So, you want to grow fruits and vegetables in your garden to enjoy high-quality food. That’s an excellent plan.
You’re probably thinking of going the traditional planting route, but have you considered other options? You probably heard of succession planting and how it allows you to maximize your harvest.
Why don’t you give it a shot? I understand you’ll be entering uncharted waters, but that’s why I’m here. I’ll offer you smart succession planting tips to help you make the most out of your seeds.
1 – Track How Much Food You Consume
I know what you’re thinking: “What good will that do?” You’d be surprised. As you probably already know, succession planting is all about continuously sowing several rounds of plants one after the other.
Naturally, the first question that will pop into your head is: “How much should I plant?” Should you keep sowing seeds until the end of time?
The answer depends on how much food you consume. That’s why auditing your food is a crucial part of the process. It allows you to determine how much of a specific crop you need.
For example, if you consume five tomatoes a week, that’s almost 260 a year. So, now you know how many tomatoes you need to grow.
2 – Know How Much Fruit Your Plant Will Produce
You can’t control the quantity of your crops if you don’t know how many vegetables your plant will produce.
Here’s the problem: All plants aren’t born equal. The number of vegetables a plant can grow differs from one plant to another.
For example, if you sow one carrot plant, you’ll get 3-6 carrots. However, one cucumber plant can give you 10-15 cucumbers.
So, you want to do extensive research on the crops you want to grow to avoid growing too many or too few. Luckily, a simple Google search should give you all the information you need.
Keep in mind that some results will give you the number of veggies a plant can produce, while others will tell you the count per gram.
It doesn’t end here, though. When you harvest your crops, you want to record how many seeds you used and how many vegetables your plants produced.
That will help you identify the ideal number of plants to sow in the future, making the planting process smoother.
3 – Learn When to Grow Your Plants
This one’s a no-brainer. There’s no point in tracking how much food you consume or calculating how many vegetables a seed produces if you can’t grow healthy crops.
That involves knowing when to sow your plants/seeds and how long they’ll take to produce vegetables. Unfortunately, it might take a while to learn that.
Most gardeners say it’s a life-long learning process. So, stay patient and keep records of all your crops, especially if you’re growing a wide variety of plants.
That said, you can find various planting charts on the internet that show you the best time to grow specific crops and how long they take to thrive.
I say “various” because growing seasons differ depending on where you live. So, look for one that covers your zone.
4 – Grow Several Types of Plants at the Same Time
Some gardeners think succession planting is about growing the same type of plants one round after the other. While that’s not wrong, it’s not necessarily the case.
You can plant several types of plants in the same garden at the same time. That allows you to make the most of your garden without overwhelming it or yourself.
For example, you can plant cabbage and radishes simultaneously. Cabbage usually takes a long time to grow, while some radish varieties can thrive in 30-40 days.
So, plant your radishes between the cabbage, and they’ll be ready for harvest before your cabbage takes over that space.
5 – Avoid Overcrowding Your Garden
Reading the previous section, you might be tempted to sow as many crops as your garden can take, thinking it’d give you more to harvest. That’s a recipe for disaster, though.
You see, when you plant too many crops next to each other, they’ll compete for resources. That means some won’t receive the necessary water and nutrients to grow properly.
Broccolis are famous for experiencing stunted growth when planted in a crowded garden. So, leave some space around each seed/plant.
6 – Optimize Your Soil Often
As a planting method that requires you to grow plants one patch after another, succession planting can be draining for soil. After all, it doesn’t give it enough time to rest.
Would you enjoy it if you had to work 24/7 with no breaks? Of course not! You’d probably be miserable and wouldn’t be able to give it your 100%.
Add some organic materials to your soil between each round to refresh it. A large patch of mulch would be ideal. You can also rotate the crops to improve the soil’s health.
Final Thoughts
I’ve given you all the smart succession planting tips to do it strategically and enjoy a luscious crop. Ultimately, succession planting isn’t that different from regular planting.
As long as you put in the effort and keep track of all your seeds/plants, your harvest will be as smooth and fruitful as it could get.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.