Successional sowing explained — a steady harvest, not a glut

Successional sowing is the gardening technique of sowing small amounts of a crop at regular intervals — rather than all at once — so that it matures in a steady succession rather than all at the same time. It's the simple secret to a continuous harvest.

The problem it solves

If you sow a whole packet of lettuce or radish seeds on one day, they'll all be ready to harvest at the same time — giving you a sudden glut you can't possibly eat, followed by nothing. Successional sowing spreads the harvest out, so you have a steady, manageable supply over many weeks instead.

How to do it

• Sow a short row or a few cells every 2-3 weeks through the growing season, rather than everything at once
• Works best for fast-growing crops: salad leaves, radishes, rocket, spinach, spring onions, beetroot and carrots
• Stop sowing when there's no longer enough growing season left for the crop to mature

The takeaway

'Little and often' is the rule. It takes barely any extra effort but transforms a feast-or-famine harvest into a steady supply of fresh veg — one of the most useful habits a beginner grower can adopt. Our free seed sowing planner helps you space your sowings.