Succession Planting Brussels Sprouts for a Longer Harvest Season

Brussels sprouts are famous for their cool-weather sweetness, but with the right timing, you can stretch your harvest window by weeks—or even months. Succession planting, a technique I’ve used for decades in my own garden, lets you enjoy steady harvests instead of a single, short picking period.

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What Is Succession Planting?

Succession planting is the practice of planting crops at staggered intervals rather than all at once. For Brussels sprouts, this means sowing or transplanting in multiple waves so that plants mature at different times.

Benefits of Succession Planting Brussels Sprouts

Longer harvest period – Pick fresh sprouts over several weeks instead of all at once.
Improved quality – Avoid having all sprouts reach peak size simultaneously, which can lead to over-maturity.
Pest management – Multiple plantings reduce the risk of losing your entire crop to a single pest outbreak.

Timing Your Succession Plantings

Because Brussels sprouts take 85–110 days from transplant to harvest, you’ll want to space out plantings 2–3 weeks apart.

Example for a Mild Winter Climate (Zone 8):

First planting: Late June for early fall harvest
Second planting: Mid-July for late fall harvest
Third planting: Early August for winter harvest

Example for a Cold Winter Climate (Zone 5–6):

First planting: Early June for late summer/early fall harvest
Second planting: Late June for fall harvest before hard frost

Variety Selection for Succession Planting

Early maturing varieties: Jade Cross, Churchill – Great for the first planting.
Mid-season varieties: Diablo, Catskill – Reliable for the second wave.
Late maturing varieties: Oliver, Falstaff – Hold well into colder months.

My Experience Tip

When I first tried succession planting, I discovered that the second planting often outperforms the first—cooler weather during maturity boosts flavor. In my Zone 9 garden, my August-planted Brussels sprouts consistently produce the sweetest harvests in January.

Succession Planting Calendar for Brussels Sprouts

USDA Zone	First Planting	Second Planting	Third Planting	Expected Harvest Windows
3–4	Late May	Early June	Not recommended (season too short)	August – September
5–6	Early June	Late June	Not recommended (risk of frost)	September – October
7	Mid June	Early July	Late July	October – December
8	Late June	Mid July	Early August	November – January
9–10	Early July	Late July	Mid August	December – February

Notes for Success:

Space each planting 2–3 weeks apart so harvests don’t overlap.
Choose different maturity dates for each planting (early, mid, late varieties).
In cold climates, aim for final harvest before deep freeze.
In warm climates, later plantings often produce the sweetest sprouts.