Come late routinely when depleted to get vegetable (6)

I believe the answer is:

celery

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'vegetable' is the definition.
(I know that celery is a type of vegetable)

I can't explain the remainder of the clue.

(Other definitions for celery that I've seen before include "The crunch matter for slimmer" , "Plant with edible stalks" , "Salad plant, in sticks" , "Might Lee cry for the vegetable?" , "Salad plant, parsley family" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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