what to grow

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Whilst most vegetables are sown in the spring months, they can be planted in stages to ensure an extended supply and, if you're propogating indoors (on a windowsill or unheated greenhouse, for example) planting out can be delayed still further.

Also;  remember to take your local climate into account. . .  our frost-free growing season is longer close to the coast!

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Potatoes

Carrots

Parsnips

Swede

Beetroot

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Potatoes:  First early Potatoes can be planted from mid-March, whilst second earlies should be planted a couple of weeks later.  Maincrop Potatoes are usually planted in April. . .  and need to stay in the ground longer to produce a good crop.

Carrots:  Whilst the main outdoor sowing season is from April to early July (check the seed packet to see if have an early or maincrop variety), earlies can be sown in February or March under cloches or covered with fleece.  Sow seeds thinly, 1cm deep, in rows 15–30cm apart.  Carrots are ready about 12–16 weeks after sowing, and if you make repeated sowings you can enjoy fresh Carrots almost all year round.

Parsnips:  They should be sown direct into their growing position in spring for an autumn or winter crop and need little maintenance other than weeding when young and watering in dry spells. . .  plus, Parsnips can be left in the ground until you’re ready to eat them.

Swede:  iuhi ujuiuhiuhiu h

Beetroot:  Very easy to grow from seed, sow small batches of Beetroot regularly from spring through to mid-summer for continuous harvests through to mid-autumn.  Being a cool-season crop, Beetroot grows best in the milder weather of spring and autumn, in temperatures of around 16°C.

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Onions

Shallots

Leeks

Scallions

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Onions:  . . .can be grown from seed, but it's much easier and quicker to grow them from immature, small Onions called 'Sets'.  Plant these in autumn or spring, 10-15cm apart in well-prepared, moisture-retentive soil in full sun and keep the area weed free, watering in dry periods.  Harvest the Onions when they're big enough to eat, or once the foliage has turned brown and started to wither.

Leeks:  Sow seed in pots or trays of peat-free multi-purpose compost in spring.  Keep pots moist and plant out in summer, either individually or in small clumps.  You can harvest Leeks from autumn, whilst hardy varieties can be picked right through to spring.

Spring Onions:  Also known as Scallions or 'salad' onions, these are quick and easy to grow.  They don't need a lot of space or much soil, so they are perfect for growing in smaller spaces or containers.  With varieties that can be grown throughout the winter months, Spring Onions have a long cropping season too.

Shallots:  Whilst Onions produce just one bulb per planted 'Set', the much smaller shallots commonly produce as many as a dozen bulbs from each.  They do, however, require light, well prepared and drained soil with ample organic matter, so if your soil is very heavy and wet you'll be better off growing Shallots in raised beds or containers.  Plant out in autumn (or winter if protected from frost), with only the elongated tip of the Shallot left poking above the soil.

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Runner beans

Broad beans

Peas

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Broad beans:  Sow in spring (Feb to April) at a depth of 5cm, spacing the beans 20cm apart in staggered or zigzag rows so that the plants can help to support one another as they grow.  It's a good idea to use canes or string to avoid the plants flopping over when they are heavily in crop.

Runner beans:  These are tender plants that won't survive frost so, for an early crop, sow seeds indoors in late spring. . .  only planting out once the last frost has passed.  Seeds can be sow outdoors from early to mid-summer, or you can buy young plants ready for planting out.

Peas:  If you sow your Peas in spring, they will be ready to harvest from June to October.  You will know when they are ready as the pods will appear full and you will be able to feel the mature Peas inside.  To encourage continuous growth, pick the pods regularly. . .  but be sure not to harm the plant as you harvest.

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Cabbage

Spinach

Brussels sprouts

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Cabbages:  Pick young as loose 'Spring Greens' or leave to mature and form heads from mid-spring to late summer.  Summer Cabbages are available in many shapes and sizes, to suit all sites. Sow from late winter to mid-spring and harvest in mid- to late summer.

Spinach:  Sow from early spring to the middle of June For a summer crop, planted 2.5cm apart in trenches 1cm deep, cover and water (new rows should be about 30cm apart).  For a constant supply, try sowing a new row every three weeks. . .  or for leaves to pick over winter, sow Spinach in late summer and early autumn.

Brussel sprouts:  If you choose staggered planting dates, Sprouts can be harvested for a long period from September to February.  Sow indoors from mid March to early May and plant out 4 weeks later.

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Cauliflower

Broccoli

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Broccoli:  Seeds can be sown indoors from March, or outdoors from April/May.  Plants take four to ten months to start cropping, depending on sowing time and variety, and will then provide pickings for up to two months. . .  so it's best to sow broccoli in small batches a month apart for regular harvests over a long season.  As a guide, summer varieties crop much more quickly than winter varieties.

Cauliflower:  Usually grown from seed on the same schedule as Brocolli, Cauliflowers like sun and fertile, moisture-retentive, well-firmed soil.  Although they have a reputation for being tricky to grow, the key to success is to prevent any impediments to their growth, and keeping them consistently well watered at all times.

