Succession Planting for Year-Round Harvests

Succession planting is the secret to enjoying garden-fresh potatoes for months instead of just a few weeks. By staggering your plantings and choosing the right varieties, you can harvest “new” potatoes from early summer right into fall—and even have spuds for Christmas!

What is Succession Planting?

• Planting batches of potatoes at intervals, rather than all at once.
• Aims to spread out your harvest: as one crop finishes, the next is coming ready.

How to Plan Succession Planting

1. Variety Selection:
   • Start with first earlies for fast, early crops.
   • Follow with second earlies and maincrops for summer and autumn harvests.
2. Planting Schedule:
   • Plant first earlies as soon as soil is workable (late Feb–March).
   • Second earlies 2–3 weeks later.
   • Maincrops late March–May.
   • In mild climates or with protection, late summer/early autumn plantings can deliver Christmas or New Year’s potatoes.

Top Tips for Success

• Use Containers & Beds:
  Start earliest batches in bags or tubs in greenhouses/porches, then move to beds for midsummer and late crops.
• Chit (sprout) each batch:
  For fast emergence and healthy growth.
• Choose Diverse Varieties:
  Early, mid, and late season types have different growth lengths and storage lives.

Watering & Feeding Through the Season

• Water consistently as each batch flowers and tubers begin forming.
• Feed every 3–4 weeks with a balanced or high-potassium fertilizer.

Harvest Timing

• New potatoes: 10–12 weeks after planting, as each batch flowers.
• Maincrop: When tops yellow and die back, usually 20 weeks after planting.

Bonus: Harvest for Christmas

• Plant second earlies in late July–August in bags or containers kept frost-free.
• Move bags under cover in autumn and reduce watering as leaves die back.
• Dig “fresh” potatoes for the holiday table!