Succession gardening is a second or even a third planting of vegetables in mid- to late-season. Here are some general tips as well as a guide of what to plant after your initial harvest.

Consider the length of the growing season in your climate: How many more weeks of good weather do you have? Choose a variety that will mature in that time or can tolerate frost.

Fast growing vegetables such as radishes, broccoli, spinach and lettuce are good candidates for succession sowing. From these crops choose varieties that are quick to mature.

Try to avoid planting crops from the same family in the same bed as the earlier harvest.

When sowing for fall harvest in areas with early frosts, choose plants that can be eaten young for succession sowing, like beets and carrots, or those that can take a light frost like lettuce or arugula (at left). That way, if cold weather threatens, you can still harvest edible produce.

Many unusual vegetables, like sprouting broccoli, bok choi (pictured at left), and spinach lends themselves to succession sowing as well -- experiment and try new types to find what works best for your family.

Arugula Growing Guide

Lettuce Growing Guide

Spinach Growing Guide

Radish Growing Guide

Broccoli Growing Guide

Kale Growing Guide

Kohlrabi Growing Guide

Beans can be sowed continuously until weather turns cold.

Follow with carrots in early summer, then replant peas for fall.

Most anything can be followed up or proceeded by annual herbs such as basil, cilantro, chervil, dill, or fennel.