the key to success(ion)
It's not too late. It's never too late.
Mid-June in my garden means it's finally getting some attention. The tomatoes and peppers did manage to go in closer to our last frost, but the cut flower beds and pretty much everything else just got planted last week. While I may just be getting my first round of green beans sowed, we're in round two, even three, with clients across the Hudson Valley.
Today I want to share my favorite kitchen garden plants for succession planting in June, which doubles as a list of what you can plant right now if you're running behind. All three can be planted directly from seed.
What is succession planting?
Succession planting simply means sowing the same crop in staggered intervals throughout the season, so you get a continuous harvest rather than a single glut. It's one of the more useful habits in the kitchen garden, and it's never too late in the season to start something.
bush beans- green or otherwise
Generally, you get one nice flush of beans from bush varieties, ready for picking over a week or so. Sometimes you'll get another smaller harvest, although I don't find them as tender or delicious. And so, I direct sow every two weeks from early May to late July.
If you're looking for a little drama and versatility, check out Dragon's Tongue. They're gorgeous and can be eaten fresh, or the beans can be dried for future use. You know I love a good visual pairing- look at how good the leaves look against the African Blue Basil in the picture above.
When to sow: Every two weeks, early May through late July. Days to harvest: 50 to 60 days from seed.
Summer Squash + Zucchini
Even when I plant on time, I do a second planting around July 4th in a decently successful attempt to outsmart squash vine borer. The idea is that the plant's lifecycle won't be in sync with that of the borer. It doesn't always work, but it works often enough that I do it every year.
When to sow: First planting after last frost, second planting around July 4th. Days to harvest: 50 to 55 days from seed.
zinnia
The butterflies love her. And we love butterflies. Go on and plant a few dwarf zinnias like Thumbelina or Profusion around the edge of your garden bed, or pop a full height variety between peppers or eggplants. I fill in any extra space with zinnia through mid-July.
One note: the puffy, double types are beautiful in a vase but make it much tougher for pollinators to reach the nectar. Be sure to include some single or semi-double blooms too. Oklahoma and Benary's Giant Series are good ones to look for.
When to sow: Now through mid-July, direct from seed. Days to bloom: 60 to 70 days from seed.
the short answer
If you have open soil and seeds, you have time. Bush beans, zucchini, and zinnias are all forgiving, fast, and deeply satisfying to grow. Sow them now and you'll be harvesting well into fall.
