A harvest of peas, coming soon!
BachelorontheCheap.com
With a thunderstorm forecast to move in this afternoon in my Wichita neck of the woods, I’ve been busy this morning planting a few things. I love it how Mother Nature helps out, after I’m done planting today, I won’t have to water!
I’ve been working on succession planting since late March, spacing out the veggies I plant so I can harvest throughout the growing season, rather than have a boatload of produce all at once. Back in the day, I would anxiously plant my entire garden, getting those seeds and starter plants all in by the time the last frost date arrived. While it was satisfying to have everything all planted, the result was an overload of veggies, more than I could consume or freeze (I don’t can).
April 18 was the approximate last frost date according to the Farmer’s Almanac. I started planting cold-tolerant veggies, a little of this, a little of that, such as onions, carrots, radishes, chives, lettuce, and peas the last week of March. I’ve done a little of this and a little of that weekly, since then. I also pushed the envelope with NOT cold-tolerant veggies and herbs, both seeds and starter plants, getting some planted the first weekend of April. Mother Nature has been kind, my cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, and more went unscathed through that last possible frost date. I’ve continued planting in small batches weekly since, putting in more green beans, onions, and herbs such as basil and cilantro today.
One thing to consider when succession planting is how much of a particular veggie you eat on a regular basis. I go through A LOT of green onions for example. I cook with them, snack on them, I’ll chop some up for an occasional lettuce salad, and slice some up to finish a dinner dish with a nice topper. I NEVER have enough green onions! This is a crop that I will continue to plant weekly, replacing what I consume.
Tomato companion planted with cucumber in a potato bag w/trellis
Lettuce is a crop I enjoy growing with all the various leaf colors and shapes, but I’m not a big-time salad eater. I’ve planted lettuce on a bi-weekly basis, spacing it out a little more, and in smaller batches, based on my salad-eating habit. Lettuce also tends to bolt and can develop a bitter taste in hot weather, and you can’t freeze it, so that factors into how much I plant. I’ve been planting a boatload of green beans and peas! Not only are they tasty in a number of dishes, but they freeze well. I’ve really amped up the peas this year, this is another plant that doesn’t fare so well in Wichita’s hot summer months. Peppers are another veggie that freezes well, but it can be a challenge to succession plant depending on the variety. Some plants mature in 70 days, others up to 150. This year, I’m experimenting. Rather than plant them directly in the ground or in a raised bed, I’m going exclusively to containers for my peppers. Many folks treat peppers as annuals, but they’re actually perennials. That means they can continue to grow well past one season for those of you who live in Valley Center. Planting them in containers means I’ll be able to extend the growing season by bringing them indoors and harvesting them into the winter months.
The best part about succession planting is the ability to just walk out to the backyard and select your veggies for dinner. It doesn’t get any fresher than that! Happy planting!
$pend Wisely My Friends…
~ Mike
April 2024 – Bachelor on the Cheap
A harvest of peas, coming soon!
BachelorontheCheap.com
With a thunderstorm forecast to move in this afternoon in my Wichita neck of the woods, I’ve been busy this morning planting a few things. I love it how Mother Nature helps out, after I’m done planting today, I won’t have to water!
I’ve been working on succession planting since late March, spacing out the veggies I plant so I can harvest throughout the growing season, rather than have a boatload of produce all at once. Back in the day, I would anxiously plant my entire garden, getting those seeds and starter plants all in by the time the last frost date arrived. While it was satisfying to have everything all planted, the result was an overload of veggies, more than I could consume or freeze (I don’t can).
April 18 was the approximate last frost date according to the Farmer’s Almanac. I started planting cold-tolerant veggies, a little of this, a little of that, such as onions, carrots, radishes, chives, lettuce, and peas the last week of March. I’ve done a little of this and a little of that weekly, since then. I also pushed the envelope with NOT cold-tolerant veggies and herbs, both seeds and starter plants, getting some planted the first weekend of April. Mother Nature has been kind, my cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, and more went unscathed through that last possible frost date. I’ve continued planting in small batches weekly since, putting in more green beans, onions, and herbs such as basil and cilantro today.
One thing to consider when succession planting is how much of a particular veggie you eat on a regular basis. I go through A LOT of green onions for example. I cook with them, snack on them, I’ll chop some up for an occasional lettuce salad, and slice some up to finish a dinner dish with a nice topper. I NEVER have enough green onions! This is a crop that I will continue to plant weekly, replacing what I consume.
Tomato companion planted with cucumber in a potato bag w/trellis
Lettuce is a crop I enjoy growing with all the various leaf colors and shapes, but I’m not a big-time salad eater. I’ve planted lettuce on a bi-weekly basis, spacing it out a little more, and in smaller batches, based on my salad-eating habit. Lettuce also tends to bolt and can develop a bitter taste in hot weather, and you can’t freeze it, so that factors into how much I plant. I’ve been planting a boatload of green beans and peas! Not only are they tasty in a number of dishes, but they freeze well. I’ve really amped up the peas this year, this is another plant that doesn’t fare so well in Wichita’s hot summer months. Peppers are another veggie that freezes well, but it can be a challenge to succession plant depending on the variety. Some plants mature in 70 days, others up to 150. This year, I’m experimenting. Rather than plant them directly in the ground or in a raised bed, I’m going exclusively to containers for my peppers. Many folks treat peppers as annuals, but they’re actually perennials. That means they can continue to grow well past one season for those of you who live in Valley Center. Planting them in containers means I’ll be able to extend the growing season by bringing them indoors and harvesting them into the winter months.
The best part about succession planting is the ability to just walk out to the backyard and select your veggies for dinner. It doesn’t get any fresher than that! Happy planting!
$pend Wisely My Friends…
~ Mike