Think planting season is over? Think again.

While spring gets most of the attention, June and July are still excellent months to sow seeds. Many gardeners use a technique called succession planting to enjoy fresh vegetables, beautiful flowers, and productive garden beds right through to fall.

Whether you're growing food for your family, creating a cut flower garden, or simply making the most of your garden space, succession planting is one of the easiest ways to extend your harvests and keep your garden thriving all season long.

What Is Succession Planting?

Succession planting is the practice of planting crops and flowers in stages rather than all at once.

Instead of sowing an entire packet of lettuce, radishes, or sunflowers on a single day, you plant smaller amounts every few weeks. This helps spread out harvests and blooms, so everything doesn't mature at the same time.

Succession planting can also mean reusing garden space. Once an early crop is finished, you can plant something new in its place rather than leaving the area empty for the rest of the season.

The result is a garden that stays productive, colourful, and full of life for much longer.

Why Succession Plant?

There are plenty of benefits to succession planting:

• Enjoy harvests over a longer period
• Keep fresh vegetables coming throughout the season
• Extend flower blooms until frost
• Make better use of garden space
• Reduce waste from oversized harvests
• Support pollinators with a continuous source of flowers

It's a simple technique that can make a big difference in gardens of all sizes, helping you get more from your growing season.

Vegetables You Can Still Plant in June and July

Many vegetables grow quickly enough to be planted well into summer.

Peas
While peas are often considered a spring crop, quick-maturing varieties can still be planted for a later harvest. Consider trying favourites like Sugar Ann Snap Peas, Sugar Snap Peas, or Green Arrow Peas. As a general rule, peas can often be succession sown through June, with quick-maturing varieties sometimes planted into early July depending on your growing season and expected frost date.

Lettuce and Salad Greens
Lettuce is one of the best crops for succession planting. By sowing a small amount every couple of weeks, you'll enjoy fresh salads throughout the season instead of one large harvest all at once. 
Other great options include:

• Spinach
• Arugula
• Mustard greens
• Baby kale

Radishes
Ready in as little as a few weeks, radishes are ideal for repeated sowings. Plant a small row every week or two for a steady harvest.

Carrots
A second sowing of carrots in June or early July can provide a wonderful late-season harvest. Many gardeners find fall carrots are especially sweet.

Bush Beans
Bush beans grow quickly and produce heavily. Planting successive rows every few weeks helps ensure a steady supply rather than one overwhelming harvest.

Herbs
Fresh herbs are always welcome in the garden. Consider succession planting:

• Dill
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Basil 

This keeps new growth available for harvesting throughout the summer.

Flowers Worth Succession Planting

Succession planting isn't just for vegetables. Many flowers benefit from repeat sowings, especially if you enjoy cutting flowers for bouquets or supporting pollinators.

Sunflowers 
Sunflowers are perhaps the most popular flower for succession planting. Rather than planting them all at once, sow a small patch every two to three weeks until mid-summer. This creates a continuous display of blooms and provides plenty of flowers for bees, birds, and bouquets.

Zinnias 
Zinnias are a favourite among cut flower gardeners for good reason. They bloom heavily, attract pollinators, and continue flowering until frost. A second sowing in June can help keep your garden colourful later into the season.

Cosmos 
Cosmos are easy to grow, beautiful in bouquets, and loved by pollinators. Their delicate blooms add movement and colour to the garden from summer into fall.

Calendula
Fast-growing and cheerful, calendula is perfect for succession planting. It performs well in flower beds, pollinator gardens, and cutting gardens. 

Marigolds 
Marigolds are dependable, easy to grow, and available in a range of colours and sizes. They also make excellent companion plants in vegetable gardens.

Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are both beautiful and edible. Their vibrant flowers brighten containers, raised beds, and borders while attracting pollinators throughout the season.

Many Direct Sow Flowers Can Be Succession Planted

Sunflowers and zinnias often get the most attention when it comes to succession planting, but they're far from the only options.

Most direct sow flowers can be succession planted throughout the season, provided there are enough days remaining for the variety to reach maturity before frost.

Some excellent candidates include:

• Nigella
• Saponaria
• Garden Cress
• Annual Phlox
• Bachelor's Buttons
• Calendula
• Cosmos
• Nasturtiums

Planting a second or even third round of these flowers can help extend blooms, provide more pollinator support, and keep your cutting garden producing fresh flowers well into the season.

Tips for Successful Succession Planting

A little planning goes a long way.

• Check Days to Maturity 
  Before planting later in the season, check how long a variety takes to mature and compare it with the average first frost date in your area. 
  
• Water Consistently
  Summer-planted seeds often need more consistent moisture than spring plantings. Keep seedbeds evenly watered during germination. 
  
  
• Plant Small Amounts Often
  A few seeds every couple of weeks are usually more productive than planting everything at once.
  
• Fill Empty Spaces
  As spring crops finish, look for opportunities to replant those areas with vegetables, herbs, or flowers.
  
  
• Keep Your Garden Growing
  One of the biggest gardening myths is that planting season ends in spring. The truth is that June and July offer plenty of opportunities to keep your garden productive and beautiful. From peas and lettuce to sunflowers and zinnias, many crops and flowers can still be planted for late-season harvests and blooms.

Before you put those seed packets away, take another look around your garden. An empty space today could become a basket of vegetables, a bouquet of flowers, or a pollinator hotspot just a few weeks from now.

Happy planting!