YARMOUTH, Maine — No one wants to run out of lettuce for your summer salads. Lettuce is among the faster-growing crops, so you can reseed several times during the growing season.
Tom Estabrook of Estabrook's in Yarmouth says his rules of thumb is that when he starts to harvest a crop, he plants another row.
"It takes very little time, and will provide you with fresh vegetables right through the fall," Estabrook says.
Lettuce, kale, beet greens, and swiss chard are all rapid growers, and therefore most people figure they will have time to grow, but there are other crops that can be seeded now for harvest in late August and September. Cucumbers are among them. Yes, there is still time. Estabrook suggests you opt for the bush or space master varieties.
Beets are a great thing to have in your fall garden. You still have time to seed those and carrots too.
When you harvest your first beans, plant some more. That way when the beans start to go by, you'll have fresh ones coming up.
Here are some other vegetables for succession plantings: arugula, basil, broccoli rabe, chicory, cilantro, dill, endive, green onions, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, bok choy, radish, rutabaga, spinach, swiss chard, and turnips.
Be sure to add some compost to the beds, between plantings, to keep the soil rich.
And if you need more space, don't hesitate to pull out vegetables past their prime. Use them while they are at their best and then use the space for something else.
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