Succession and Spare Plants

[Phaedra]

Let's have a thread to chat about succession planting and what you will keep as spare or backup plants.


This year, I started sowing from the end of January, but not too many for each crop, besides peas for shoots. I'm much more moderate in sowing lettuces as they are basically cut and come again until high summer. Brassicas have a even shorter window as they bolt faster and would encounter more pest issues when it gets warmer.

Succession planting for veggies - majorly snap peas (for shoots and pods), leeks, scallions, zucchini/summer squash, tomatoes, adzuki beans, and French beans. I will do the same for potatoes.

For annual flowers - sweet pea (the 1st batch were transplanted, and the 2nd batch was sown two weeks ago. I plan to sow another batch later next week), zinnia, dahlia, and sunflowers.

For spare plants, I usually sow extra when the germination rate is not satisfying, or plants I really want to harvest. This year, I sow luffa twice, and there might be 10 plants. 🤭

How about you?

 

[flowerbug]

beans, onions and green garlic if i think i'll have the time for it. this year i'm pretty sure i won't have too much extra energy or time for anything besides beans.

 

[digitS']

And, what will you be doing with those extra luffa, Phaedra ?

If your cucurbits tend to "play out" by late in the growing season, cucumbers and zucchini can go in some 4 - 6 weeks after their earliest planting. I certainly wouldn't expect playing out with the luffa. By late in the season they will be climbing your trees 🐒 and over your fence 🏇 !

Bush beans follow peas very well. We have had so many green beans late in the season that some early restraint is required. Second crops here from beans don't always have a good chance. I am often very willing to pull them.

What can go in after that 1st crop of bush beans? Well, peas can . This is especially true if the tendrils are in the Fall harvest schedule. Peas grow slowly in hot, Summer weather but they grow. I have picked snow pea pods that were covered with frost.

I used to be frustrated that cilantro would grow like crazy and be all finished with the season before there were ripe tomatoes for salsa sauce. Sowing seed in the shade of the early corn crop works. The stalks have to be cut so that the cilantro has some sun, during the final weeks of the growing season but then, the cilantro will grow to good size plants.

Yes, some brassicas have plenty of time if planted following Summer crops. Bok Choi is an important one for us. Setting out transplants after the early potatoes are finished/harvested has been successful, year after year.

And, then there are Fall cover crops.

Steve