 
Vegetable Monthly Planner
The aim of this website section a guide on what to do in the vegetable patch on a monthly basis, The heart of a gardening year is a work plan, twelve months of gardening which begins in March when the ground becomes workable after frosts, the climate varies considerably depending on where you are so there is no hard and fast rule when you begin to sow vegetable seeds or transplant seedlings outside, it all comes down to common sense.
January
Harvest sprouting broccoli, Brussels sprouts and leeks.
Stake or earth up any Brussels sprouts stalks that look leggy and vulnerable to wind rock. Pick the biggest sprouts from low down the stalks first.
Lift Jerusalem artichoke tubers for cooking.
Parsnips, swede, celeriac and turnips can still be harvested, if this has not been done already. Parsnips improve in flavour with a touch of frost, but other root vegetables are better harvested earlier in the winter, so that they are safe from frost and easily accessible from the kitchen. They can be stored in the shed, or in a shallow trench, covered to protect it from frost.
Start forcing rhubarb. Place a large bucket, dustbin or forcing jar over the crown to encourage the fresh, pink shoots to form in the darkness. A few shovels of manure, straw and poultry manure pellets thrown over the top will create extra warmth to speed up the process.
Chicory and seakale can be forced as well. Dig up selected chicory roots, pot them up, and position them in a dark warm place (10-13°C/50-55°F), with an upturned pot over them. The tasty chicons will appear in three to six weeks. Seakale is best forced outside at seasonal temperatures, with an upturned pot or cardboard box/tube over the top to exclude the light.
In mild areas, sow broad beans in pots, placing them in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. These will be ready for planting out in spring.
Other crops can also be germinated in pots on the windowsill, and then grown on in the greenhouse for planting out in February. This should result in early crops next year. Lettuces, summer brassicas (e.g. cabbages and cauliflowers), radishes, tiny round carrots, spinach, salad onions and turnips are all suitable.
Onions from seed need a long growing season, and you could sow them now in a heated propagator, for planting out in March. This is how exhibition growers manage to get large bulbs for shows.
The mildest south-west regions of the country could get away with sowing seed directly into the ground - if the winter is mild, and the ground has been covered for the previous few weeks. Tunnel cloches or polythene sheeting are ideal covers. Lettuces, radishes, early peas, broad beans, spinach and salad onions could work from such early sowings.
Plan a rotation system for vegetable plots to ensure the same crops are not grown in the same beds year after year to help prevent disease build-up.
Clear remaining spent crops from the vegetable garden.
If you have not done so already, dig over and incorporate soil improvers into vacant areas of the vegetable plot. You can cover these areas with thick polythene to keep the soil dry and make it easier to work in the spring - particularly useful for heavy clay soils. Clear polythene will increase the soil temperature, enabling earlier sowings in spring.Black polythene and thick carpet will suppress weeds.
If the weather is reliably dry and frosty, then heavy soils can benefit from being left exposed - the frosts will kill pests and improve soil structure by the continual freezing and thawing of soil water.
Save egg boxes as they will come in handy for potato chitting next month. Source your seed potatoes if you have not already done so.
When gardening on wet soils work from a plank of wood, rather than treading on the bed, to avoid compacting the soil.
Improve the drainage of heavy soils by working in lots of organic matter. Grit will only be effective when used in conjunction with organic matter.
Pest & disease watch
Place mice controls near stored vegetables.
Regularly check stores and remove any rotting or mouldy specimens.
Ensure that crops remaining in the ground, and new sowings under cloches, are protected from mice.
Slugs can still pose a threat, and slug controls are necessary now, as always.
Pigeons are serious pests of brassicas and other vegetables. Cloches, frames of netting or fleece, and metal cages will help to keep them away from vulnerable crops.
Pick yellowing leaves off Brussels sprouts and other brassicas promptly, to prevent spread of grey mould and brassica downy mildew.
Remove all remaining plant debris from the vegetable plot. Do not compost any diseased material such as blight-infected potatoes, onions suffering from white rot and any crops with rust. Burn or bin the diseased material, or bury it more than 60cm (24in) deep in the ground.
Digging-over in winter exposes soil pests to frost and bird predators.
