Benefits of Succession Planting

Day #24

First let’s talk about what is succession planting – Succession planting is where you plant a smaller quantity at one time then wait some time and plant another row or section. The reason for doing this is you are able to keep on top of the crop and eat from it as fresh as possible. This also helps with crop failure due to weather conditions. Perhaps the crop wanted it warmer or cooler then you would have spaced it out in order for that crop to find its’ more favorable conditions.

Great vegetables to use this method is Corn, Lettuce, Spinach, Radish, Beets, Cucumbers

Succession Planting can also be used for shorter growing crops by rotating them out. For example early spring plant spinach (it like’s cooler weather) once harvested, then plant another shorter season crop like radishes. This is a really great way to get several types of crops into your diet as well as pantry (blanch/freeze). Depending on your location and how long you are able to plant you might be able to plant two different crops of say Broccoli once in the spring and once in the fall. Where I’m located in Northern Michigan we have a bit over 100 days to grow basically grow everything so I’m not able to plant several longer season crops, however I do use succession planting just not very strategically.

Typically people space out the crops every two weeks, however you do what you can. Maybe make a planting calendar that fits your life and your growing season.

I use these lights for my indoor growing

It’s also great for smaller spaces to rotate different summer crops

Sometimes however you would not want to use this method, this would be for crops that you want to preserve and have ready at the same time. For me my Tomatoes are all planted at the same time so I have a bumper crop in order to preserve.

So you see succession planting can be a great thing to implement depending on what your looking for.

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