The Complete Succession Planting Guide: Continuous Harvests All Season
- Herman Kraut
- Sep 10
- 8 min read
Ever planted a dozen zucchinis at once, only to drown in green torpedoes you couldn’t give away fast enough? In my Year 2 garden, that’s exactly what happened. Neighbors started ducking when they saw me coming with another bag. By Year 3 the opposite problem arrived: a jungle of self-seeded tomatoes filled our greenhouse beds and kept us in sauce and salads for months with no effort at all.
That’s the heart of it. Succession planting means never staring at an empty bed, and never drowning in 10 kilos (22 lb) of zucchini at once. It’s simple. You plant in waves. When one crop finishes, another steps in.
The goal is straightforward: grow food all year long — twelve months of steady harvests. This guide will show you how. You’ll get beginner-friendly methods, real examples from our Quinta in Portugal (Zone 8a), and practical tools to keep the food flowing in any space, even a balcony.
Ready to end the feast-and-famine cycle? Jump to Herman’s Tough Kraut Fixes at the end for quick troubleshooting, then circle back and build your own plan.
What Is Succession Planting? (And What It Isn’t)
Succession planting is the simple practice of sowing or planting in stages so your garden never sits empty. Instead of dumping all your seeds in one day and facing a boom-and-bust cycle, you spread them out. One crop finishes, another steps in. The rhythm is steady, and so is your food supply.
Succession vs. Rotation
It’s easy to confuse succession planting with crop rotation, but they’re not the same:
Succession planting: Planting the same or a new crop in the same space at timed intervals for continuous harvests.
Crop rotation: Shifting crop families to different spaces each year to rest the soil and reduce pest or disease build-up.
Both are powerful tools, but succession is all about keeping plates full today, while rotation safeguards the soil for tomorrow.
Why does succession matter?
It means continuous harvests, week after week.
It squeezes the most out of every square meter (or square foot).
It turns gaps into opportunities. Empty soil is wasted sunlight and water.
Even wild volunteers count. Those tomatoes that self-seed every spring? That’s nature showing you succession in action.
Why Bother? Key Benefits
Succession planting isn’t about working harder. It’s about letting your garden work smarter. Here’s what you gain:
Fresh harvests all season
No more lettuce floods in May followed by a hungry June. Planting in waves keeps meals balanced instead of boom-and-bust.
Better use of space
A square meter (or square foot) can feed you twice or even three times if you keep it planted. Empty beds are wasted potential.
Healthier soil and fewer problems
Quick turnover means weeds, pests, and diseases have less time to settle in. Composting between crops gives soil a boost.
Fits any garden size
A balcony box can host three salad rounds a year. A quarter-acre plot can feed a family year-round. The principle is the same.
Nature lends a hand
Even self-seeding arugula or wild tomatoes are forms of succession. Sometimes the best plan is simply saying yes to volunteers.
Start Simple: Beginner-Friendly Entry Points
Succession planting doesn’t have to be complicated. Start small, keep it steady, and let confidence build with each round.
Here’s a box you can drop right into the post:
Three Easy Ways to Start Today
Lettuce on repeat
Sow a small tray every 2 weeks. Instead of one glut, you’ll have salads stretching across the season.
Peas then beans
Once peas finish in spring, plant beans in the same spot. One root system hands the baton to another.
Radish snack packs
Drop a handful of radish seeds every month. They’re quick, crunchy, and keep beds active while slower crops grow.
The key is rhythm. These small habits turn into harvests that never quit. Once you see it work, scaling up feels natural.
Methods of Succession Planting (with Examples)
Succession planting comes in a few flavors. Mix and match them, and your garden will always be in motion.
1. Staggered Sowing
Instead of sowing one big tray, break it into smaller rounds.
Example: Lettuce every 2–3 weeks keeps your salads rolling instead of peaking once and bolting.
Zone 8a tip: When summer heat hits, swap lettuce for Malabar spinach or Swiss chard.
Tough Tip: Use small trays. It’s easier to keep one tray watered than a full bed. Transplant when the timing fits.
