Succession Planting Calculator
Plant a little every few weeks instead of all at once and you get a steady harvest rather than a glut. Choose a crop, enter your first sowing date and first fall frost, and the calculator works out how often to sow, every planting date and the last date that still matures before frost.
Last updated:
Typical days to maturity shown; use your seed packet if it differs.
Leave blank for the crop's typical value.
How long one sowing keeps producing.
Hardy crops: 2–4 weeks before last spring frost. Tender crops: after it.
Blank = one harvest window (auto).
Extra days for crops maturing in shorter fall days.
Optional: split evenly across plantings.
How to use the Succession Planting Calculator
- Choose your crop, or pick Other and enter the days to maturity, harvest window and frost tolerance from the seed packet.
- Pick the planting method: direct sow, or start indoors and transplant (set how many days seedlings grow inside).
- Enter your first sowing date and first fall frost. For lettuce and other cool crops, keep the summer pause if your summers are hot.
- Press Calculate schedule to see the interval, each planting date, expected harvests and the last sowing date.
- Optionally fine-tune the interval, fall slow-down or total row feet, then copy or download the schedule.
How the schedule is calculated
The calculator uses the standard method found in extension service garden guides:
- Sowing interval = the harvest window of one planting. If lettuce stays good to pick for about 3 weeks, sowing every 3 weeks means the next batch is ready as the last one fades. The automatic interval stays between 7 and 42 days; you can type your own.
- Last sowing date = first fall frost − (days to maturity + fall slow-down). The slow-down, usually 14 days, allows for slower growth in the shorter, cooler days of late summer and fall.
- Frost-tender crops (beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, basil) also need a harvest before frost kills them, so up to 14 more days are subtracted.
- Harvest of each planting starts at sowing + days to maturity and lasts one harvest window. Tender and half-hardy crops stop at the frost date; hardy crops can carry on after it.
Example: leaf lettuce (45 days, 3-week window), first frost October 15. Last sowing = October 15 − (45 + 14) = August 17. Sowing every 21 days from March 25 with a June–July pause gives sowings on March 25, April 15, May 6 and May 27, then August 1 after the heat and a final sowing on August 17.
Succession planting guide for common crops
| Crop | Days to maturity | Sow every | Frost tolerance | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radish | 22–30 | 7–10 days | Hardy | Sow small batches; they go pithy fast |
| Leaf lettuce | 40–50 | 2–3 weeks | Light frost OK | Pick outer leaves to stretch each planting |
| Spinach, arugula | 35–50 | 2–3 weeks | Hardy | Bolts in long, hot days; great fall crop |
| Cilantro, dill | 45–55 | 2–3 weeks | Light frost OK | Bolts quickly in heat; sow often |
| Beets, turnips | 45–60 | 3 weeks | Hardy | Thin early; greens are edible too |
| Carrots | 60–80 | 3–4 weeks | Hardy | Keep the seedbed moist until they sprout |
| Bush beans | 50–60 | 2–3 weeks | Tender | Sow once soil is warm (about 60°F / 16°C) |
| Sweet corn | 65–90 | ~2 weeks | Tender | Plant blocks, not single rows, for pollination |
| Cucumbers | 50–65 | 3–4 weeks | Tender | A second planting replaces vines hit by pests |
| Zucchini | 45–60 | 5–6 weeks | Tender | Two plantings a season is usually enough |
Tips for a steady harvest
- Plant smaller amounts each time. A short row every few weeks feeds a household better than one long row.
- Combine succession with faster or slower varieties of the same crop to widen each harvest window.
- Cover late plantings with row cover or a cold frame to push the harvest a few weeks past the first frost.
- Find indoor start dates for tomatoes and peppers with the Seed Starting Date Calculator, and check one planting's harvest with the Harvest Date Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is succession planting?
Succession planting means sowing the same crop several times a few weeks apart, so a new batch matures just as the previous one finishes. It gives a steady supply of quick crops such as lettuce, radishes, beans and cilantro instead of one large harvest all at once.
How often should I succession plant?
A good rule is to sow again when one planting's harvest window ends, so the interval equals how long one sowing keeps producing. That works out to about every 7 to 10 days for radishes, 2 to 3 weeks for lettuce, spinach and bush beans, and 3 to 4 weeks for cucumbers and carrots.
How do I find my last planting date?
Count back from your average first fall frost: days to maturity plus about 14 days because growth slows in the shorter, cooler days of fall. For frost-tender crops such as beans and cucumbers, also allow about two weeks of harvest before the frost. Hardy crops like kale, spinach and carrots can keep going after light frosts.
Why pause lettuce and spinach in summer?
Cool-season crops tend to bolt (send up a flower stalk) and turn bitter in long, hot days. In warm climates it is common to stop sowing them in midsummer and resume for a fall crop, or to switch to heat-tolerant varieties and shade cloth.
What does days to maturity mean?
It is the typical number of days from sowing (or from transplanting, for crops usually started indoors) until the first harvest, as printed on the seed packet. Real timing changes with weather, soil temperature and variety, so the dates here are estimates.
Which crops are not worth succession planting?
Long-season crops that keep producing all summer, such as tomatoes, peppers, pole beans and winter squash, are usually planted once. Succession planting pays off most for fast crops that are harvested once or for a short period.
Where do I find my frost dates?
Use the average dates published by your local agricultural extension office or national weather service for the nearest station. Averages mean a frost can still come earlier, so protect late plantings with row covers when a cold night is forecast.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.