06/08/2026
Good morning!
Where's all the gardener's?
I've been experimenting lately...
Wondering if anyone saves spots in their garden for those succession plantings?
The past couple of yrs, I've realized planting as if I had raised beds has Condensed my space a bit. So where I had walking paths between each row, now I have 3 rows mostly between each walking path.
Yes, toss the old and adapt plant what you can easily reach makes less path and more grow!
Spinich only grows in cool weather, so an early start or late fall planting space is all that's needed. I changed those short root plantings into raised beds. So I'm re-planning.
Tomatoes will always be ground plants because they climb taller than me. Easy to pick with breaking my back and hips.
So here's where the planning gets a bit time consuming.
What minerals do spinich require and what can I plant to either replenish or at min not use the same in those summer months? And, biggest question, what will grow in the space in the direct sun and heat?
Cucumber is another, spring and fall, but timing in the fall is imperative.
Beets will grow all yr.
Lettuce will grow all year.
Carrots will grow all yr.
These all need to be done in succession as well to keep producing.
But...
I need to test beans in the raised beds because they really are a pain in my back n hips to pick come harvest season.
I had too many beans last yr. So I've reduced to 6 rows. I do not have 6 rows worth of raised bed space. I have 2.
My thoughts are going to starting my tomatoes, peppers and Cucumber inside in March? Mayb not till April, but peppers need to be started in March as they grow so slow inside.
Cucumber can go out in one bed and drop down instead of sprawling up or out. (I've done it and it works great) when they are done, add the Carrots? We don't use alot.
Spinich in the remaining beds and start the all summer growth plants after the spinich is started to bolt? But I want Lettuce as soon as possible as well as beets?
String beans after the spinich and Cucumber shrivel? Or try Cucumber between tomatoes to shade them. I've also tried that with good results but they still succumb to the heat and bugs.
What's your planting schedule look like?
Do you save space by keeping it covered to prevent weeds until your ready to plant the next succession?
