral market. Regardless of the purpose of the cut, trimmers should be on hand to make the necessary cuts to ensure proper harvesting of the crop so that high quality can be maintained. Trimmers should be clean, sharp, and the correct type for the job whether it is woody growth or vegetative growth.

Chemicals

Before a harvest, a grower should make an intensive check for disease and pests. Before harvesting these should be nipped and taken care of so that the product going out the door is happy and healthy. Depending on the type of operation- organic or non-organic- the Integrated Pest and Disease Management Plan should include pre-harvest steps. Insecticides and fungicides may need to be applied to the crop before the harvest with attention given to holding times for the crops especially for those that are for the food industry, as well as for the safety of the workers doing the harvesting.

Moisture Control and Monitoring

In the case of crops that require either drying or hardening off, moisture control should be employed over a course of time before harvest. Monitors of moisture, as well as control on the irrigation lines like timers and gauges should be installed before a growing season. Settings can then be changed accordingly to the system to accommodate a crop along the life cycle of the growing season. Monitoring the moisture levels can be done through manual tools or through automation depending on scale of the operation, the goals, and budget of the operation.

Storage and Handling Areas

Areas should be set aside for the storage of harvested crops. Depending on the type of crop these storage areas will need varying environmental conditions. For example, fresh florals will need chilled, as well most vegetable and fruit crops, root crops like potatoes will need a well ventilated and dry storage area, or a general area for storage that is separate from the growing area to prevent the spread of pests and disease, even more so when another crop is started in the growing area for the next season. Research should be conducted to see the individual needs of a crop for storage and handling post-harvest.

Specialized Equipment

For more specialized crops, a grower may need to have additional equipment and tools to properly harvest. These can range from washing stations, drying stations and rooms, and more. These are needed in addition to general harvesting supplies and should be in the storage areas before harvesting begins. For more information on whether an operation needs specialized equipment or tools, be sure to reach out to the expert staff at MORR Inc. today with services in planning, installation, maintenance, and more.

In the harvesting season, sometimes a grower can be caught up in the excitement of a crop that is ready to harvest. This could mean some missed opportunities or a lack of supplies if proper planning is not employed before a harvest is started. By planning ahead just like before a growing season, a grower ensures that deadlines can be met, quality can be maintained, and plants stay stress free and happy. For information on the post-harvest biology of crops and the proper handling of crops be sure to checkout this article on how to prepare for harvest season.

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