2. Relay Planting
One crop hands the space over to another.
Example: Peas finish in spring → beans take their place. Lettuce harvested → cucumbers climb in.
On the Quinta: After pulling onions, I drop in basil seedlings to use the open rows.
3. Seasonal Succession
Think in seasons, not just weeks.
Example: Spinach in cool spring → tomatoes in summer → spinach again in autumn.
Zone 8a reality: Winters are gentler than Northern Europe, but frost still strikes. One freezing night can kill tender crops. Use row covers, cloches, or a polytunnel to stretch the season safely.
Tough Tip: Always check the 10-day weather forecast before sowing or transplanting. A surprise frost can undo months of planning.
4. Intercropping & Underplanting
Share the bed by layering crops with different growth speeds.
Example: Radishes between slow-growing carrots (radishes finish first). Basil under tomatoes (shade lover thrives).
On the Quinta: I tuck coriander under taller peppers. It bolts slower in the partial shade.
Tough Tip: Think of the soil as an apartment block. Fast crops live in the “studio flats.” Slower crops need the “penthouse.” Fill every level to use light, space, and time.
A Note on Frost in Zone 8a
Don’t be fooled by sunny winter days. Night temperatures can dip below zero, and frost will take out unprotected crops. Plan for covers, fleece, or tunnels if you want year-round succession. Think of them as insurance — one cold snap can undo months of growth.
What to Plant When (Zone 8/Mediterranean Calendar)
Succession planting shines when you know what can follow what. In Zone 8a, we get long summers, mild (but not frost-free) winters, and plenty of chances to rotate cool and warm crops. Here’s a starter calendar:
Month | Cool-Season Crops | Warm-Season Crops | Polytunnel/ Greenhouse Options | Frost Notes |
Jan | Broad beans, garlic, onions | — | Winter lettuce, spinach, coriander | Watch for hard frosts; cover seedlings |
Feb | Peas, spinach, radishes | Tomatoes & peppers (start indoors) | Early salad trays | Frost still likely; use fleece at night |
Mar | Lettuce, carrots, beets | Tomatoes, zucchini (transplant later) | Cucumbers in trays | Late frosts possible; keep tender plants under cover |
Apr | Lettuce, spring onions | Beans, squash, tomatoes | Basil, cucumbers | Transition month; protect young plants |
May | Radish, chard | Zucchini, cucumber, peppers, beans | Heat-loving herbs | Safe from frost; plant out tender crops |
Jun | Swiss chard, Malabar spinach | Tomatoes, okra, eggplants | Basil, chili peppers | Too hot for lettuce outdoors |
Jul | Kale (start in trays), radish | Beans, peppers, cucumber | Lettuce under shade cloth | Heat protection needed |
Aug | Radish, kale, spinach (start again) | Beans for late harvest | Lettuce in trays for autumn | Nights cool; autumn crops germinate well |
Sep | Spinach, carrots, coriander | Beans (last sowings) | Lettuce, pak choi | First frosts possible late in month |
Oct | Broad beans, garlic, onions | — | Winter greens | Cover tender crops at night |
Nov | Spinach, radish | — | Lettuce under fleece | Short days; focus on hardy crops |
Dec | Broad beans, kale, onions | — | Salad greens in tunnels | Frost likely; cover or harvest early |
Small-Space Succession: Balcony & Raised Bed Hacks
Succession planting isn’t just for big gardens. A balcony box or a raised bed can produce steady harvests if you think in layers and timings.
Cut-and-come-again greens
Lettuce, kale, and Asian greens regrow after each harvest. Snip leaves, and the plant keeps giving.
Baby roots for speed
Carrots, beets, and turnips can be harvested early as “babies.” This frees up space for the next crop while still feeding you.
Vertical power
Use trellises or netting to grow beans, cucumbers, or peas upward. This frees soil for fast-turning crops like radishes below.
Container swaps
Once one pot of basil is tired, replace it with a new batch of parsley or coriander. Containers make turnover quick.
