A gardening question I’m asked over and over again is, “how do you have things always growing in your garden throughout the seasons?”
Succession gardening is the answer! Succession gardening usually means sowing the same crop multiple times spaced out over a few weeks throughout its growing season. So, instead of one big bumper crop at a time, you will have a “succession” of smaller harvests within the same growing season.
However, since I’m a suburban gardener with limited space, I utilize another form of succession planting according to successive seasons. For example, as pictured here, I’ve enjoyed eating fresh spinach all winter, only harvesting the outer leaves every couple of weeks as they mature. Nevertheless, this month, at the end of our cold weather, I pull up the whole spinach plants, layer in fresh home-made compost on top of the now vacant soil, and plant spring and summer vegetables.
In this particular sunny spot, I plan on sowing eggplant and tomatoes with some companion marigolds and basil. As each crop reaches its maximum yield in my limited space raised beds, I re-appropriate and re-nourish the same space for a successive crop like okra that thrives in 100 plus weather.
Succession planting allows me to maximize harvests through strategic planting, guaranteeing a garden is continually producing. I’ve mainly learned through my mistakes! Happy gardening y’all!
What new technique that you’ve learned will you incorporate into your gardening this season?
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.