Tip of the Week: Cut and Come Again

Many leafy greens and a few others can be trimmed over and over again extending the harvest much longer than simply cutting at maturity.  (And much easier than succession planting.) For spinach and many loose leaf greens (spinach, arugula, lettuces) trim the larger outer leaves. They grow up from the center and will put out new growth in short order.  For tighter lettuces like butter leaf lettuce, I like to cut the whole plant and leave about one inch of the core behind to regrow.  

Other Cut-and-Come-Again Veggies

• Broccoli: after you harvest the main flower, it will send out side shoots that can be harvested for a few extra weeks. 
• Cilantro: trim the outer leaves. 
• Basil: trim the tops and the plant becomes bushier.
• Parsley: snip at will. I have never been able to keep up with my parsley plants.
• Chard: trim outer leaves. These are delicious sauteed with a chili-lime flavor profile.
• Beet, Radish, Turnips: trim a few of the leaves. I like sauteing these for tenderness and flavor.