Vegetable Garden Planning Calendar [Free Downloadable Infographic]

The year-round pleasure of fresh, home-grown food depends on a well-planned vegetable garden. In the UK, where seasonal weather patterns vary greatly, knowing when to sow and harvest various crops can make all the difference. 

Timing matters most whether you are planting outside in the warmer seasons or indoors to start ahead in the colder months. This guide will help you keep track by providing a basic plan for indoor and outdoor sowing and harvesting of some of the most popular veggies to grow. Additionally, available for download is a free vegetable gardening planner that will help you easily stay on track.

DOWNLOAD VEGETABLE GARDEN PLANNING CALENDAR

Kale

You can plant kale indoors from March through May. Usually, in April or May, you may move it outside after roughly 4–6 weeks once the last frost has gone. About two months after planting, kale is ready for harvest. Baby leaves are ready earlier, and mature plants are gathered from June onwards. 

How to plant kale

Plant seeds in a container inside or sow 1 cm deep directly into the ground. Space the seeds or seedlings between 30 and 45 cm apart. Kale is perfect for many garden climates since it loves full sun but can also withstand little shade. Maintaining wet soil will promote delicate and leafy development. 

Lettuce

Early crops of lettuce are best grown indoors between February and April. Once the weather and ground have warmed, you can move young lettuce plants outdoors in March or April. 

Lettuce is ready for harvesting 6 to 8 weeks after sowing. Till late summer, sow seeds every few weeks for an ongoing crop. 

Growing the lettuce

Lettuce is easy to grow and a fast-developing vegetable for cool weather. Put the seeds straight into the ground about 1 cm deep, and leave 20 to 30 cm between each one. Lettuce likes partial shade and well-drained soil. Keep the soil always moist for optimal results.

Onions

Onions can be grown indoors in late winter, around January or February. Transplant the onion seedlings outdoors in March or April. 

Onions are usually ready for harvest in late summer, around August or September. You can be sure they are ready once their crowns start to yellow and drop over. 

How to grow onions

You can grow onions from sets, seeds or transplants. Plant onion sets or transplants 10 to 15 cm apart. Onions require full sun and well-drained soil to grow correctly. 

Keep them well-watered, especially in dry conditions. Mulch the area to better control the weeds. When the tops start to yellow and fall over, gather and enjoy your fresh produce. 

Brussels sprouts

You can add Brussels sprouts to your vegetable garden planting calendar. Sow them inside from February to April. Usually around May, the seedlings can be moved outdoors if they are strong enough and the danger of frost has passed. Brussels sprouts are usually picked between October and December when they taste better.

Tips for growing Brussels sprouts

Vegetables like Brussels sprouts are slow growers in chilly conditions. After planting them indoors in late winter, relocate the 10–15 cm tall seedlings into the garden. They should be planted about 60–90 cm apart. 

Brussels sprouts demand good soil and lots of sunlight. Water them regularly, and keep in mind that the plants can grow really tall, so you have to reinforce them.

Celery

Celery needs a long growing season, so it should be started inside between February and April. After the last frost in May, you can plant celery outside on well-prepared ground. 

Usually picked from July to October, you can either wait for the whole plant to mature or pick individual stalks as they develop. 

How to grow celery

Celery requires plenty of water and moist soil. Celery has a long growing season, starting seeds 10 to 12 weeks before the final frost. Space the seedlings 30 cm apart in rows 60 cm apart. Mulch keeps moisture within the plant.

Cabbage

You can sow cabbage between January and March. Based on your climate and the cabbage’s variety, transplant the seedlings outside between March and May. 

Cabbage normally comes ready for harvest between June and October, depending on when it was planted.

Planting and growing cabbage

Plant seeds indoors, and when they have four to five leaves, move them 45 to 60 cm apart into the garden. Cabbage requires lots of sun and well-drained ground. Maintaining the same moisture level in the soil will help control pests. 

Eggplant (Aubergine)

Best grown indoors in February or March, eggplants require warmth to grow. Once the risk of frost passes s, you can take them outside. When eggplants reach their ideal size, and their skin is hard and glossy, they are ready to be picked. That’s usually from July to September.

Best way to grow eggplant

Eggplants thrive in warm temperatures and lots of sunlight. When it is warm, move the seedlings outside, spacing them 60cm apart. Eggplants need constant watering and benefit from frequent feeding all through the growing season.

Pepper

Plant peppers inside between February and March. You can move them outside in late May or June when there are persistently warm temperatures and frost is no longer a possibility. Pepper harvest occurs from July through October. The fruit must remain on the plant until it develops a solid red, yellow, orange or green colour.

