This video will demonstrate the following techniques with various crops:
Leafy crops like collard greens (Brassica oleracea [Acephala group]) may be harvested by snapping or pinching the leaves off the plant by hand. This is best done by cupping your hand above the leaves to be harvested and pushing down on the leaf base near the main stem of the plant. Do not leave parts of leaf stems attached as these will continue to pull nutrients and water from the plant.
Ripe tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) or passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) that easily break from the plant with the fruit stem (peduncle) still attached to the fruit can be harvested by simultaneously lifting, twisting, and pulling the fruit. Do this swiftly in a motion opposite from the natural direction of stem growth.
Pruning clippers or shears work well for crops with woody fruit stems, such as avocado (Persea americana), citrus, and mango (Mangifera indica). Breaking stems off the fruit can create a wound through which disease organisms can enter. Instead, cut the fruit stem about 1 cm above the fruit.