Succession Planting Guide for Continuous Harvests
How to stagger your sowings so you harvest continuously instead of in one big glut — and which UK crops benefit most.
Growing advice verified against RHS guidance by the SoilCommander Growing Team.
What Is Succession Sowing?
Succession sowing means making small, repeated sowings of the same crop every 2–3 weeks rather than sowing the entire packet at once. The result: a steady supply of fresh produce over months rather than a feast-then-famine cycle.
Best Crops for Succession Sowing
| Crop | Sow every | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Lettuce | 2–3 weeks | March – August |
| Radishes | 2 weeks | March – September |
| Rocket | 2–3 weeks | March – May, Aug – Sep |
| Spring onions | 3 weeks | March – July |
| French beans | 3 weeks | May – July |
| Peas | 3–4 weeks | March – June |
| Beetroot | 3 weeks | April – July |
| Spinach / chard | 3–4 weeks | March – August |
Crops That Don’t Need Succession Sowing
Some crops produce continuously once established — no succession sowing required: courgettes, runner beans, kale, chard (if harvested as cut-and-come-again), and tomatoes.
Practical Tips
- Keep a small notepad in the shed — note the date of each sowing and when the next one is due
- Sow little and often: half a row is better than a full row for most salad crops
- In hot weather, skip a sowing of lettuce and rocket — they bolt before you can harvest
- Use modules for indoor succession sowings so transplants are always ready when space clears
See all planning guides: Garden Planning UK · Companion Planting Guide
Build The Plan Into Your Garden
Planning guides are easier to act on when you pair them with bed records, soil preparation, and the right basic tools.
Plan the next step
Use the printable UK Vegetable Garden Planner to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts, and weekly garden tasks.