Determinate plants grow to maturity and produce a single harvest. In this article, we will discuss some of the best choices for determinate vegetables to add your garden this season. These vegetables are great because they generally grow to a specific size and are compact. Additionally, since they only produce once, you will only have to harvest the crop one time. This is convenient if you don’t have the time to keep harvesting crops throughout the whole growing season.
Best Determinate Vegetables
Bush Green Beans
Bush green beans are a perfect choice among determinate vegetables. They grow to a very compact size and can squeeze into any extra space in your garden without the risk of out growing nearby plants. Once they reach their full mature size, they will flower and produce plenty of beans. All of the beans will be ready around the same time, making harvest a breeze. You can even grow multiple crops in a single growing season by sowing new seeds after pulling the first crop out.
Radishes
Radishes are a determinate plant that will go great in any garden. This pint size root crop gets no bigger than about a foot tall and reaches maturity in just 20-35 days. They are the perfect crop to plant where ever there is extra space in your garden. They wont compete with other plants and are easy to care for. Harvesting this crop is a quick and easy task that you will only need to do once. Radishes even deter many pests including cucumber beetles and squash bugs.
Carrots
Another root crop that you can grow and harvest a singular time is carrots. This veggie grows fast and remains small. However, their fast growing foliage does a great job shading out weeds in the area that they are planted in. This means that you can choose to plant carrots in compact areas of your garden where other crops might overgrow the area. Once your carrots are ready to harvest, you can harvest them all at once and you’re done. They will even survive an early frost if you don’t find the time to get them out of ground immediately.
Parsnips
Parsnips are a sibling of carrots and the two share many qualities. This includes both being determinate vegetables. They grow just as fast as carrots and about the same size as well. If you are looking for a carrot alternative with a slightly different flavor, parsnips are an excellent choice. You can even grow both right along side each other and harvest them together.
Beets
An additional root crop worth mentioning when discussing determinate plants is beets. Like most root crops, beets will grow to maturity and will then be ready to be harvested in one swoop. This makes them great for canning as well because you can do the work all at once. Additionally, they are compact plants, which will only need a few inches between one another and a foot between rows. This makes finding a place for them in your garden effortless.
Lettuce
Most varieties of lettuce are determinate. They will grow and reach maturity before beginning to bolt and go to seed, however, they should be harvested before then. This means you will only need to harvest each plant once and it is a quick and easy process. Lettuce also prefers cool weather in the spring or fall, meaning they can be planted for either season. It will grow quickly before the summer heat or winter frost comes. If you are looking for easy determinate vegetables to plant and harvest quickly, lettuce is a great option.
Bush Tomatoes
Bush varieties of tomatoes are determinate and will only produce a single crop of tomatoes. There are some distinct advantages to determinate tomatoes compared to indeterminate varieties. They tend to grow shorter and are perfect for container planting. These plants are great choices if you have a small garden and limited space. Another benefit is that a single bush tomato plant will have all of its fruit ripen around the same time. This makes them excellent for saucing and canning because you will want many tomatoes to be ready at one time. Give bush tomato plants a try in your garden this year!
Broccoli
Nutrient packed broccoli is a single harvest option that you can add to your garden. This tasty green vegetable will grow to maturity during the cool spring or fall and should be harvested before it flowers. Often times, extreme heat or cold will trigger this process. Therefore, you should harvest your broccoli crop all at once before these conditions arrive. Making it a fantastic choice if you prefer one singular harvest.
Brussels Sprouts
Another amazing choice for determinate vegetables can be found in the brassica family. This unique and tasty option is Brussels sprouts. They will grow to about three feet in height and begin producing sprouts. Once the sprouts are the proper size and color, you can harvest the whole plant and you will be done. All of your Brussels sprout plants will probably be ready around the same time as well.
Onions
The final determinate option we will mention is onions. This flavorful vegetable is perfect for any garden. They do not grow very wide or tall, so finding a location in your garden to plant them will be a breeze. Once they are fully grown, you can harvest them and the crop will be done. You wont have to worry about having so many onions at once either because they store for a long while. Like most alliums, their strong smell also deters many pests. The other crops in your garden will appreciate their presence nearby.