February
Cultivate and prepare seedbeds, covering them with clear polythene, cloches or fleece to warm up the soil before sowing.
Finish any major digging and weeding if you have not done so already.
Plan a crop rotation system for your vegetable plot, to ensure that the same crops are not grown in the same beds year after year. This helps to prevent disease build up.
You can rake in lime this month - if you have acid soil, or have had previous problems with club root, and wish to grow brassicas - but remember that the ground will not be ready for planting out until April or May, as an interval of two months is needed between liming and planting.
Continue to harvest any remaining winter crops (e.g. broccoli, Brussels sprouts, leeks, parsnips, swede, celeriac and turnip).
Continue to force chicory and seakale. Dig up selected chicory roots, pot them up, and position them in a dark, warm place (10-13°C; 50-55°F), with an upturned pot over them to exclude light. The tasty chicons will appear in three to six weeks. Seakale is best forced outside at seasonal temperatures, with an upturned pot or cardboard box/tube over the top to exclude the light.
Continue to force rhubarb before it comes into natural growth towards the end of February, or March. Place a large bucket, dustbin or forcing jar over the crown to encourage the fresh, pink shoots to form in the darkness. A few shovels of manure, straw and poultry manure pellets thrown over the top will create extra warmth to speed up the process.
From mid-February onwards sow greenhouse-grown tomatoes and cucumbers. Use a heated propagator or warm room at 21°C (70°F) to encourage germination, and then keep them potted on at a lower temperature of 15-18°C (60-65°F).
Unpack mail ordered onion sets and shallots, and keep them in a dry, airy place - perhaps in net bags - until you're ready for planting.
Chit seed potato tubers as soon as they arrive. Stand them upright with the rose end (having most shoots) facing upwards in a light, cool but frost-free place. Old egg boxes make excellent holders.
Order asparagus crowns from suppliers.
Prepare new asparagus beds by weeding, digging over thoroughly, and incorporating lots of organic matter. Additional grit, together with lots of organic matter, may improve conditions on very heavy soils.
Plant out garlic and shallots in light soils only; heavy soils need longer to warm up.
If you have light (sandy) soil and live in a mild part of the UK, you can sow broad beans, carrots, parsnips, early beetroot, bulb onions, lettuces, radish, peas, spinach and summer cabbage outside under cloches, in soil that has been covered for a few weeks to pre-warm it. If the weather in your area has been very cold, then wait until late February. If you have heavy (clay) soil, it is best to wait until March. Seeds can always be sown in pots or modules, under cover, if you are eager to get started.
Peas can be sown in the greenhouse in old (but clean) guttering that has had drainage holes drilled in the bottom. Starting them under cover gives them a head start. When the seedlings are ready for planting out, the whole row can be gently pushed out of the guttering, into a ready prepared drill in the vegetable garden.
Plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers. They can act as a screen for the shed or compost bin, as they get quite tall.
Feed any spring cabbages that have been standing all winter. High nitrogen feeds such as Growmore or pelleted poultry manure are fine.
When spring cabbages are ready to harvest, cut them off the stem and make a cross in the top of the cut stem. Sometimes mini-cabbages, or ‘spring greens’ will grow from the cut stems.
If you are very keen, you could prepare your runner bean supports and trenches for sowing (in May) or planting out (in June). This will save you time later.
Try to avoid digging in wet weather, but if gardening on top of wet soil, work from a plank of wood, to avoid treading on the bed and compacting the soil.
Pest & disease watch
Place mice controls near stored vegetables.
Regularly check stores and remove any rotting or mouldy specimens.
Ensure that crops remaining in the ground, and new sowings under cloches, are protected from mice.
Slugs can still pose a threat and slug controls are necessary now, as always.
Pigeons are serious pests of brassicas and other vegetables. Cloches, frames of netting or fleece, and metal cages will help to keep them away from vulnerable crops.
Pick yellowing leaves off Brussels sprouts and other brassicas promptly, to prevent spread of grey mould and brassica downy mildew.
Attracting wildlife to your garden can help to control pest problems for the coming year.
March
Cultivate and prepare seedbeds, covering them with clear polythene or fleece to warm up the soil before sowing.
