Succession planting: build the schedule

Succession planting is the practice of making multiple small sowings of a crop at regular intervals rather than one large sowing, so that harvest is spread over weeks rather than concentrated in one rush. Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, succession planting is the single most effective technique.

Succession planting is the practice of making multiple small sowings of a crop at regular intervals rather than one large sowing, so that harvest is spread over weeks rather than concentrated in one rush. Per Cornell Cooperative Extension, succession planting is the single most effective technique for maintaining a consistent supply of fast-maturing crops like lettuce, spinach, radishes, and beans throughout the season.

The core calculation

Per Penn State Extension and Cornell Cooperative Extension, every succession schedule is built from three numbers:

1. Days to harvest (from seed to first harvest; found on seed packet)
2. Harvest window (how many days the crop produces usably before it declines, bolts, or becomes unusable)
3. Amount per interval (how much your household uses in one week)

Interval formula:

Sowing interval (days) = Harvest window ÷ Number of successions planned in that window

Or, simpler:

Sow a new batch every N days, where N is your household's "use-up window" for that crop

Example for lettuce (leaf type):

• Days to harvest: 45 days from seed
• Harvest window before bolting: 21 days (3 weeks) in summer heat
• Your household: uses 1 head per week
• Succession interval: sow new batch every 7—10 days
• First sowing: 45 days before you want lettuce (April 15 for June 1 harvest)
• Subsequent sowings: every 10 days through late May; stop before summer heat