Succession Planting

By: Ron Cusano                 May 19, 2009                            Vol. 2 Article 1010

     The best way to get the most production from your garden is with succession planting.  Simply put, this means following one crop with a second crop, which produces two or more crops from the same space.  Since many types of vegetables do not require a full growing season to reach maturity, this is a practical way to get maximum productions, and extend your growing season.
     A word of caution . . .  Succession planting required fertile soil, and replenishing nutrients midseason in most cases. Having a supply of compost and/or a quick, rich nitrogen source, such as blood meal, is necessary for best results.
     In my garden, I plant peas along a long,  4” tall tall trellis in early March, which is not a problem, since peas thrive in cool, damp soil.  This produces an abundant crop by late May, and finishes bearing by early to mid June.  When the peas begin to bear a crop, I set out melon seedlings, which were started indoors and have been hardening off in the cold frame, right along side the pea vines. As the pea vines start dying off, the melon vines start taking over the trellis. In time, the pea vines will become brittle and fall from the trellis to become part of the organic mulch. Sometimes I admit to becoming a bit impatient, and remove some of the pea vines manually and add them to the compost pile.  So this 18’ length of trellis along the foundation of my house produces a great crop of peas, followed by late season cantaloupes!
     My spinach, lettuce and romaine, which I also start in early March do best in cool weather. As the mature and are harvested, I follow them with bush beans of different varieties.  These finish producing their heaviest crop by Early Sept. Even thought they might produce a month longer at a lower yield, I pull then up, and replant for Fall spinach, lettuce and romaine.  This produces 3 crops from the same space.
     I another bed I start bush beans early in the season, which are fairly well spent by mid to late Summer.  These are followed by a replanting of more bush beans. As you might have guessed, we enjoy bush beans, and so by my children and grandchildren.
     As mentioned earlier, succession planting required fertile soil, and can deplete it of nutrients if care is not taken to replenish it throughout the season. Every Fall or early Spring, all my beds get a good application of manure and a lot of compost, or partially decomposed compost.  Before replanting a bed with a second crop, that bed is given an additional application of compost, bone meal, and possible blood meal, depending on the crops. In addition, all my plants receive biweekly applications of fish emulsion as a supplemental feeding.
     The key to successful succession planting is, as mentioned, good soil, and accurate timing. It’s an easy practice to learn, and the rewards are great.

Blessings,

Ron
“The Garden Guy”