Succession Planting UK: Veg Plot Guide
- Succession planting means sowing new crops as soon as harvested ones come out, keeping every bed productive through to autumn.
- Late July sowings of carrots, beetroot, kale, and dwarf beans give you harvests from September through October.
- Quick-growing crops like radish (25 days) and salad leaves (30 days) fill gaps between slower-growing veg.
- Refresh soil between crops with peat-free multi-purpose compost and a general fertiliser to replace nutrients.
- Hardy autumn-sown crops like kale, leeks, and Swiss chard keep producing well into winter with minimal protection.
If you have ever harvested a row of early potatoes or pulled the last broad bean plant in July and looked at the empty space thinking "that is months until spring" -- you are missing the best growing window of the year. July and August are when succession planting turns a single-season veg plot into a machine that keeps producing through to the first frosts and beyond.
The principle is simple: as soon as one crop finishes, another goes in its place. No bare soil, no wasted weeks, no mid-season lull where the only thing growing is weeds. For UK gardeners, late July to early September is the golden window for sowing crops that mature in autumn and winter, giving you fresh veg from your own garden when most people are buying tasteless imports from the supermarket.
Here is exactly what to sow now, what to sow next month, and how to manage the soil between crops so your plot keeps delivering right through October and into November.
The Principles of Succession Planting
Succession planting is not complicated. It relies on three basic rules that any UK gardener can follow. First, always have something ready to go in the ground when space opens up. Second, choose crops that match the remaining growing season. Third, treat soil like a resource that needs topping up between crops, not a bottomless supply of nutrients.
The biggest mistake beginners make is thinking the growing season ends in August. In reality, the UK growing season runs from March to October for most veg, and well into December for hardy crops. July and August sowings give you an entire second season of productivity that most gardeners miss because they assume summer is the end, not the middle.
What to Sow in Late July for Autumn Harvest
Late July feels counter-intuitive for sowing -- the weather is warm, the garden looks full, and it seems like the season is winding down. But the soil is at its warmest now, which means seeds germinate faster than they do in spring. Many crops that need 8-12 weeks to mature will be ready for harvest from late September through October, when fresh garden veg is at a premium.
These are the crops to get in the ground right now:
- Carrots (early varieties like Amsterdam Forcing or Nantes 5): Sow direct into fine soil, thin to 5cm apart, harvest from October.
- Beetroot: Bolt-resistant varieties like Boldor or Pablo. Sow every 3 weeks for a continuous supply.
- Dwarf French beans: Varieties like Safari or Delinel. They crop in 60 days from sowing, giving you beans through September.
- Kale: A no-brainer for British gardens. Sow now for harvests from October through late winter.
- Turnips: Quick-growing and undemanding. Sow in shallow drills for crunchy roots by October.
- Spring onions: White Lisbon or Ishikura. Sow in patches and pull as needed all autumn.
- Swiss chard: Bright Lights or Rainbow mix. Perennial in all but the harshest winters.
All of these benefit from a peat-free multi-purpose compost worked into the top few inches before sowing. A light dressing of general fertiliser gives them the boost they need to establish quickly while the soil is still warm.
What to Sow in August for Winter and Early Spring Harvest
August sowings need faster-maturing or cold-tolerant crops. The days are getting shorter, soil temperatures start dropping from mid-September, so you want plants that either grow quickly or are hardy enough to sit through winter and start growing again in spring.
- Radish: The fastest crop in the garden. 25 days from seed to plate.
- Salad leaves: Rocket, mixed leaf salads, mizuna, mustard greens. Cut-and-come-again crops keep giving for 6-8 weeks.
- Spinach: Perpetual spinach is incredibly hardy and crops through winter with minimal protection.
- Pak choi and oriental greens: Fast-growing and cold-tolerant. Harvest from September through November.
- Winter lettuce: Varieties like Winter Density or Arctic King survive outdoors under a cloche.
- Japanese onion sets: Plant in August for harvesting next June. They are less prone to bolting than spring-planted sets.