Tough Tip: Keep a stash of ready-to-go seedlings in trays. When one crop finishes on the balcony, you don’t wait — you swap in the next and keep the food flowing.
Keep the Harvest Flowing
Succession planting is the art of turning one packet of seeds into a year-round food supply. Instead of empty beds or sudden gluts, you get a steady stream of meals, season after season. Start small — lettuce every two weeks, radishes each month, peas followed by beans — and let your garden teach you the rhythm.
From zucchinis to self-seeding tomatoes, my own lessons at the Quinta proved that succession planting works whether you plan it carefully or let nature improvise. With a little timing and protection from the odd frost, you can grow food twelve months of the year.
Explore Tough Kraut Resources for the seed-starting gear, season extenders, and books that make it easier.
Over to you: What’s your best succession trick? Share it in the comments — together we’re mapping the path to continuous harvests.
Herman’s Tough Kraut Fixes: Succession Planting Guide Troubleshooting & FAQ
Even with the best plans, succession planting can be tricky. This succession planting guide troubleshooting FAQ tackles the most common problems gardeners face — from gluts to gaps — with practical fixes that work in real gardens.
Q: What if I planted everything at once?
A: It happens. I did it with zucchinis in Year 2 and ended up buried in green torpedoes. The fix is simple: stagger sowings. Start a small tray every 2–3 weeks instead of one big batch. Even if you’re late, sow the next round. Think rhythm, not perfection.
Q: Why does my lettuce keep bolting in summer?
A: Succession planting isn’t just about timing — it’s also about crop choice. Lettuce wilts in heat. Switch to Malabar spinach, New Zealand spinach, or Swiss chard during summer. These thrive when lettuce sulks.
Q: How do I stop my soil from wearing out between crops?
A: Quick successions can drain soil nutrients fast. Always add compost or liquid feeds before replanting. A handful of worm castings or diluted compost tea refreshes soil between successions. Healthy soil = reliable harvests.
Q: Can I do succession planting in containers or a balcony garden?
A: Yes — succession works in any size. Swap pots the moment one crop fades, or keep trays of seedlings ready. Cut-and-come-again greens, radishes, and baby carrots thrive in containers.
Q: What about pests and diseases?
A: Succession planting reduces empty-bed problems but doesn’t replace crop rotation. Rotate families yearly. If aphids ruin one round of beans, your next sowing may escape if timed differently.
Q: Do self-seeded plants count as succession?
A: Absolutely. Volunteers are nature’s way of succession planting. My Year 4 tomato jungle was 100% self-seeded — no trays, no planning, just abundance. Welcome them when they help, and thin them when they crowd.
Recommended Books & Resources
Books
Plant, Grow, Harvest, Repeat by Meg McAndrews Cowden
A modern, practical deep dive into succession systems across the whole garden. Clear strategies for layering crops, staging sowings, and extending shoulder seasons.
The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener by Niki Jabbour
Season extension and timing made simple. Great for pairing successions with cold-weather protection and planning 12-month harvests.
Four-Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman
A classic on cold frames, low tunnels, and winter cropping. Ideal for Zone 8a growers who face frost but want steady greens.
Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook by Ron & Jennifer Kujawski
A calendar-driven planner that helps you schedule sowings and successions by week so tasks never pile up.
Resources
Bootstrap Farmer 72-Cell Seed Starter Kit (heavy-duty, reusable)
Durable trays with dome and flat. Ideal for frequent staggered sowings. Reuse for years to cut plastic waste.
Jump Start “Hot House” 72-cell with Heat Mat
All-in-one seed-starting kit with vented dome and heat mat to nail germination windows for steady successions.
EAGLE PEAK 8×6 pop-up greenhouse
Fast setup, handy for frost nights and shoulder seasons. Size is about 2.4 × 1.8 m (8 × 6 ft). Great for lettuce trays and relay crops.
Tough Kraut Resources
Here we gather seed-starting kits, frost covers, and mini greenhouses that keep your successions on schedule in real soil, not just on paper.
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