Succession planting means sowing the same crop at intervals so that as one batch finishes, the next is coming into bloom. It is the single most important technique for maintaining a continuous supply of cut flowers throughout the growing season.
Fast-growing annuals that bloom quickly and then slow down: zinnias (sow every 2–3 weeks), sunflowers (every 10–14 days), cosmos (every 2–3 weeks), and nigella (every 2–3 weeks). Long-season producers like dahlias and celosia bloom continuously and do not need succession planting.
Count backward from your first frost date. The last succession sowing should be early enough for the crop to mature before frost. For zinnias (70 days to bloom), the last sowing should be about 10 weeks before first frost. Make your first sowing right after last frost, then sow every 2–3 weeks until the cutoff.
Keep a simple calendar or spreadsheet tracking sowing dates and bloom dates. Prepare the space in advance—when one crop finishes, pull it, amend the soil, and plant the next batch. See how much to plant for quantity guidance. The monthly calendar maps this out across the full year.