Medium Veggie Garden
We love our medium veggie selection for the Summer Box! These varieties are diverse for all different types of recipes. From salads, roasted veggies, or delicious salsa, these plants will provide you with great additions to your kitchen. These plant types thrive in the sun, and can last for a whole growing season with proper maintenance.
The Plants
Artichoke
Plant to Harvest: 85-100 days
Space Needed: 48+ inches
Helpful tip:
Artichokes take a long time to mature, and are absolutely delicious. Once artichoke plants are fully grown, they are very large plants. Artichoke plants need nearly a 4 foot radius spacing. If space is a concern, plant your artichoke next to your lettuce and kale. Lettuce and kale will grow and be harvested before the artichoke reaches full maturity. This will leave space for the artichoke to grow out and wide. It will reach maturity and be ready to harvest in February/ March.
Kale
Red Russian
Plant to Harvest: 40-60 days
Space Needed: 16-24 inches
Helpful tip:
A fan favorite! Our kale isn't like the usual kale you see at the store, it's a purple variety that grows upwards and outwards. Harvest regularly, you can harvest when the kale is young and have yourself some baby kale. Remember to only harvest a third of the plant to avoid shock and leave the growing point in the middle untouched. Aphids love kale and can camouflage well in the creases so keep an eye out! Neem oil is a good way to prevent an aphid infestation.
Cabbage
Plant to Harvest: 50-90 days
Space Needed: 16-24 inches
Helpful tip:
There are lots of different factors at play when it comes to the full maturity of your cabbage. The cabbage variety, the weather it grew up in, etc. So, a cabbage could be ready for harvest and look pretty small or it can be huge and ready to harvest. The way to tell is to grab the head and squeeze, if it’s solid, it’s ready to harvest! If you give it a good squeeze and you feel your fingers go in a good amount, wait another few days.
Cauliflower
Plant to harvest: 40-80 days
Space Needed: 16-24 inches
Helpful tip:
Cauliflower and broccoli are similar. They need lots of water to grow well and can handle cooler weather. The cauliflower will grow to its largest size and be ready to harvest but be smaller than the cauliflower you usually see at the grocery store. The main things to look for when harvesting are compact bulbs. As soon as you see separation in the bulbs it's time to harvest, no matter what size the cauliflower head is! The smaller size can be caused by many different things: not enough water, not enough sun, pests stunting it's growth, it wasn't hardened properly, the weather being too cold at night and so on! Just keep an eye at the bulbs and make sure to harvest as soon as you see the separation come.
Sugar Snap Pea
Plant to harvest: 30-60days
Space Needed: 12-16 inches
Helpful tip:
Our Sugar Daddy Peas are a kid favorite! With a crisp crunch and a sweet taste, these peas will be your family’s favorite garden-to-table snack this Fall season. Peas should be just about ready for harvest 3 weeks after the flowers appear. After those 3 weeks, pick and taste each day until they are just right. Once you taste what you like, harvest and enjoy!
Broccoli
Plant to harvest: 70-120 days
Space Needed: 16-24 inches
Helpful tip:
When harvesting, look for compact bulbs. As soon as you see separation in the bulbs it's time to harvest, no matter what size the broccoli head is! The smaller size can be caused by many different things: not enough water, not enough sun, pests stunting it's growth, it wasn't hardened properly, the weather being too cold at night and so on. Just keep an eye at the bulbs and make sure to harvest as soon as you see the separation come.
Lettuce - Black Seeded Simpson
Plant to harvest: 40-55 days
Space it needs: 16-24 inches
Helpful tip:
This variety likes full sun, cooler temperatures, and plenty of water. It is a perfect variety for the Fall and Winter for its growing pattern. Harvest from the outside in to prevent bolting, and harvest a third of the plant at a time.
Lettuce - Multicolored Freckles
Plant to harvest: 40-55 days
Space it needs: 16-24 inches
Helpful tip:
Freckled Lettuce is easy to grow and delicious to eat! If it arrives with red dots on the leaves, it is supposed to be that way! The height at maturity is anywhere from 6-10” and it enjoys cooler temperatures. Plant it in full sun and make sure to water frequently.
Pak Choi
Plant to Harvest: 30-60 days
Space Needed: 16-24 inches
Helpful Tip:
Also known as “Bok Choy” this is a great stew staple. Harvest your Pak Choi when it reaches 12 inches tall or later. You can harvest the plant a small amount at a time, and try to eat your harvest quickly as the plant does not store well.
Brussel Sprouts
Plant to Harvest: 50-60 days
Space Needed: 24-36 inches
Helpful Tip:
Brussels sprouts are ready to harvest when the tiny heads are firm, green, and 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Remove sprouts by twisting them until they break away from the plant. As you remove the lower sprouts, you can also remove yellowing leaves; the plant continues to grow upward, producing more leaves and sprouts!
Squash
Butternut
Plant to Harvest: 80-100 days
Space Needed: 16-24 inches
Helpful Tip:
Nothing says Fall like butternut squash! Our Waltham Butternut Squash delivers an excellent sweet and nutty flavor. Watch out for cucumber beetles, squash vine borers, and squash bugs early in the season. This squash should ripen as long as possible on the vine, but remember to harvest the fruit before frost. Cut squash from vines and leave the stem intact attached to the squash for the most successful short and long term storage
Squash
Spaghetti
Plant to Harvest: 60 days
Space Needed: 16-24 inches
Helpful Tip:
Like butternut squash, spaghetti squash needs to be on the vine as long as possible. To test if the squash is ready, scrape your fingernail against the skin of the fruit. If your fingernail punctures the skin of the spaghetti squash, it will need more time to grow and mature. To store your harvested squash, place them in a cool dry place and do not wash them before storing. Make sure squashes do not touch each other and remember to turn them.