Chit early and maincrop potatoes. In mild regions, earlies are planted out in the second half of the month. In colder regions, it is better to wait until April.
Plant shallots, garlic and onion sets.
Plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers.
Plant asparagus crowns. A deep, friable, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter incorporated is ideal.
Many vegetable crops can be sown this month, especially in mild areas with light soil, including: broad beans, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, bulb onions, lettuces, radish, peas, spinach, summer cabbage, salad leaves, leeks, Swiss chard, kohl rabi, turnip and summer cauliflower. Be guided by the weather, and sow only if conditions are suitable (as per guidance on the seed packets).
Fleece and polythene can be used to protect early outdoor sowings. Many vegetables can bolt if sown outside too early without protection (beetroot being an example). A greenhouse or conservatory is useful in all but the very mildest areas with the lightest soils, to start seeds off - hardening off and transplanting the young plants into the vegetable garden later in the spring.
Sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, celery, salads and globe artichokes can all be sown in a frost-free greenhouse. Artichokes and celery can be transplanted outside later in the spring. Tomatoes can either remain in the greenhouse or be taken outside from early summer onwards. Peppers, cucumbers and aubergines do best kept under cover. Salad crops vary - it is best to check the temperature requirements cited on the seed packets.
Feed any spring cabbages that have been standing all winter. Use high nitrogen feeds such as Growmore or pelleted poultry manure.
Continue to force chicory and seakale. Dig up selected chicory roots, pot them up, and position them in a dark warm place (10-13°C/50-55°F), with an upturned light-proof pot over them. The tasty chicons will appear in three to six weeks. Seakale is best forced outside at seasonal temperatures, with an upturned pot or cardboard box/tube over the top to exclude the light.
Uncover forced rhubarb crowns and let them grow naturally.
Put supports in place for peas.
Continue to harvest Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, spring onions, leeks, winter salads, spring cauliflower and cabbage, Brussels sprouts, chicory, rhubarb, kale and sprouting broccoli. Gardeners in suitable areas, who have got off to an early start by using fleece to warm the soil, could already be harvesting a new crop of radishes.
When spring cabbages are ready to harvest, cut them off the stem and make a cross in the top of the cut stem. Sometimes mini-cabbages, or ‘spring greens’ will grow from the cut stems.
Feed crops which have been left sitting over winter (e.g. lettuces and brassicas). A balanced fertiliser such as Growmore or blood, fish and bone would be best, or a high nitrogen choice such as poultry manure. Avoid tomato feeds (which have high potassium levels) for green, leafy crops. There is enough potassium in balanced feeds to keep them going.
You could prepare your runner bean supports and trenches for sowing (in May) or planting out (in June). This will save you time later.
Celery trenches can also be prepared, but for planting very soon (depending on the weather in your area). Plenty of organic matter, traditionally well-rotted manure, is key to improving both water retention and drainage simultaneously, and in helping to ensure the success of the crop.
Try to avoid digging in wet weather, but if gardening on top of wet soil, work from a plank of wood, to avoid treading on the bed and compacting the soil.
Start regular hoeing, to keep annual weeds under control. Deal with perennial weeds as appropriate, either digging them out or using weed killer.
Pest & disease watch
Place mice controls near stored vegetables.
Regularly check stores and remove any rotting or mouldy specimens.
Ensure that crops remaining in the ground, and new sowings under cloches, are protected from mice.
Slugs pose a threat, and slug controls are necessary now, as always.
Pigeons are serious pests of brassicas and other vegetables. Cloches, frames of netting or fleece, and metal cages will help to keep them away from vulnerable crops.
Pick yellowing leaves off Brussels sprouts and other brassicas promptly, to prevent spread of grey mould and brassica downy mildew.
Attracting wildlife to your garden can help to control pest problems for the coming year.
Insects start to emerge as temperatures increase. A mild spring can see pest problems developing earlier than usual. Cabbage caterpillars have occasionally been spotted in early spring, and even in late winter (when they may have hatched from eggs laid the previous autumn and survived a mild winter). This is unusual, but with current tends in climate change, is worth bearing in mind in years with mild spring weather.
April
Chit and plant out second early potatoes in the first half of the month and maincrop potatoes in the second half. Potatoes can be planted in deep drills or in individual planting holes, with 5cm of soil mounded over the top. Alternatively, plant them through slits in black polythene mulch.
