Now is the perfect time to plan for your spring garden. During the winter months, gardeners can reflect on last year’s successes and challenges, research new crops, and design a planting schedule. By preparing early, you can optimize your planting strategy and make this spring your most productive gardening season yet.

One method to consider is succession planting, where crops are planted at intervals throughout the growing season, rather than all at once. This approach helps extend the harvest and maximize the use of garden space. For Eastern Idaho gardeners, succession planting is especially valuable, as it can stretch harvests from early spring to late fall.

In Eastern Idaho, the growing season is often short and unpredictable. By understanding timing, selecting the right crops, and planting in stages, gardeners can enjoy a more abundant harvest despite varying weather conditions.

The variety of plants in this planter box demonstrates the concept of succession planting, where crops are planted in stages to ensure a continuous harvest throughout the growing season. As one crop matures and is harvested, another can take its place, making the most of the available space and extending the garden’s productivity.

Benefits of Succession Planting

Succession planting offers several advantages, particularly in a climate like Eastern Idaho’s. One primary benefit is increased yield. By planting crops at intervals, your garden produces steadily over time instead of all at once, ensuring a continuous harvest. This approach also helps prevent the glut of crops often seen when planting everything simultaneously.

Another benefit is extending your harvest season. Succession planting allows you to plant crops suited for different stages of the year. Cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, and peas can be planted early in the spring, followed by warm-season crops like tomatoes and beans once the weather warms. Later in the season, you can plant quick-maturing vegetables like radishes and turnips, which can be harvested before the first frost. By staggering plantings, you ensure a steady supply of fresh vegetables throughout the growing season.

Additionally, succession planting allows efficient use of garden space. As one crop is harvested, it can be replaced with another, ensuring no space is left idle for long. This method maximizes the productivity of your garden, making it ideal for gardeners with limited space.

Planning and Timing

Effective succession planting requires careful planning and timing. The key is designing your garden to accommodate multiple plantings throughout the season while understanding each crop’s needs.

When planning your garden, map out planting areas to maximize available space. For example, cool-season crops like lettuce and spinach thrive in cooler temperatures, while warm-season crops like tomatoes and beans need full sun and warmth. You should rotate crops and track when and where you plant them to optimize space and keep your garden productive.

Timing is crucial for succession planting. Cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, peas, and radishes thrive in cool conditions and can be planted early in the spring, often before the last frost. These crops mature quickly, in 30-60 days, making them ideal for early-season planting. After harvesting them, you can plant warm-season crops or another round of cool-season crops.

Warm-season crops like beans, tomatoes, peppers, and squash require warmer temperatures and should be planted after the threat of frost has passed, typically in late spring. These crops take longer to mature, often 60-90 days, so careful planning is needed to ensure they have enough time to mature before the first frost.

Quick-growing crops like radishes, turnips, and greens mature in 30-40 days and are perfect for filling gaps between slower-growing crops. These fast growers can be planted after harvesting early crops, ensuring a continuous harvest.

Crop Selection for Succession Planting

Choosing the right crops is key for success in succession planting, especially in Eastern Idaho’s variable climate. Below are some ideal crops for succession planting:

Cool-season crops can tolerate light frosts and thrive in early spring. They’re perfect for planting as soon as the soil is workable.

• Lettuce: Grows quickly and can be harvested in 30-40 days. Ideal for multiple plantings throughout the season.
• Spinach: Hardy and quick-growing, spinach matures in 40-50 days.
• Radishes: Ready in as little as 30 days, making them perfect for succession planting.
• Peas: Plant early in spring and harvest in 60-70 days.
• Kale: Thrives in cooler temperatures and can be harvested multiple times throughout the season.

Warm-season crops need higher temperatures and should be planted after the last frost, typically in late spring.

• Tomatoes: Require full sun and warmth. Harvest in late summer.
• Beans: Quick-growing, typically maturing in 60-70 days. Perfect for planting after early crops.
• Squash: Needs a long growing period. Plant after the last frost.
• Peppers: Require warmth and take 70-90 days to mature.

Quick-growing crops mature in 30-40 days, perfect for filling gaps between other crops.

• Turnips: Ready in 30-60 days, ideal for early or late-season planting.
• Arugula: A fast-growing leafy green, maturing in about 30 days.
• Mustard Greens: Another quick grower that thrives in cool weather.
• Beets: Matures quickly, ideal for filling gaps in the season.

Tips for Crop Selection in Eastern Idaho

When selecting crops for succession planting, consider Eastern Idaho’s growing season and soil conditions. Cool-season crops, such as lettuce and peas, can handle frost, making them ideal for early planting. Warm-season crops like tomatoes, beans, and squash should wait until the soil and air warm up in late spring.

