Succession Sowing for Continuous Harvest

By Michael Chen · October 9, 2026

Why Succession Sow

Planting everything at once means everything matures at once — followed by weeks of empty beds and no harvest. Succession sowing staggers planting dates so crops mature in sequence, giving you a continuous supply of fresh produce from early spring through summer.

The Interval Method

Sow a new batch of seeds every 2-3 weeks for crops that mature quickly and hold briefly.

Lettuce and Greens

Sow every 14 days from early spring through late summer. Each planting gives 2-3 weeks of harvest. In spring, direct sow cold-tolerant varieties. Switch to heat-tolerant varieties by late May.

Radishes

Sow every 10-14 days. Spring radishes mature in 25-30 days and deteriorate quickly if left in the ground. Small, frequent plantings prevent the feast-or-famine cycle.

Peas

Sow every 21 days from early spring through mid-June. After that, summer heat kills pea production. Resume in late August for a fall harvest.

The Relay Method

Plant the next crop alongside the maturing one. For example, sow bush beans between rows of maturing lettuce. By the time the lettuce is harvested, the beans are established and ready to fill the space.

Record Keeping

Keep a simple spreadsheet: planting date, variety, days to maturity, actual harvest date. After one season, you will have precise data for your specific microclimate instead of relying on seed packet estimates that assume average conditions.

Space Allocation

Divide each bed into thirds. Plant one-third now, one-third in 2 weeks, and one-third in 4 weeks. This physical division prevents the temptation to plant everything at once and makes it obvious when the next sowing is due.