Vegetable planting calendar: how to use it
A planting calendar gives the months when each crop is usually sown or transplanted, but it works in averages. The real dates depend on where you live, how warm the soil is and what the season is doing. Before you sow, look at the frost forecast and the soil as well as the month.
Why dates shift with location
Spring arrives at different times depending on latitude and altitude. A crop that goes straight into open ground in a mild area may need a cloche, or a later date, somewhere colder. Read the calendar with your own climate in mind.
Soil temperature comes first
Many seeds won't germinate in cold soil. For peas, the Royal Horticultural Society suggests sowing outdoors once the soil reaches about 10 °C (50 °F). If spring is slow, set cloches over the bed before sowing to warm the ground and win back some time.
Outdoors, indoors or under cover
Direct sowing puts seed where the plant will grow. Sowing indoors gives heat-loving crops such as tomatoes, peppers and aubergines a head start. Cloches, tunnels and fleece extend the season.
In the app
Every plant in the catalogue has its own sowing calendar, and weather alerts for your area help you judge whether to sow now or hold off.
Guides in this section
Frequently asked questions
Does the lunar calendar matter for sowing?
It's a long-standing farming tradition. The app shows moon phases for anyone who follows them, but its practical sowing advice is based on season and weather.
Can I sow earlier under a cloche?
Yes. Cloches and tunnels keep off the cold and let you start some crops earlier. Open them on warm days, though, so the plants get some air.
What if frost arrives after sowing?
Cover seedlings with horticultural fleece or a tunnel on cold nights, and choose hardy varieties for early sowings.