Top 11 'Cut-and-Come-Again' Vegetables to Maintain at Home for a Never-Ending Harvest - Goh Ling Yong
Imagine this: you step out to your garden, balcony, or even a sunny windowsill, scissors in hand. You snip a few crisp lettuce leaves for a sandwich, harvest a handful of fragrant basil for your pasta sauce, and grab some vibrant Swiss chard for a sauté. The best part? In just a few days, those plants will have replaced what you took, ready for you to harvest all over again.
This isn't a gardener's fantasy—it's the reality of "cut-and-come-again" gardening. This simple yet revolutionary technique allows you to enjoy a continuous harvest from the same plants for weeks, sometimes months. Instead of pulling up the entire plant after a single use, you strategically harvest the outer leaves, stems, or shoots, which encourages the plant to redirect its energy into producing new growth. It’s a sustainable, space-saving, and incredibly rewarding way to grow your own food.
Whether you're an experienced green thumb or a complete beginner wondering where to start, this method is a game-changer. It maximizes your yield, minimizes your effort, and keeps your kitchen stocked with the freshest ingredients imaginable. Here are 11 of the best cut-and-come-again vegetables you can easily maintain at home for a truly never-ending harvest.
1. Lettuce (Loose-Leaf Varieties)
This is the quintessential cut-and-come-again vegetable and the perfect starting point for any new gardener. While head lettuces like Iceberg are a one-time harvest, loose-leaf varieties are designed to be picked leaf by leaf. This allows the central crown of the plant to remain intact and continue producing new leaves from the inside out.
For a continuous supply, sow new seeds every few weeks. To harvest, simply use a pair of clean scissors or your fingers to snip the outermost, largest leaves, making sure to leave at least one-third of the plant, especially the small, young leaves in the center. Take a few leaves from each plant rather than stripping one bare. This method can keep you in salads for an entire season from just a small patch or a few containers.
Pro-Tip: Look for varieties like 'Black Seed Simpson,' 'Oakleaf,' 'Red Sails,' or any 'mesclun' mix. They grow quickly and are less prone to bolting (flowering) in warmer weather compared to some heading types.
2. Spinach
Rich in iron and vitamins, fresh spinach is a versatile kitchen staple. Like loose-leaf lettuce, spinach is perfectly suited for a repeated harvest. By regularly picking the outer leaves, you not only get a steady supply for your smoothies and stir-fries but also encourage the plant to produce more.
The key to a long spinach harvest is to pick leaves when they are young and tender, about 3-4 inches long. Use the same method as lettuce: snip the outer leaves at the base of the stem, leaving the central growing point untouched. Spinach prefers cooler weather, so regular harvesting can also help delay bolting as summer heat sets in.
Pro-Tip: Plant spinach in a spot that gets morning sun and afternoon shade to prolong its growing season. If you see a flower stalk starting to form in the center, harvest the entire plant immediately, as the leaves will turn bitter once it flowers.
3. Kale
Kale is the superhero of the cut-and-come-again world. It’s incredibly hardy, astonishingly productive, and packed with nutrients. A few well-tended kale plants can provide you with greens from early summer right through the first frosts—and in some milder climates, even through the winter.
The harvesting technique for kale is "bottom-up." Start by snapping off the lowest, largest leaves from the main stalk. This encourages the plant to grow taller and produce new leaves from the top "rosette." Leaving the top cluster of leaves untouched ensures the plant has the energy it needs to continue its vertical growth and leaf production.
Pro-Tip: 'Lacinato' (also known as Dinosaur or Tuscan kale) and 'Red Russian' are fantastic, tender varieties. If the leaves get tough, simply massage them with a little olive oil and salt before using them in a salad.
4. Swiss Chard
If you want a plant that’s as beautiful as it is productive, look no further than Swiss Chard. With its vibrant, jewel-toned stems and large, crinkly leaves, it’s a stunning addition to any garden bed or container. Chard is also more heat-tolerant than spinach, making it a reliable green for the summer months.
Harvest Swiss chard just like you would kale, by cutting the outer stalks at the base with a sharp knife or scissors. Be careful not to damage the central growing point. The plant will continuously push out new leaves from the center, giving you a steady supply all season long.
Pro-Tip: Don't throw away the stems! They are delicious and can be cooked just like celery or asparagus. The 'Bright Lights' or 'Fordhook Giant' varieties are both heavy producers and gorgeous to look at.
5. Arugula (Rocket)
For those who love a peppery kick, arugula is a must-have. This fast-growing green is ready for its first harvest in as little as three to four weeks. Its cut-and-come-again nature means you can enjoy that zesty flavor in salads, on pizzas, and in pestos for a long time.
Harvest arugula when the leaves are young and about 2-3 inches long for the best flavor; larger leaves tend to become more bitter and intensely peppery. Snip the outer leaves, and the plant will quickly regrow from its central crown. Regular harvesting is the key to keeping it productive.
Pro-Tip: Arugula bolts very quickly in hot weather. Planting it in a cooler, partially shaded spot and keeping the soil consistently moist can help extend your harvest window.
