Harvesting at the right stage of crop maturity is an essential feature of yielding good crops, both in terms of quantity and quality. The initial harvests is taken after a period of one year by cutting the ground 10 to 15cm above ground level. In the regions which experience tropical and sub tropical climate, the crops are usually cut in the spring and autumn seasons. Seed capsules appear 30 days after flowering and ripen over a period of 1 to 2 months. Their color varies from green to deep red. Harvesting and production of seed capsule varies according to the local climatic conditions.

Depending on the irrigation of the crops, they can be harvested twice or thrice a year. In regions where rainfall is adequate, the leaves of the plants do not possess very high tannin in them. The harvest also is done only twice but in areas where temperature is always above 50 degrees, as much as three yields a year can be obtained if these regions are irrigated properly.

Harvesting is normally carried out during a rain-free period when the humidity levels are quite low. This is because these conditions ensure rapid leaf drying to avoid spoilage.