The practice of planting crops at intervals (weekly or biweekly) to ensure continuous harvests rather than one large harvest all at once.
In plain terms
Plant lettuce, beans, or squash every two weeks instead of all at once. The first planting matures and is harvested; the second matures two weeks later; the third two weeks after that. Continuous succession planting throughout the season ensures steady harvests instead of feast-famine cycles. It's essential for crops you want consistently available (salad greens, beans).
Why this matters
Succession planting extends harvest seasons and ensures food availability. Single plantings mature all at once—too much at once, then nothing.
In practice
Examples
Lettuce succession planted weekly; continuous harvests for weeks.
Single lettuce planting: all matures at once, overwhelming quantity.
Bean succession planted biweekly; continuous harvests from early summer through fall.
Carrot succession planting; harvests staggered throughout growing season.
Practical applications
Plant cool-season crops (lettuce, peas, beans) every 2 weeks for continuous harvest.
Plan plantings 2 weeks apart; adjust for crop maturity (lettuce 45 days, beans 60 days).
Stop planting 6-8 weeks before first frost; final planting won't mature.
Succession planting maximizes garden space; old crop harvested as new crop planted.
Track planting dates; aids harvest planning and crop rotation.