If you live in a very mild area, and got off to an early start with your potatoes last month, they may be ready for earthing up to exclude light and prevent the tubers going green. Start earthing up as the shoots grow, covering them entirely if frosts threaten, and finishing when the earthed up ridge is about 25cm high. Potatoes grown under black polythene do not need earthing up, as the polythene excludes enough light. If frost threatens, then cover the shoots with horticultural fleece to protect them.
Sow beetroot, carrots, Swiss chard, summer cauliflower, kohl rabi, lettuce, leeks, radish, turnip, spring and pickling onions, peas and perpetual spinach in well-prepared soil.
Why not try sowing some unusual vegetables such as salsify, Hamburg parsley, or scorzonera, both root vegetables favoured by the Victorians, and still eaten a lot on the Continent.
Broad beans grown in pots can now be transplanted into the garden.
Plant shallots, garlic and onion sets.
Plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers.
Plant asparagus crowns. A deep, friable, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter incorporated is ideal.
Pea plants should be supported with sticks, twigs, green support mesh, or wire netting from the garden centre.
In the second half of the month (wait until early May in cold areas) you can sow marrows, courgettes, pumpkins and squash in a heated glasshouse at a germination temperature of 16°C (61°F).
In very mild areas you may be able to sow dwarf French beans and sweet corn outside under cloches or fleece, but in cooler areas it is best to wait until May.
Thin out rows of seedlings as soon as they are large enough to be handled.
Sow a seed bed of brassicas to provide transplants of sprouting broccoli, cauliflowers and cabbages that will be ready for planting out to their final position in June or July, and for harvesting in autumn/winter. It is rather late for sowing Brussels sprouts, but you can still buy young plants from the garden centre.
Fleece and polythene can be used to protect early outdoor sowings. Many vegetables can bolt if sown outside too early without protection (beetroot being an example). A greenhouse or conservatory is useful in all but the very mildest areas with the lightest soils, to start seeds off, hardening off and transplanting the young plants into the vegetable garden later in the spring.
Sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, celery, salads and globe artichokes can all be sown in a frost-free greenhouse. Artichokes and celery can be transplanted outside later in the spring. Tomatoes germinate best at 22°C (72°F), and can either remain in the greenhouse or go outside from early summer onwards. Peppers, cucumbers and aubergines do best kept under cover throughout their life.
Pot up tomato seedlings when they develop true leaves above the more rounded seed leaves. After growing on in small pots, they can be planted into larger pots or growing-bags.
If you have still been forcing rhubarb plants under forcing jars, take the last crop of pale stems, feed with general fertiliser, and leave them uncovered to grow without cropping for the rest of the year.
Continue to force witloof chicory and seakale. Dig up selected chicory roots, pot them up, and position them in a dark warm place (10-13°C; 50-55°F), with an upturned pot over them. The tasty chicons will appear in three to six weeks. Seakale is best forced outside at seasonal temperatures, with an upturned pot or cardboard box/tube over the top to exclude the light.
Plant out onions sown from seed earlier in the spring. Don’t use ground used for onions in the last three years.
Finish harvesting Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, winter salads, chicory, kale and sprouting broccoli.
Start to harvest spring onions, radishes, spring cauliflowers, spring cabbages and un-forced rhubarb.
Control weeds by hoeing between rows during dry weather.
You could prepare your runner bean supports and trenches for sowing (in May) or planting out (in June). This will save you time later.
Pest & disease watch
Place mice controls near stored vegetables.
Clear out and clean your vegetable store, to reduce rots and moulds before the influx of new crops.
Ensure that crops remaining in the ground, and new sowings under cloches, are protected from mice.
Slugs pose a threat, and slug controls are necessary now, as always.
Pigeons are serious pests of brassicas and other vegetables. Cloches, frames of netting or fleece, and metal cages will help to keep them away from vulnerable crops.
Pick yellowing leaves off brassicas promptly, to prevent spread of grey mould and brassica downy mildew. Do not compost such material, but put it in the rubbish, burn it, or bury it deeper than 60cm (24in) depth.