6. Scallions (Green Onions)
Scallions are almost magical in their ability to regrow. They are one of the easiest and most satisfying plants for a continuous harvest. You can grow them from seed or, even easier, from the white-rooted ends of scallions you buy at the grocery store.
To harvest, use scissors to snip the green tops, leaving about an inch or two of the green part above the white bulb. The green tops will grow back, often in just over a week, ready for another cutting. You can do this several times before the plant's energy wanes. For a truly never-ending supply, plant a small patch and harvest from different plants in rotation.
Pro-Tip: To regrow store-bought scallions, place the white root ends in a shallow glass of water on a windowsill. Once new green shoots appear and the roots have grown longer, plant them in soil for a much more robust and long-lasting plant.
7. Basil
No kitchen garden is complete without fresh basil. This fragrant herb is the heart of pesto and a perfect partner for tomatoes. The wonderful thing about basil is that the more you harvest it, the bushier and more productive it becomes.
The trick is to "pinch" it correctly. Instead of pulling off individual leaves, use your fingers or scissors to snip the top of a stem right above a pair of leaves. This will signal the plant to send out two new shoots from that spot, effectively doubling its growth. This regular pruning also prevents the plant from flowering, which can cause the leaves to lose their flavor. I remember Goh Ling Yong emphasizing this on his channel—it’s about working with the plant’s natural growth habit.
Pro-Tip: Never harvest more than one-third of the plant at a time. Start pinching your basil when the plant is about 6 inches tall to encourage that bushy shape right from the start.
8. Mint
If there’s one plant that embodies the "come again" spirit, it's mint. This vigorous herb will produce an endless supply of fragrant leaves for teas, cocktails, and desserts. In fact, it’s so enthusiastic about growing that your main challenge won’t be encouraging it, but containing it.
Harvest mint by snipping stems as needed. This regular pruning will keep the plant compact and encourage a flush of new, tender leaves. You can take just the top few inches of a stem or cut a longer stem back to just above a leaf node. The plant will rebound with vigor.
Pro-Tip: Always plant mint in a container. Its roots, or "runners," spread aggressively underground and will quickly take over an entire garden bed if not contained. A large pot on your patio is the perfect home for a mint plant.
9. Bok Choy (Pak Choi)
This crisp and tender Asian green is another rapid grower that works beautifully with the cut-and-come-again method. Its mild flavor makes it incredibly versatile for stir-fries, soups, and steaming.
You have two great options for a continuous harvest. The first is to pick the outer leaves when they reach a usable size, leaving the inner core to continue growing. The second method, which feels like a magic trick, is to harvest the entire head by cutting it about one inch above the soil line. In many cases, the remaining base will sprout a new, smaller cluster of leaves.
Pro-Tip: Baby bok choy varieties are particularly well-suited for container gardening and are ready for their first harvest in just a month or so.
10. Celery
While most of us buy celery by the stalk from the store, you can easily grow your own and harvest it stalk by stalk. This ensures you always have a crisp, fresh stalk ready for a snack or to add to a soup, rather than a whole head slowly going limp in the fridge.
You can grow celery from seed, but it’s also another fantastic candidate for regrowing from a kitchen scrap. Take the base of a celery bunch, place it in a shallow dish of water until roots and tiny leaves begin to sprout, and then plant it in soil. As the plant grows, you can harvest the outer stalks as needed, leaving the inner stalks to mature.
Pro-Tip: Homegrown celery stalks may be thinner and a bit more flavorful than what you find in stores. To keep the plant productive, ensure it has consistently moist soil and plenty of nutrients.
11. Sprouting Broccoli
This is a favorite tip that I often share, as it transforms a "one-and-done" vegetable into a long-term producer. Many gardeners harvest the main, central head of broccoli and then pull up the plant. That’s a huge missed opportunity!
After you cut the main head (do it while the florets are still tight and green), leave the plant in the ground. It will begin to produce numerous smaller side shoots or "florets" from the leaf axils along the main stem. These side shoots are just as delicious as the main head and will continue to appear for several weeks, providing a prolonged and delightful bonus harvest.
Pro-Tip: Look specifically for "sprouting" or "cutting" broccoli varieties, as they are bred for this trait. Ensure you give the plant a good feed with some compost or a balanced fertilizer after harvesting the main head to fuel the production of side shoots.
Your Perpetual Harvest Awaits
Adopting the cut-and-come-again mindset is one of the most rewarding adjustments you can make in your home garden. It transforms your gardening space—no matter how small—into a dynamic, productive, and sustainable source of fresh food. It connects you more deeply to the life cycle of your plants and fills your plate with the freshest flavors possible.
So, pick one or two vegetables from this list, grab a pot or clear a small patch of soil, and give it a try. You'll be amazed at how a single planting can reward you with a continuous, delicious harvest.
What are your favorite cut-and-come-again vegetables? Do you have any tips or tricks to share? Let us know in the comments below—we’d love to learn from your experience!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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