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I am struggling to work out, in an ideal situation, how frequently to sow veggies suitable for successional growing.

I have done fairly well this year and have had, for example, some carrots, beetroot and lettuce each month from May to October. It's by no means seamless, but it's just nice to think there's more to come.

Clearly, a lot depends upon how long the veg can stand without spoiling - I have never over-done it with carrot and beetroot as they can just sit there and wait.

Lettuce wise, however, I have sown too many in one go and need to do fewer, more frequently. I would also like to try getting a better supply of calabrese, which we eat all the time.

Any thoughts about how to work out a successional system for a particular crop (using the same variety, for ease!) ???

Sorry Cutecumber,

no idea but great question thanks, I will be watching with interest.

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I reckon it would be very difficult because the variable we can't control is the weather. You've done well to get the succession you have this year under the circumstances Cute. There are some things I try to get a succession with but if you sow a month apart in March/April and your succession works you have to remember that things will grow a lot quicker in June/July. I never really seem to manage it. It's a feast or a famine as they say.

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Updated November 17th - The Big Dig

Indeed, the growth rate is highly variable through the year.

And I do get periods of famine, but not for long - it makes it really nice when the next lot comes along, anyway.

Hi, It might be best to carry on with 3 weekly sowings of each from the start of the season. You should have a constant supply and root veg such as beetroot can be stored easily in sand and will last a long time.

=]

I try and sow some more when the first batch germinates ... doesn't always work out right though!

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There doesn't seem to be much reasoning behind the "three weeks" that I have seen written about... it can't be the same for all veg, surely?

The other trick is knowing at what time of the year things play "catch up".

Is it ever worth sowing in heat in March, for example, if things sown without heat in April are harvested at the same time...?

Fraught with problems

it's not so much a time thing for sowing - it's about when you harvest it - you don't have to wait until things are fully grown and you don't have to harvest everything in one go
if you sow a second batch 3-4 weeks after the first, the first ones of the second batch should be ready by the time you finish harvesting the first batch

it's all trial and error - no hard and fast rules - will always vary because of weather etc - dont worry too much about it, just enjoy it

if you sow more than you need, you shouldn't have famine - surplus could be swapped or composted so never goes to waste

I find it pretty good to sow beans/ mangetout at the interval of 3 weeks. As for brassica, I sow them with the interval of 2 to 3 weeks depending on the month (only 2 seeds per pot). During Summer I switch to heat loving leavy veggies ( which will need around 2 months at everage for maturing such as amaranth, water convolvulus...), by this time the interval will be every 3 weeks . I did manage to have lots of continuous harvest but it was rather boring feast as things has to be harvest yet we can't eat that fast/ much.

Momol

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I grow, I pick, I eat ...

My surplus go to my cavy and bunny plus family and neighbour so it won't go waist.

Momol

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I grow, I pick, I eat ...

I try and grow as many different types of each vegetable as I can and with different maturity rates this automatically gives a succession!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Interesting stuff, thanks. Must get myself some guinea pigs!

That's the other part of the equation, Snadger - sow several varieties at the same time, but make sure they mature at different rates. I think that's probably viable for brassicas more than other veg.

If I was growing more, in quantity, I wouldn't be so interested in getting the balance right, but with limited space it can be particularly annoying to have gaps and even more annoying to have to resign things to the compost heap!

For what its worth, my experience this year was that the Amsterdam Forcing carrots worked really well in succession - I'm still pulling them now - but the Sutton peas and Prince beans didnt work because they caught each other up so I had a glut, so tried a very late sowing which has just been caught by frost. The lettuce, courgettes, broadies and cauli all caught each other up as well so I'm obviously no good at this successional lark!! Oh, they were all three weeks apart, three separate lots of sowings. Maybe try a month apart, but then we're getting into sowing really early and really late for the first and last lots?

I've managed to eat/freeze everything this year, but will have an allotment next year and nowhere near enough freezer space so I will be watching this thread with great interest!

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Life may not be the party we hoped for but since we're here we might as well dance

It is definitely important to appreciate the effect of the lengthening and shortening of days.

For some crops, it doesn't matter if you start something with extra heat - if there's just not enough light they will be very slow to get going and be easily caught up. Once you get into their main growing season, the intervals work better.

Hi.
Every three weeks sounds about right; but surely it also has to do with the amount that is sown every time as much as the interval. It all catches up when it gets hot anyway I find, and then spoils if you so much as look at a long weekend away...about every 3 weeks also corresponds with every other moon interval; for those wishing to know these things.

Yep, it also depends on the amount that you sow and the time that something can stand before spoiling.

I think we might have to put this in the "probably impossible" theory box

I think its just a matter of judgement depending on weather and how much you want. I don't think there is going to be an end solution to this thread!!!

=]

I never thought about the amount of light, I was conscious of heat/water but not of light I must admit ... hmmm something else to remember next year!

And I like the thought that I'm sort of in tune with the moon phases. I dont have the organisational ability to do that sort of thing in a meaningful way, but if I can do it 'serendipulously' (if there is such a word) then so much the better! Interesting thought ... must look into when to start my three week rotations ...

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