Damping off of seedlings can be a problem with sowings both outside and in modules or containers. Clean equipment and, where necessary, use of fungicides (e.g. Bio Cheshunt Compound) can help to control this problem.
Attracting wildlife to your garden can help to control pest problems for the coming year.
Insects start to emerge as temperatures increase. A mild spring can see pest problems developing earlier than usual. Current trends in climate change lead to consistently warmer temperatures; it is worth bearing this in mind.
Flea beetle on brassicas can be a problem this month, and you may need to control them with an insecticide or exclude them with horticultural fleece.
May
Asparagus is a perennial vegetable. Harvest spears from established plants for six to eight weeks from May into the early summer. Do not harvest spears from crowns less than two years old.
Harvest spring lettuce, spring cabbage, salad onions, salad leaves, beetroot and radishes as they mature. You can continue with successional sowing of salad crops, to ensure an even supply over the season.
Sow French and runner beans, squash, cucumbers and pumpkin seeds directly into prepared beds outside - in colder regions you should wait until the end of the month. Be alert to late frosts (for which a covering of horticultural fleece should provide sufficient protection). French beans are best sown in traditional rows at 15-22cm (6-9in) spacing.
Sweetcorn works best sown in blocks, at 45cm (18in) spacing, with two seeds per hole. The strongest seedling can be selected later, and you will have the safety of knowing there is a fall-back in case of one seedling being devoured by slugs (link to advice) or similar.
Runner beans benefit from well-prepared ground with lots of well-rotted manure and organic matter dug in. They need to be planted alongside suitable supports (often a frame or wigwam of bamboo canes tied together with twine) for the shoots to twine around and grow upwards.
Sow cauliflowers and purple sprouting broccoli for harvesting next winter.
Try sowing some unusual vegetables such as kohl rabi (like a large white above-ground turnip), scorzonera and salsify (both of which produce edible roots, which are boiled and peeled like parsnip and have been said to taste a bit like oysters).
Brussels sprouts for next winter should now be ready for transplanting after early or mid-spring sowing. The gaps between them can be used for short-term ‘catch-crops’ like radishes or gem lettuces, as they will take time to grow into their recommended spacing requirement.
Plant out artichokes that were previously sown under cover. They are tall handsome plants, and the steamed unopened flower buds are considered a delicacy. They can be grown as perennials (in which case they need 90cm spacing), or as biennials (45cm spacing is sufficient).
After all risk of frost has passed, plant out tomatoes, courgettes and pumpkins that were previously sown under cover.
Self-blanching celery can also be planted out towards the end of the month. A well-prepared site with lots of organic matter dug in is essential. Planting celery in blocks aids the blanching process, as does placing a strip of plastic around the edge of the block to exclude some light and further improve the pale colour and sweetness of the blanched stems.
It is still possible to sow vegetables indoors, especially in colder regions. This will shorten the growing time needed to reach maturity and harvest. Young plants can be planted out once conditions are suitable
Ridge cucumbers can be sown indoors now, for planting out in early June. Two seeds per pot work well, then selecting the most vigorous seedling from each pot for growing on and planting out.
Earth up potatoes (unless planted through black plastic) when the shoots are 23cm (9in) high, in order to prevent the new tubers going green. Earthing-up is the drawing up of soil around the stems of the plants, leaving just 5cm (2in) of shoot uncovered so that the plant has enough foliage to continue growing. You can also grow potatoes in containers.
Leeks can either be sown in rows outside in a traditional seedbed, or indoors (earlier) in modular trays, with five or six seeds per module. Either way, they need transplanting when they reach about 10cm (4in) in height. A large dibber (or old spade handle) is used to make holes (about 7cm deep) for individual plants in their final positions. Drop each leek into a hole, and then fill the holes with water. For module-grown leeks, each cluster is transplanted as one unit, the hole then being filled with water in the same way.
Witloof chicory can be sown this month, to have some ready for forcing next winter (when other salads can be scarce). Sow in drills directly outside.
Start to remove sideshoots from cordon tomatoes that were started off early under cover. The side shoots develop in the leaf axils (i.e. between the stem and leaf), and if allowed to develop will sap the energy of the plant and reduce the quality of the yield. Sideshoots can be pulled off with a thumb and forefinger. It is now too late to sow new tomatoes, as they will not have time to ripen over our British summer.
