UK vegetable planting runs from February to October, with the busiest sowing months being March, April, and May. Hardy crops like broad beans and parsnips can be sown outdoors from late February when soil reaches 7C. Tender crops such as tomatoes, courgettes, and runner beans need indoor sowing from March and cannot go outdoors until after the last frost in late May. Most UK gardens can grow 20-30 different vegetables across a single season.
Key takeaways
- Hardy crops like broad beans and peas can be sown outdoors from late February at 7C soil temperature
- Tender crops including tomatoes and courgettes must start indoors from March at 18-21C
- Northern UK gardeners should delay outdoor sowings by 2-3 weeks compared to southern timings
- Successional sowing of lettuce and radish every 2-3 weeks provides continuous harvests
- The master calendar below covers sow, plant out, and harvest dates for 26 vegetables
vegetable planting planting calendar grow your own sowing times allotment vegetables
Our team produces practical UK gardening guidance from source research, contributor records and established horticultural practice. Editorial standards are overseen by Matt W.
