What to Plant After Garlic and Peas: Succession Crops for Summer and Fall

Online classes happening soon: Grow a Potted Yuzu Citrus, Grow Angel's Trumpet (brugmansia) on Your Patio.--- Once garlic comes out of the garden, you’re left with a useful patch of open soil and one big question: what goes there next?In this episode, we talk through summer succession planting using garlic harvest as the seasonal peg. He explains how timing, climate, heat, dry soil, and first frost dates all affect what you can plant after garlic or after any early crop that frees up garden space.You’ll learn which crops are easiest to direct seed in summer, when transplants are a better bet, and how to use shade, boards, mulch, and row cover to improve germination and protect young plants.Topics include:Why garlic harvest timing varies by regionDirect seeding vs. starting transplantsHow to deal with dry soil, heat, strong sun, and crustingEasy summer succession crops such as bush beans, basil, dill, rapini, and greensCrops for fall harvest, including spinach, beets, carrots, turnips, winter radishes, kale, and Asian greensWhy bush snap beans are a better follow crop than pole or dry beansHow to decide whether cucumbers and summer squash are worth planting after garlicTips for short-season and cold-climate gardenersA simple “succession seed bin” system to make replanting easierSuccession planting doesn’t have to mean filling every inch perfectly. It’s about using open space in a way that fits your garden, your season, and your available energy.   ---There’s a whole world inside figs. I explore it in my Fig Culture podcast—varieties, recipes, collectors, and the stories behind them. Join 6,000+ gardeners in The Food Garden Gang and get practical weekly tips to grow more food at home—free. It’s the best way to get started.   [Join the newsletter]