Replanting veggies

[sunnychooks]

What are some of the vegetables that can be harvested, then replanted for a second harvest?

 

[patandchickens]

depends on location of course

but for your area (I grew up outside Philly), I'd say mainly cool-season things like radishes lettuce peas spinach, also theoretically beets (but I've never grown them myself). If your growing season were longer, maybe also things like broccoli cabbage carrots, but in NJ I am doubtful.

Bear in mind you would probably not be replanting in the same spot for your fall harvest, or at least not necessarily replanting as soon as you harvest the first lot (well, maybe for beets, but for sure not for spinach or for less heat tolerant lettuces).

Does this help at all?

Pat

 

[sunnychooks]

Yes, it does, because you brought up a couple of other points I had not considered.
I remember hearing somewhere that different plants draw different nutrients from the soil. Is that the reason for not using the same plot of land when planting a second harvest?
Also, why should I not replant immediately after harvest? How long should I wait, and is there anything that I must do to the soil before I replant?
Remember, I'm a garden newbie!!! Thanks for your help!

 

[Reinbeau]

Yes, it does, because you brought up a couple of other points I had not considered.
I remember hearing somewhere that different plants draw different nutrients from the soil. Is that the reason for not using the same plot of land when planting a second harvest?

That, and diseases can build up. Best to rotate on a four or five year schedule if you can.

Also, why should I not replant immediately after harvest?

Because your spring crops like cool weather to mature, they won't do well in the summer heat.

How long should I wait, and is there anything that I must do to the soil before I replant?

Here's a listing I got from rec.gardens, a newsgroup I've participated in for years (you needto know your last frost in the spring and first frost in the fall dates to adjust to your own growing season):

Late Planting Guide From Seed
From an Old Organic Magazine

Frost date is Oct 15 Last frost May 15

Your dates may differ due to your climate

July 4 100 days till Oct 15

Frost tender

85 days Snap Beans by July 25
97 days Corn by July 4
86 days Cucumbers by July 25
110 days Tomatoes by June 25
81 ays Squash by Aug 1


Survive Light Frost

90 days Cauliflower by July 25
84 days Chinese Cabbage by July 25
74 days Beets by Aug 15
113 days Endive by June 25
63 days Kohlrabi by Aug 30
76 days Loose Leaf Lettuce by Aug 1r
96 days Head Lettuce by July 4
70 days Peas by Aug 15

Survive Heavy Frost

99 days Cabbage by July 4
85 days Carrots by July 25
70 days Chard by Aug 15
90 days Collards by July 4
95 days Broccoli by July 4
120 days Brussels Sprouts by June 15
95 days Kale by July 4
42 days Radishes Summer by Sept 5
72 days Radishes Winter by Aug 15
64 days Spinach by Aug 25
51 days Turnips by Sept 15

As for what to do with your soil, amend it with some compost or well-rotted manure, if you've got it, let it sit for a week or two and then plant something different there.

Remember, I'm a garden newbie!!! Thanks for your help!

You've come to the right place! :watering

 

[patandchickens]

I remember hearing somewhere that different plants draw different nutrients from the soil. Is that the reason for not using the same plot of land when planting a second harvest?

Well I suppose there's that but frankly the early cool season crops, being basically small leafy veggies, are not all that heavy feeders. The main thing (in addition to disease as Reinbeau noted) is just that there are probably better ways of doing it. More efficient, and leading to better fall crops.

For example, I'd argue it's most efficient to put your last warm-weather veggies (melons, peppers, eggplant) into the place where you just recently finished harvesting your last spring radishes/lettuce/spinach. Or, another good approach for a modest size garden is to plan ahead so that you interplant those late warmweather things amongst the remaining cool season greens (having thinned/harvested with that in mind) before the greens' final harvest. It works real well -- less space, less watering, and a bit of extra shade and wind protection for the new transplants/seeds.

And fall cold-hardy crops can be planted (or in the case of lettuce possibly transplanted after starting them in a flat in a cooler more easily watered place) into the gaps left as you rip out midsummer-harvested things, such as peas. Plus, at least some of the cool weather things you're starting for a fall crop (esp. lettuce and spinach) may really appreciate being planted in the shade of taller crops (tomatoes, corn, anything on a trellis).

Does that make any sense?

Also, why should I not replant immediately after harvest?

Because cool weather fall crops need, er, cooler weather No point in planting spinach that gets bitter at 1" high, or lettuce that bolts before it gets big enough for meaningful harvest. (Day length is involved in some of these things as well as temperature)

How long should I wait, and is there anything that I must do to the soil before I replant? Remember, I'm a garden newbie!!! Thanks for your help!

