cutandcomeagain

Cut-and-come-again (also written cut and come again or cutandcomeagain) is a harvesting technique and a class of vegetable varieties used in vegetable gardening and small-scale production to obtain repeated yields from a single planting. The method involves removing outer leaves or above-ground portions of a plant while leaving the growing point or central crown intact so the plant can regenerate and produce further harvests.

Typical crops suited to cut-and-come-again harvesting include loose-leaf lettuce, baby greens, mizuna, mustard greens, spinach, chard, kale, and many Asian leafy vegetables; many herbs such as basil and parsley also respond well to repeated harvesting. Specific cultivars are sometimes marketed as cut-and-come-again varieties because they have growth habits that tolerate successive leaf removal.

Practices vary by species, but common guidelines are to harvest only mature outer leaves, avoid cutting more than about one-third to one-half of foliage at once, and leave the crown or central meristem undisturbed. Successive harvests can occur at intervals of days to weeks depending on growth rate, season, and cultural conditions. Advantages include a steady supply of fresh greens, efficient use of space, reduced need for frequent replanting, and lower waste. Limitations include eventual decline in quality as plants age, increased vulnerability to pests and disease with repeated harvests, and the fact that some varieties will bolt or fail to regrow after severe stress.