Thin out sowings of Florence fennel made last month. The final spacing should be 20cm (8in), with 45cm (1.5ft) between each row.
Strings stretched along the tops of broad bean plants can support them, and prevent them ‘flopping’ once pods develop.
Peas need staking with pea sticks, netting, or pruned twigs from the garden.
Control weeds to prevent them competing for moisture and nutrients. Hoe regularly between rows on hot days to make sure the weeds dry up and die without re-rooting. Weedkiller is usually inappropriate as there is a high risk of it killing or damaging your crops as well as killing the weeds.
Pest & disease watch
Keep an eye out for asparagus beetles, which are black, red and yellow, and their cremy black larvae. Pick them off by hand.
Watch for the small holes flea beetles make on brassica seedlings. Water plants well to help them continue growing despite the pest damage.
Pinch out the tips of broad beans once they start to flower. This helps to discourage blackfly, which otherwise can decimate tender new growth.
Pests can be kept off a wide range of crops, carrot fly on carrots being a good example, by covering them with a fine woven plastic mesh like Enviromesh. Just make sure that the corners are tucked in or buried to prevent them breaching this defence.
Ensure that crops remaining in the ground, new sowings under cloches, and any stored vegetables, are well protected from mice.
Slugs pose a threat, and slug controls are necessary now, as always.
Pigeons are serious pests of brassicas and other vegetables. Cloches, frames of netting or fleece, and metal cages will help to keep them away from vulnerable crops.
Pick yellowing leaves off brassicas promptly, to prevent spread of grey mould and brassica downy mildew. Do not compost such material, but put it in the rubbish, burn it, or bury it deeper than 60cm (24in) depth.
Damping off of seedlings can be a problem with sowings both outside and in modules or containers. Clean equipment and, where necessary, use of fungicides (e.g. Bio Cheshunt Compound) can help to control this problem
June
Harvest indoor cucumbers regularly to encourage more fruit to set.
Early peas may be ready for harvest. Cut off the tops of the plants, leaving the roots in the ground to conserve valuable nutrients to the soil. Peas and other legumes can ‘fix’ nitrogen from the air.
Harvest salad onions, salad leaves, beetroot and radishes as they mature.
Harvest rhubarb stems until the end of the month, but leave crowns ‘forced’ earlier in the year to recover.
Continue with successional sowing of salad crops, beetroot, Chinese cabbage, pak choi and radish, to ensure an even supply over the season. In hot weather, leafy salad crops may do better when sown in partially shady sites. Hot dry weather can lead to bitter tasting leaves.
Overwintered Japanese onions can be harvested when the tops start to fall over. Leave the bulbs to dry in a sunny spot outside, or in a airy shed if rain is forecast. This will allow the skins to harden, and the bulbs to store better.
Early potatoes may begin to be ready for harvesting. Many are ready when the plants come into flower. Take care when digging them up to insert your fork some distance away and to lift the soil carefully. Otherwise you may pierce and damage the tubers.
If you have started off crops early under cover, and live in a mild part of the country you could be harvesting early crops of courgettes, small summer squashes, sweetcorn, calabrese, pak choi, kohl rabi, French and broad beans and carrots. Spring or early summer cabbages and cauliflowers planted last year will also be ready for cutting.
Continue to earth-up potatoes not ready for harvest (unless planted through black plastic). Earthing-up is the drawing up of soil around the stems of the plants, leaving just 5cm (2in) of shoot uncovered so that the plant has enough foliage to continue growing. Potatoes can also be grown in containers.
Plant out tomatoes if this has not already been done. Train them up canes or string, and remove sideshoots from cordon tomatoes. These sideshoots develop in the leaf axils (i.e. between the stem and leaf), and if allowed to develop will sap the energy of the plant and reduce the quality of the yield. Small sideshoots can easily be pulled off with a thumb and forefinger, and can be easily rooted to obtain more plants. When four flower trusses have formed, pinch out the growing point just above the highest truss.