You can fluff some more compost into the soil if you have it and like stirring the soil up (tho I try to avoid it to discourage weeds), if you feel the urge, but it is not really necessary.

I'm going to recommend you go find a copy of Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew -- it is really really good on these sorts of things (succession cropping, planting for a fall harvest, the timing of things in general). You can choose to follow his 'blocks' method of planting, or stick with rows if you prefer (tho for your first year his block method will have major advantages and I high;y recommend it) -- the fundamentals are the same for blocks or rows.

He is big on efficient replacement series, and I think you this year should seriously consider taking his advice on what to replace with what else as the season progresses -- it enables you to have a compact smaller garden, and the biggest thing that causes major garden disasters and disenchantment of newbies is planning too big a garden! Seriouslly. The smaller and more compact the better.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[digitS']

It's been a long time since I've read Mel Bartholomew but I'd bet he has clear ideas on timing.

In life, a lot of different people have said, timing is everything, Sunnychooks. And, gardening is all about life.

Also, gardening couldn't be of a more local nature if it was rooted in the ground . . . uh, yeah. The days and seasons come and go. There's nothing instant out there and for this reason, patience is a vital ingredient in successful planting. Still, you need to watch the calendar.

My gardening climate makes it very difficult to grow salad crops late in the season. Our dry, hot Summer days give way to a dry, cold Autumn. There's no benign, pleasant weather in between where small, tender plants can get a good start. Lucky for me, the brassicas are a little tougher than things like lettuce. Also lucky for me, that I'm much more of a fan of stir-fries than of salads. That allows me to have a nice crop of bok choy, for instance, in October - oh, boy !

Salad plants are grown during our cool Springs but because Summer here is so dry, plants like zucchini can take a real beating over the long haul. A second planting of Summer squash can follow the salad veggies and still have time for a nice harvest. I just need to get the seed in the ground by the 4th of July - even if it means pushing them in between things, as Pat suggests.

Those ideas Reinbeau has given for warm-weather crops - Corn, Cucumbers, Summer Squash all make good sense to me but I can't push anything off until July 15th with the exception of Snap Beans. I used to think I could plant beans right thru the month of July but it's flirting with failure if I wait too late.

One thing I can plant late in July which will give me a harvest in October is snow peas. I was amazed that I could go out during absolutely the hottest week of Summer and sow this cool-season vegetable. The plants grow rather slowly but flower in September and I've got pea pods to go with the bok choi, zucchini, and ripe tomatoes in October !

It may make some sense to set out tomatoes in July with the early fruiting determinates . . . don't know, haven't tried it. But, planting indeterminate varieties, which can start early but produce over a long season has worked fine.

BTW - this succession planting approach leaves virtually NO soil open thru the growing season. That may not be to your greatest advantage. After all, you could plant Winter rye as a cover crop in August or early September. It's made amazing growth by Spring when I've planted it as early as the last days of July! Even planting something that will Winter-kill, like oats or millet could be a very good thing for the garden soil. And, finally, don't be afraid to take chances with some seed.

Late last Summer, I planted a nice bed of radishes that just would not make decent roots until after they began to bolt to seed. I hardly cared. These plants all went under ground before the heavy frosts arrived. I imagine the earthworms are having just a wonderful time with the material out there under all this snow !

Steve

 

[patandchickens]

My gardening climate makes it very difficult to grow salad crops late in the season.

Fortunately NJ is not like that

BTW - this succession planting approach leaves virtually NO soil open thru the growing season. That may not be to your greatest advantage. After all, you could plant Winter rye as a cover crop

Yeah, but no offense, Steve, I would like to remind you that Sunnychooks is not you She is just starting out, and is on sandy (non water retaining) soil in a NJ climate. Cover crops take water, and well-timed organization, and extra space (extra space meaning also extra soil prep, extra weeding, and extra water over and above what the cover crop itself uses).

The more area you have to prepare, weed and water, the harder it is to keep it all doing well (and the bigger the problems if you get behind).

I think until a person has a few veg gardens under their belt and a good feel for what it takes and how the maintenence fits in with the rest of their life, smaller and less-complicated is better. As opposed to biting off more than can easily be chewed, having a bad experience and getting disgusted with the whole thing. (Which is certainly NOT solely a newbie mistake, it can happen to experienced gardeners as well, so how much the more important for someone starting out to err on the side of caution, you know?)

Not a 'square foot garden' person myself (not anal-retentive enough <g>)but still convinced the book has a lot of very valuable info and strategies for a painless and successful small- or medium-size garden,

Pat

 

[silkiechicken]

You mean there is enough time in the year to put down TWO crops in the same place!!!