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Tomatoes

Squash & Pumpkins

Courgettes

Cucumbers

Bell Peppers

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Tomatoes:  Typically, Tomato harvesting season in the UK starts in July and lasts through September.  Although it's usual to pick the fruits when they become red and have slightly softened, Tomatoes can also be plucked while they are still green.

Courgettes:  Easy to grow from seed, Courgettes are usually sown indoors in spring for transplanting outdoors in early summer.  Just one plant will provide you with a succession of tender fruits from mid-summer through into early autumn, producing around four fruits a week in good weather..

Cucumbers:  You can start harvesting Cucumbers from around 12 weeks after sowing, in midsummer. . .  and the more Cucumbers you pick, the more the plant will produce!  Outdoor types will crop until September, while greenhouse types can fruit into October if it's warm.

Squash:  Summer Squash can be harvested regularly from July onwards, like courgettes, while winter Squash and Pumpkins usually develop only a few, large fruit which should be left on the plant to mature well into Autumn.

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Lettuce

Radishes

Kale

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Salad Leaves:  You can sow most salad leaves (including Lettuce) indoors in small pots from February onwards and seedlings should appear in only a few days.  Move young plants outdoors from spring to late summer, into containers or the ground.

Lettuce:  Most Lettuce varieties will be ready to pick 6 weeks after sowing and you can continue to pick a few leaves from the base of each plant for up to 3 months.  'Hearting' lettuce will need around 10 weeks to mature, and then will stand for a month or so, depending on local weather conditions.

Radishes:  Radishes are incredibly easy to grow, as they tolerate most soil types and are quick to crop (usually within four weeks). Sow seed on well-prepared soil and thin seedlings to 2.5cm, keeping the ground moist if conditions are dry.  Harvest when the radishes are around 2cm in diameter. . .  any larger and they can become woody.

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Strawberries

Blueberries

Blackcurrants

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The following soft fruits are best planted in a sunny, sheltered site protected from cold and drying winds between October and early spring.  Containerised plants can be planted at any time of the year, providing that the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.

Strawberries:  Plant in mid-spring or in late summer, but no later than the first week of September in most of Wales.  Planting in August still gives Strawberries enough time to become established before fruiting, so should produce a better crop.

Blueberries:  Blueberries will settle in best when planted between autumn and spring, whilst they are dormant, although they can be planted at any time of year. . .  except in hot, dry weather or into frozen ground.  Berries ripen to a dusky blue from mid-summer onwards, but won't all ripen at the same time, so check plants and harvest regularly.  A fully productive plant can produce 2Kg to 5Kg of Blueberries in a season!

Blackcurrants:  When planting out, position blackcurrants deeply in the soil to encourage the production of vigorous new stems.  Blackcurrants bear fruit in clusters between July and August and are ready for picking about a week after the fruits have turned blue-black. . .  when they are ripe, but still firm.

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Garlic

Chillis

Herbs

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Garlic:  This flavoursome staple is simple to grow from cloves, which are best planted during late autumn in a warm sunny site with well-drained soil, and will be ready to harvest the following summer.

Chilli Peppers:  These tender plants need a long growing season so should be sown from seed indoors from late winter to mid-spring.  Chilli seeds germinate at around 21°C and the plants need direct sun to fruit so, in the absence of a heated greenhouse, a warm, south facing windowsill is a good option. . .  especially for the more 'compact' varieties.

BEWARE!  Chilli heat is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), with milder varieties such as 'Anaheim' rated at 500 - 2,500 SHU, 'Jalapenõ' at 2,500 - 8,000 SHU, the fiery 'Scotch Bonnet' up to 350,000 SHU and ‘Carolina Reaper’, one of the world’s hottest chillies, at 2.2 million!

Herbs:  Perfect for growing in pots or containers, the most popular herbs cultivated in Wales include;  Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano (the 'pizza' herb), Basil, Bay, Coriander & Chives.  In all cases, use a gritty, well-drained compost with up to 25% of coarse grit added.

Most herbs will prosper in containers in a sunny place outside, ideally against a south-facing wall.  However, many pot-grown herbs die out in winter. . .  but can be harvested in autumn and frozen for use throughout the coldest months.

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Mushrooms

Pumpkin seeds

Sunflower seeds

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Pumpkin Seeds:  Pumpkins can be sown directly into the ground in early May. . .  or in pots from late March or April.  Fill a 7.5 cm pot with peat-free compost, poke one seed down into the compost, cover with about 1 cm of compost and water.  The Pumpkins will ripen from July onwards and can be harvested for their seeds.

Sunflower Seeds:  Sow seeds in pots from April and plant out a few weeks later (choose your variety carefully as some can reach up to 3m in height and will need the support of stakes or a trellis).  Water frequently and, when the Sunflower blooms start to turn brown, cut then off and hang them somewhere airy. . .  then, once the seeds are dry, rub them together to loosen them.

Mushrooms:  .

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