Celeriac and self-blanching celery can be planted out this month. A well-prepared site with lots of organic matter dug in is essential. Planting celery in blocks aids the blanching process, as does placing a strip of plastic around the edge of the block to exclude some light and further improve the pale colour and sweetness of the blanched stems.
Outdoor ridge cucumbers can be planted out this month. They benefit from a site that has been enriched with lots of organic matter to help retain water. Pinch out the tip of the plant when it has made six pairs of leaves, to encourage sideshoot and cucumber formation. Feed regularly with a liquid tomato feed, following the instructions on the packet.
Sow French, broad and runner beans, peas, squash, sweetcorn, and outdoor cucumbers directly into prepared beds outside.
French beans are best sown in traditional rows, 45cm (18in) apart, at 15-22cm (6-9in) spacing.
Sweetcorn works best planted in blocks, at 45cm (18in) spacing, with two seeds per hole. The strongest seedling can be selected later, and you will have the safety of knowing there is a fall-back in case of slug damage. Any seeds sown earlier under cover can now be planted out into the same block pattern.
Runner beans benefit from well-prepared ground with lots of well-rotted manure and organic matter dug in. They need to be planted alongside suitable supports (often a frame or wigwam of bamboo canes tied together with twine) for the shoots to twine around and grow upwards.
Strings stretched along the sides of broad bean plants will support them and prevent them flopping once pods develop.
Peas need staking with pea sticks, netting, or pruned twigs from the garden.
Courgettes, marrows and pumpkins can still be sown outdoors in early June. Encourage good fruit set by hand pollinating. Push the male flowers (distinguished by the lack of swollen stem/young fruit behind the petals) lightly into the female flowers.
Plant out other vegetables sown indoors earlier in the season, including winter brassicas and sweet peppers. Peppers can only be planted out when all risk of frost has passed. The gaps between winter brassica plants can be used for quick-maturing catch crops, perhaps radishes or gem lettuces, as brassicas take time to grow into their eventual spacing.
Although most winter brassicas need to be sown earlier in the season, you can still sow turnips now for an autumn crop, as they are best lifted while still young and sweet. Sow them in drills 15cm (6in) apart, and thin them as soon as they are large enough to handle, to leave one plant every 10cm (4in).
Plant out artichokes that were previously sown under cover. They are tall handsome plants, and the steamed unopened flower buds are considered a delicacy. They can be grown as perennials (in which case they need 90cm spacing), or as biennials (45cm spacing is sufficient).
Witloof chicory can be sown this month, to be ready for forcing next winter (when other salads are scarce). Sow in drills directly outside.
Harvest spring lettuce, spring cabbage, salad onions and radishes. Continue with successional sowings of these and other salad crops. Herb crops such as basil, coriander and parsley can also be extended with successional sowings.
Asparagus is a perennial vegetable. Harvest spears from established plants for six to eight weeks from May into the early summer. Do not harvest spears from crowns less than two years old. After harvest and flowering, it is a good idea to feed them so that they have sufficient energy for next year’s crop.
Control weeds to prevent them competing for moisture and nutrients. Hoe regularly between rows on hot days to make sure the weeds dry up and die without re-rooting. Weedkiller is usually inappropriate as there is a high risk of it killing or damaging your crops as well as killing the weeds.
Pest & disease watch
Keep an eye out for asparagus beetles, which are black, red and yellow, and their creamy-black larvae. Pick them off stems and foliage by hand.
Look out for blossom end rot on tomatoes and peppers. This is not actually a disease, but the symptom of nutrient, calcium, deficiency that occurs when water supply is erratic. Regular watering and appropriate growing media should prevent too much damage.
Pinch out the top of broad beans once the lowest flowers have set. This will help prevent aphid attack.
Watch for the small holes flea beetles make on brassica seedlings. Water well to help them continue to grow, despite the pest damage.
Cover young brassica crops with nets to protect them from pigeons.
Keep carrot fly off carrots by covering them with a fine woven plastic mesh like Enviromesh. Just make sure that the corners are well tucked in or buried to prevent them breaching this defence.
Ensure that crops remaining in the ground, new sowings under cloches, and any stored vegetables, are well protected from mice.
Slugs pose a threat, and slug controls are necessary now, as always.
