Succession planting means sowing a new batch of crops before or as you harvest the previous one. Instead of 50 heads of lettuce ready in one week, you get 10 heads every week for 5 weeks. The result: steady supply, fewer gluts, and better sales. This guide covers strategies that work for backyard micro farms.

Crop	Planting Interval	Weeks of Harvest	Notes
Lettuce	Every 2 weeks	Spring–fall	Cut-and-come-again extends harvest
Radishes	Every 1–2 weeks	4–8 batches	Quick turnover; replant same spot
Spinach	Every 2–3 weeks	Spring and fall	Bolts in heat; stop in summer
Beans	Every 2–3 weeks	Summer	Harvest declines; replant for fresh crop
Arugula	Every 2 weeks	Cool seasons	Cut-and-come-again
Carrots	Every 3–4 weeks	Spring–fall	Stagger for steady supply
Beets	Every 3 weeks	Spring–fall	Greens and roots

Why Succession Planting Works

Most vegetables peak over 1–3 weeks. Plant everything at once and you harvest everything at once. That overwhelms your kitchen, your market table, and your customers. Stagger plantings and you spread harvest over months. Use the seasonal calendar to plan intervals. Pair with square foot gardening for dense, efficient layouts.

Interval-Based Scheduling

Pick an interval (every 2 weeks is common for lettuce and greens). Mark it on your calendar. Plant on schedule whether or not the previous batch is harvested. If you harvest early, the next batch fills the gap. If you harvest late, you have overlap. Both are fine.

• Lettuce: every 14 days from last frost to 6 weeks before first frost
• Radishes: every 10–14 days in spring and fall
• Beans: every 2–3 weeks; stop 8 weeks before first frost
• Beets and carrots: every 3 weeks for continuous root harvest

Same-Spot Succession

When you harvest one crop, plant another in the same spot. Radishes finish in 3 weeks; follow with lettuce or spinach. Early peas come out in June; plant beans or squash. Use a crop rotation plan so you do not plant the same family back-to-back. Refer to our companion planting guide for good follow-on crops.

Same-Crop vs Different-Crop Succession

Same-crop succession: Plant lettuce every 2 weeks. You always have lettuce at different stages. Different-crop succession: Harvest radishes, then plant beans. You maximize use of space across the season. Use both. Same-crop for staples; different-crop to fill gaps and rotate families.

Recording Your Schedule

Keep a simple log: planting date, variety, location, and harvest date. A spreadsheet or garden journal works. After one season you will know your exact intervals. Use the seed cost calculator to budget seeds for multiple plantings.

Succession Planting by Crop Family

Greens (Lettuce, Spinach, Arugula, Kale)

Plant every 2–3 weeks. Cut-and-come-again varieties extend each planting. In summer, switch to heat-tolerant lettuce or pause and resume in fall.

Roots (Radishes, Carrots, Beets)

Radishes: every 1–2 weeks. Carrots and beets: every 3–4 weeks. Roots store well, so you can batch harvest, but succession keeps a steady supply for market.

Beans

Bush beans produce for 2–3 weeks then decline. Plant a new block every 2–3 weeks. Pole beans produce longer; one or two plantings may suffice.

Corn (If You Grow It)

Plant in blocks every 2 weeks for staggered sweet corn harvest. Needs space; consider skipping in very small yards. See best crops for small backyards for alternatives.

Common Mistakes

• Planting too much in one batch: start with 2–3 succession cycles, then scale up
• Forgetting to replant: set calendar reminders
• Ignoring crop families: do not follow lettuce with lettuce in the same spot; rotate
• Overlapping without space: ensure you have room for the next planting

Integrating with Year-Round Growing

Succession planting fits into a year-round schedule. Indoors, stagger microgreens trays every 3–5 days. Outdoors, succession runs from spring to fall. Combine both for non-stop harvests.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is succession planting?

Succession planting means planting the same or different crops at staggered intervals so you harvest continuously instead of all at once. For example, plant lettuce every 2 weeks for a steady supply.

Which crops are best for succession planting?

Lettuce, radishes, spinach, arugula, beans, carrots, and beets work well. Fast-maturing crops with a short harvest window benefit most. Tomatoes and peppers produce over a long period and need less succession.

How do I plan succession planting intervals?

Use days to harvest from seed packets. If lettuce matures in 50 days, plant every 2 weeks so a new batch is ready as the previous one finishes. Adjust for your climate and growth rate.

Can I succession plant in a small garden?

Yes. Use same-spot succession: harvest radishes, then plant lettuce. Or reserve a few squares in a square foot bed for staggered plantings. Small spaces benefit from succession to maximize yield.