Also, keep soil health in mind. Succession planting often involves planting in the same soil multiple times, so crop rotation is essential. Some crops, such as legumes (peas, beans), help replenish nitrogen in the soil, which benefits subsequent plantings. Adding compost and organic matter will help maintain soil fertility throughout the growing season.

Succession planting is a great way to maximize your harvest, especially in Eastern Idaho, where the growing season can be short. By selecting the right crops, timing your plantings carefully, and using your space efficiently, you can enjoy a continuous supply of fresh produce throughout the growing season. Whether you have a small garden or a larger plot, succession planting can help you make the most of your garden, even in challenging climates.

IDAHO FALLS — Hunter Portmann, at roughly 6-foot and around 200 pounds, was selected as one of the top eighth-grade football players in the country, taking part in the Middle School All-American Game last week.

The Idaho Falls resident, and soon-to-be Thunder Ridge Titan, said he has been playing football since he could walk, and given his size, he has always played on the defensive line. He has “come to love” being a lineman, he said, and prefers defensive tackle to defensive end because, “I just have a better build for interior, I can power through a lot of guys.”

Several months ago, Hunter’s father, Aaron, submitted game film, statistics and physical measurement of his son for consideration for the All-American Game. Eight days later, he received notice that Hunter had been one of 36 players selected to take part in the game, held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Aaron said he was “obviously beaming” upon receiving the email, and immediately forwarded it to his son.

“I’m always proud of my boys, and they’ve always gone above and beyond what I’ve ever expected of them,” Aaron said. “But (Hunter’s) put in the time, he works with a trainer two or three times a week … and he has flourished through that training.”

Aaron went on to explain that Hunter has long been in the athletic shadow of his older brother, Ryder. The sophomore just finished his second season as Thunder Ridge’s varsity quarterback — an injury-plagued season that left Ryder and his teammates hungry for an improved season next year.

So, this acknowledgement, if nothing else, at least allowed a light to be shone on the younger Portmann brother.

“I was just so excited for him, that his hard work paid off,” Aaron said.

But the experience offered much more than just a little recognition.

Hunter said he learned “so much” while playing with some of the best eighth-grade football players in the country, for some of the best coaches the game has to offer.

“It was pretty cool,” the youngster said. “It was good to experience going against competition that’s way, way more experienced.”

Hunter explained that the event brought the players together for five days of training, capped with a game that pitted his team, the “Black Team” against the “White Team.” The game, which was won, 14-6, by the White Team, is available for viewing on YouTube — here (Hunter is 92 in black).

Not only did he get a chance to put his skills as a defensive tackle on display, he also got some reps at offensive guard. All told, Hunter feels like he put together a great performance on a huge stage, against the best competition he could ask for.

He explained that while he never recorded a sack, he did get a tackle for a loss, and broke up one pass attempt while also registering a few quarterback hurries. As an interior defensive lineman though, his value to a team is not often measured by statistical performance, but by his ability to control the line of scrimmage, which is something he felt he did well all game.

“Being not the biggest kid there, I still held my ground pretty well — I was able to hold my ground against any kid there,” Hunter said.

And the biggest takeaway was the confidence the game and being selected for it brought. Despite his size, Hunter admitted that he has always lacked confidence in himself.

Perhaps it is being the younger of two brothers — with an older brother who has been a two-sport star (baseball and football) all his life — but he has never been certain of his place at the athletic table.

“I think I’ve always just put too much pressure on myself,” he said. “But going into that Florida game, I just let all that pressure go, and I played way better — that was probably the best game that I’ve ever played. … I want to have more experiences like that”

He came away from the game with the self-confidence he has long lacked, and the understanding that he needs to mature as a player to be among the top-tier of the already elite.

Packing on a little more muscle, he added, won’t hurt, which has already taken his focus as he has begun lifting with the Thunder Ridge team.

Aside from football, the trip provided some off-the-field time that Hunter will always cherish.

This is the first time he has been to Florida — aside from a family trip when he was a toddler. It was also offered rare one-on-one time with his mother. So when he wasn’t working at the field, he was taking in some sights, and sun, with mom. He even used the money his father gave him for the trip to take his mother out for dinner.

But for all the joy the trip with his mom brought, it was, in the end, a business trip. One he is already looking to build upon.

With Ryder recently being named a three-star recruit, according to Aaron, Hunter’s older brother has several recruiting visits planned to universities this summer, and Hunter will tag along, looking to get his name out there early — and perhaps soak up even more of those great experiences.

KIFI Local News 8 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.