What is Succession Planting?
The goal of succession planting is to make the most of your garden space and keep the beds growing and producing. Filling in the garden as soon as crops are harvested

Preparing for Succession Planting:
After the first crop is finished and removed, weed then rake the soil. You can add a thin layer of compost (Bumper Crop) if you feel your soil needs a boost. You can then plant young plants or seeds right away. The warmer soil and sunlight will help these second crops to quickly grow.

Group Similar Crops Together:
Dedicating whole beds to similar crops make it easy to rotate the beds from season to season and to plan for succession crops. Usually, the crops in the same family share similar watering and fertilizing needs and mature at the same time.

Select Early Maturing Varieties especially in the Late Summer, early Fall. Choosing varieties that mature quickly is key to succession planting. The earlier the plants grow and produce a harvest, the sooner they can be replaced with another crop. Some varieties mature earlier than others.

Grow Transplants:
You don’t have to wait for a crop to be finished in the garden before starting the next succession planting. Sowing seeds and growing seedlings in pots and trays can give them a head start. When space opens up, you can transplant healthy seedlings instead of sowing seeds. Some seeds will not germinate when it is too hot. You can start these seeds indoors,and plant into the garden when the weather is bit cooler.

Choose disease-resistant varieties that mature quickly. Here are a few suggestions for Succession Crops:

• Bush beans
  
• Early potatoes
  
• Carrots
  
• Onions
  
• Garlic
  
• Beets
  
• Lettuce
  
• Spinach
  
• Arugula
  
• Broccoli
  
• Swiss chard
  
• Kale
  
• Asian greens
  
• Bush peas rather than traditional climbers, as they mature more quickly.

Extend Your Growing Season with Succession Planting.

Happy Gardening!