How to grow pepper

Like eggplants, peppers are warm-weather vegetables. Space the seedlings in well-drained soil 45–60 cm apart. Peppers, especially during fruit development, require lots of sunlight and consistent watering.

Beets

You can sow beets inside between March and April. Usually, in April or May, the seedlings should be moved outside once the ground has warmed. 

Starting from June to October, you will be able to harvest the beets two to three months after sowing. For the most delicate roots, pick them when they start resembling a golf ball. 

Growing beets

Early spring or autumn allows you to sow cool-season vegetables like beets straight into the garden. Plant the seeds 10 to 15 cm apart and 2 to 3 cm deep. 

Once the seedlings are several centimetres tall, split them to roughly 10 cm apart. Beets need constant watering as well as loose and well-drained soil.

Potato

Usually not sowed inside, potatoes can still be started indoors from February under chitting. Once the ground is warm enough, plant the emerging potatoes outside between March and April. While maincrop varieties are harvested from August through October, early potatoes are ready for harvest in June or July. 

The way to grow potatoes

Plant seed potatoes 30 cm apart and around 10–15 cm deep. Put mound soil around the base as the plants develop to stimulate root development. 

Potatoes need substantial watering and direct sunlight. Collect them once the leaves start to yellow and the plants blossom.

Sweet potato

Late winter, around February, you can sow sweet potatoes indoors as slips—young plants. Once the ground has warmed, these slips can be moved outdoors in late May or June. 

Although late September or October is when sweet potatoes are ready for harvest, they should be picked before the first frost.

How to grow sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes like full sun and warmth. After the last frost, young sweet potato slips are planted about 30 cm apart in well-drained soil. Give them room as they require lots of space to spread. Keep the ground regularly moist, especially in the early phases of development.

Corn

Indoor planting of the first corn seeds is possible in April. Transplant the seedling outside once the frost has gone and the ground starts to warm up. Generally speaking, May is the best time to do this. 

Corn should be ready for harvest in late summer, between August and September. Corn’s ears should feel plump, and the silks should have gone brown.

Growing and taking care of corn

Corn needs lots of room and sunshine to flourish. After the last frost, sow corn seeds 25–30 cm apart straight into the ground. Use corn blocks rather than rows to guarantee greater pollination. Corn also requires regular watering and rich, well-drained soil to grow tall and develop full ears.

Carrot

Carrots are generally sown directly outdoors, but you can plant them indoors in March as well. If you sow them indoors, transplant the seedlings outdoors in April or May. 

However, direct sowing is often preferable. Carrots are ready for harvest between June and September, depending on the variety and when they were sown.

Growing carrots

Carrots are best cultivated in loose and well-drained soil. It will help their roots grow straight and long. Sow seeds into the ground about 1 cm deep. Prune them once the seedlings are a few centimetres tall, leaving roughly 5–7 cm between plants. Maintain wet soil to promote constant development.

Winter squash

April is the most suitable time of the year to sow winter squash indoors. Transplant the seedlings outside in May or June once the soil is warm. 

Usually grown in late autumn, from September to October, winter squash is picked when the skins are hard enough, and the fruit feels hollow when tapped.

Tips for growing winter squash

Winter squash loves well-drained soil and full-sun exposure. After the last frost, plant seeds straight into the garden, leaving around 90 cm between each one since the branches need lots of space to spread. 

Winter squash depends on constant watering and benefits from a heavy layer of mulch to hold moisture and control weeds.

Cucumber

The best time to plant cucumbers is between March and April. Once the last frost is over, transfer the seedlings outside in May or June.

Harvest cucumbers between June and September to encourage the growth of fruit by regular picking.

How to grow cucumbers

Cucumbers are warm-weather lovers and quick-growing plants. After the last frost, sow seeds 30 cm apart straight into the ground. Cucumbers will benefit greatly from consistent watering and adore bright sun. 
Growing them on a trellis will save space and keep the fruits off the ground, thus lowering the rot risk.

To sum it all up…

Careful preparation can ensure a consistent supply of fresh vegetables, whether you’re beginning seedlings indoors in the colder months or straight outdoors as the temperature warms. 

From winter greens to summer’s abundant crops, your garden can offer year-round enjoyment. Remember what to plant and when, or better yet, print our free calendar and place it somewhere you can check it regularly.  Тhen, all that’s left to do is get to work. Happy and successful planting!