- Hardy peas: Meteor or Feltham First. Sow in August, they overwinter and crop in early May.
For August sowings, a gentle spray attachment for your hose is essential -- August can still bring dry spells, and newly germinated seedlings have shallow roots that dry out fast in warm soil. A fine rose setting mimics gentle rain and wont wash seeds out of their drills.
Quick-Growing Crops for Fill-In Spaces
These are the crops that make succession planting work at ground level. You will always have odd gaps between slower-growing veg -- a row of kale that had two plants fail, the space beside a tomato plant where the basil bolted. Instead of leaving that space bare, fill it with a fast crop that uses the space and gives you something extra before the main crop spreads out.
Radish is the champion here. From seed to salad in 25 days. Sow a patch every 2 weeks and you get a continuous supply. Rocket works the same way -- 30 days from sowing to first cut, then it regrows for 2-3 more cuttings. Spring onions are another classic gap-filler because they are narrow, grow upwards not outwards, and dont compete hard for root space.
Even if you only have a 30cm gap between two rows of carrots, sow a short row of radish there. That small space will produce 6-8 radishes. Over a whole season, filling every gap across a standard 3x6m veg plot can add 20-30% to your total harvest without using any extra ground.
Soil Care Between Crops
This is the part most gardeners skip, and it makes the difference between succession planting working and the soil getting exhausted by October. Every crop you harvest takes nitrogen, potassium, and trace elements out of the ground. If you plant something new into the same soil without replenishing it, the second crop will be weak, slow, and prone to pests.
Between each crop, do three things. First, clear all spent roots and plant debris -- dont leave them to rot where slugs and diseases can overwinter. Second, add a 5cm layer of peat-free multi-purpose compost or well-rotted manure on top and work it in lightly with a fork. Third, sprinkle a general-purpose fertiliser like Growmore or blood, fish and bone at the recommended rate.
If you follow this routine between every crop change, your soil actually gets better through the season rather than worse. The compost improves structure and water retention, the fertiliser replaces what was used, and the act of forking between crops keeps the top few inches aerated for root growth.
A variety seed pack with 30 different vegetable types is a great way to experiment with succession planting without committing to single varieties. You can try different crops in small patches and see which ones perform best in your garden's specific conditions and microclimate.
Succession Planting Timeline for UK Gardens
| Sow Date | Crops | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Late July | Carrots, beetroot, dwarf French beans, kale, turnips, spring onions, Swiss chard | Sept - Oct |
| Early August | Radish, rocket, salad leaves, spinach, pak choi, spring onions | Sept - Oct |
| Mid August | Winter lettuce, Japanese onion sets, hardy peas, oriental greens | Oct - Nov (or overwinter for spring) |
| Late August | Lamb's lettuce, corn salad, land cress, winter spinach | Nov - Feb (with cloche) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Verdict
Succession planting is the single most effective change you can make to your UK veg plot this season. It turns the July-to-October window from a slow wind-down into your most productive period. The crops are easier to grow than spring plantings because the soil is warm, the weeds are slower, and the pests are less aggressive. And the reward -- fresh veg from your own garden in October and November when supermarket quality is at its worst -- is worth every seed you sow now.
Start this weekend. Pull out anything that has finished cropping, fork in some peat-free compost, and sow a row of kale, a row of carrots, and a patch of radish. In six weeks you will be picking fresh veg from ground that would otherwise be sitting empty.
- Westland Multi-Purpose Compost with John Innes Peat Free 25L - Essential for refreshing soil between crops
- Spear & Jackson Stainless Steel Trowel and Weed Fork Set - Perfect for clearing and preparing beds
- Hozelock Multi-Jet Spray Gun - Gentle watering for newly sown seeds
- Scott&Co Vegetable Seeds Variety Pack - 30 Varieties - Experiment with succession planting crops
- Miracle-Gro Peat-Free Premium All Purpose Compost 20L - Alternative compost option for containers
Alex Green writes about vegetable growing, plant care and small-space gardening for MyLushGarden.
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Last reviewed: July 23, 2026 · Evidence-based content · Contains affiliate links