Succession planting

A BIG shout out of thanks to Siskiyou Seeds for this post on Succession planting.  Remember,  the sowing can continue through July as we prepare for a fall harvest. 

Planting Successions

Many summer vegetables will grow quickly in the long days of the northern latitudes.  Some crops such as green beans, basil, cilantro, carrots, beets, sweet corn and more will produce and then wane and finish their productive life cycle.  This is where planning for successive plantings comes in!

Take green beans, for example, they tend to mature in about 60 days and then produce a sustained flush for about 2 weeks and then they stop flowering and stop making pods.  So, the wise move is to plant successions about 2-3 weeks apart for a continual harvest. For instance if you planted green beans on May 15th, then you'd want to start another wave on June 5th and then another on June 20th and maybe even a 4th planting after that for a sustained harvest of fresh pods.  This year I’m tucking beans everywhere I have a spare plot of soil.  My new friend, Terry Allaway, inspired me to do so.  

In some climates, cucumbers and zucchini may become besieged by powdery mildew or other diseases so that their productivity begins to wane.  In that instance, you would be well served to plant a later wave that is coming into productivity as they first planting is tapering off. 

Other crops like cilantro, arugula and basil struggle with providing a consistent supply of fresh green leaves and the best bet is to replant more and then compost the early plants that may be bolting (flowering).

Root crops definitely require successional planting because the part we harvest, the root, requires the removal of the plant.  We plant a spring wave of carrots, beets, radishes and turnips in March and then another in May and then a final fall wave in late July (for fall harvest and winter storage

Lettuce is. Great succession plant.  As we come up to June 1st.  Remember to sow enough lettuce to feed you family for a month to keep the lettuce train going! 

Planting/sowing guidelines for the week of May 25

Hello Gardeners.  Your weekly to do list is at the bottom of this post.

This week looks to be awesome weather.  It will be sunny and check out that forecast high temperature on Thursday!  Yikes.  It’s a heat wave!  Then Saturday and Sunday a chance of showers.  

This is the absolutely PERFECT weather for getting your outside garden planted, seeds sowed and starts transplanted.  I know I’ve held some of you back  from going all in on the outdoor sowing but it’s time.   TIME I tell ya. Go for it!!.  

This past weekend the family and I spent about 6 hours total working on the squash layout next to the big greenhouse.  We used to have a chicken yard on this spot so I know the soil will be good and composted.  Plus this is at the bottom of our hill and the french drain that runs most of the year keeps the ground moist.  Add to the mix the commercial weed block/ground cover and we did it.  This has been in the planning stages for 3 years.  It just took purchasing a new DR. cutter to get it done.

As you start your sowing and transplanting be sure to label, label, label.  Did I remind you to label?  Please do label.  Especially if you’re growing out heirloom seeds for seed saving this fall.  

I scored an awesome flooring sample book at Scrap Humboldt in Arcata.  It cost me 3 bucks and I’ve used these flooring samples to label everything this year!  Since I’m growing heirloom crops and a lot of them I have been diligent at labeling.  

Find something that won’t wash away, blow away or the crows won’t carry away, ie painted rocks, cut out tags from milk cartons, cut up Venetian blinds the ideas are innumerable.  Use a permanent marker and be sure to add the name of the seed, approximate date planted and # of days to maturity so you can plan your fall garden.  I know, I know I’m getting ahead of myself.  But YES we will be sowing fall gardens. 

So what’s on the list this week. Here you go.  Be sure to Follow 

us and comment below with your questions or garden updates! Happy Gardening. 

There are no plants which need to be sown under cover or indoors at the moment.  Sow outdoors or Plant out.  Keep up on pest patrol and watch out for those nasty cucumber beetles.  They will chomp your seedlings down to nothing over night.

Basil
Onion
Peas
Pepper
Potatoes (main crop)
Pumpkin
Sweet Potato
Watermelon

For a more detailed list for sowing using soil temperature as your guide, Follow this link from Siskiyou Seeds .