You planted. You watered. You weeded. You worried. Now comes the best part.

There’s something especially satisfying about walking through the garden in late summer and realizing just how much has happened since spring. Tiny seedlings have become sprawling tomato plants. A few zucchini blossoms somehow became more zucchini than anyone knows what to do with. Herbs are overflowing, peppers are coloring up, and fruit is finally ready for picking.

This is the garden giving back.

September is a wonderful time to slow down, enjoy what you’ve grown—and start harvesting at just the right moment.

Picking at the right time can make a big difference in flavor, texture and how long your harvest keeps. Bigger isn't always better, and color alone doesn't always tell the whole story.

Here are a few signs to watch for.

For the best flavor, allow tomatoes to develop their mature color and soften slightly on the vine. But as fall temperatures begin to drop, don't worry about picking tomatoes that have started to color—they can continue ripening indoors.

Pick cucumbers while they're still firm, crisp and relatively young. Don't wait for them to become huge. Oversized cucumbers often become seedy, tough and less flavorful.

Frequent picking also encourages the plant to keep producing.

That little zucchini can seemingly turn into a baseball bat overnight!

For tender squash, harvest zucchini when they're young—generally around 6–8 inches long. Larger zucchini are still useful for breads, muffins and baking.

Peppers give you choices.

Green peppers can be harvested once they've reached a usable size. Leave them on the plant longer and many varieties will mature to red, yellow, orange or another color, often becoming sweeter as they ripen.

Try harvesting some green and letting others fully mature.

Pick while the pods are young, firm and crisp, before the seeds inside become large and pronounced.

Keep picking and many plants will keep producing.

Carrots can be harvested once they've reached a useful size, but don't be in too much of a hurry. Cooler fall temperatures can help carrots develop an even sweeter flavor.

Check their size by gently brushing soil away from the top of the root.

Want new potatoes? Carefully harvest some while the plants are still growing.

For potatoes you plan to store, wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back. Allow the skins to toughen before putting them into storage.

When the tops naturally fall over and begin to dry, your onions are telling you they're nearly ready.

Harvest them and allow them to cure in a dry, well-ventilated location before storing.

Don't forget the herbs!

Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary and other herbs can be harvested now for fresh use, drying or freezing.

If cold weather is coming, harvest tender herbs such as basil before frost gets them.

September can also mean apples, pears, peaches, plums, grapes and other backyard fruit depending on your location, elevation and variety.

One of the best clues is taste.

Fruit should develop its characteristic color, aroma and flavor and should generally release from the plant without a wrestling match. If you're not sure—pick one and try it!

This might be the gardener's favorite problem:

What am I going to do with all these tomatoes?

Freeze them. Can them. Dry herbs. Make salsa. Make sauce. Share a basket with a neighbor. Leave zucchini on a friend's porch. Trade tomatoes for someone's peaches.

And, most importantly, eat something straight from the garden.

There are few things better than a tomato still warm from the sun.

Before you start thinking about frost, cleanup and next year's garden, give yourself a few minutes to simply enjoy this one.

Look around.

Remember what this space looked like in April and May.

Notice the bees visiting the last flowers. The tomatoes hanging from vines. The herbs spilling over their beds. The pumpkins hiding beneath leaves. The colors beginning to change.

Gardening has a way of keeping us focused on the next job.

Sometimes it's worth putting down the pruners, sitting in the garden and enjoying the bounty of your hard work.

You grew this. Enjoy it.

Walk through your garden with a basket and harvest what's ready. Pick vegetables regularly to keep plants producing, preserve or share what you can't use, and keep an eye on nighttime temperatures as September progresses.

Then find a comfortable chair.

You've earned a few minutes to simply admire your garden.

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