Pick yellowing leaves off brassicas promptly, to prevent spread of grey mould and brassica downy mildew. Do not compost such material, but put it in the rubbish, burn it, or bury it deeper than 60cm (24in) dept
Damping off of seedlings can be a problem with sowings both outside and in modules or containers. Clean equipment and, where necessary, use of fungicides (e.g. Bio Cheshunt Compound) can help to control this problem.
July
There's lots to harvest in the vegetable patch, including spinach, peas, beets, carrots, salads, potatoes and globe artichokes; shallots and spring-planted garlic may be ready as well.
Ensure all vegetables get a regular, consistent supply of water, using rainwater or recycled grey water wherever possible . This will aid healthy development, and help to avoid diseases, disorders and bolting.
Continue to hoe off weeds in dry weather. Done in wet weather, the weeds are liable to re-root.
Sow spring cabbage, turnips, Oriental vegetables, chicory, fennel, and autumn/winter salads such as lamb’s lettuce.
Carrots can still be sown, but beware carrot fly when thinning existing seedlings
Last chance to sow French and runner beans (south of England only).
Plant out leeks and brassicas for a winter supply, if not yet done.
Summer cauliflowers may need shading to prevent the curds scorching in bright sun.
Pick courgettes before they become marrows.
Over wintered onions can be lifted and used.
Don't forget to stop cordon tomatoes by removing the main shoot. Look for the leaf that's above the fourth truss and cut it off here. This should ensure that all the fruits ripen by the end of the season. Bush tomatoes can be left to their own devices.
Climbing beans may also need stopping, to maximise cropping on existing sideshoots. Stop them when they reach the tops of their supports.
Beans need sufficient watering to help the seed pods set.
Remember to pick your bean and pea pods as they mature, to stop them becoming tough and stringy later in the summer.
Climbing or cordon-grown vegetables may need checking to ensure they are tied in sufficiently to supports. Branches can easily snap off as the fruits mature. Leaves shading larger fruits can be removed to maximise sun exposure for ripening.
Any non self-blanching celery cultivars will need earthing up (with a protective collar of paper between the stems and the soil). Endive cultivars can be blanched by covering with an up-turned pot (with the drainage holes blocked off) filled with straw to exclude the light. Blanching makes these vegetables sweeter and tender.
Herbs can be harvested to keep the young shoots coming throughout the summer. Excess pickings can be dried for use throughout the year.
Pest & disease watch
Watch out for early leaf rots caused by potato blight and tomato blight.
Stunted potato plants should be lifted to check the roots for the tiny nodules of potato cyst eelworm.
Look out for asparagus beetle. Pick off the scarlet adult beetles and creamy-black larvae from the stems and foliage.
Keep an early eye out for the sunken brown patches of blossom end rot on tomatoes, especially if the weather has been dry. It can be a sign of irregular watering. Pale, haloed ‘ghost spots’ can be avoided by not splashing the fruits when watering tomatoes.
August
In the south of England you can still sow quick maturing salad crops such as summer lettuce, radish, rocket, sorrel, chicory and fennel.
Continue to sow spring cabbage, turnips, Oriental vegetables and overwintering onions, in the south of England.
Irregular watering can lead to problems with blossom end rot in tomatoes, splitting of root vegetables and flower abortion in peas and beans. Help prevent this by watering well during dry spells. We do not advise using grey household water on edible crops, but stored rainwater from a water butt is ideal.
Weeds can also compete with vegetables for water, and act as hosts for pests and diseases, so should be removed regularly by hoeing.
Lift onions, shallots and garlic when ready. Plants should be harvested when the necks start to turn brown and papery, and bend over naturally. Avoid actively bending the necks, as this can result in disease. Once harvested, let the tops dry until they rustle like brown paper, and then remove them.
Regularly pick fast-maturing vegetables such as French beans, runner beans, courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes, to prevent stringiness or toughness, and to encourage further cropping. Excess pickings can be frozen.
Finish harvesting second early potatoes, especially if it turns wet, as slugs will become active.
Harvest sweetcorn as it ripens. Push a fingernail into the kernel when the tassels at the end of the cob start to shrivel and brown. If the liquid is milky it indicates they are ready.
Marrows should be raised off the ground slightly, to prevent them rotting from contact with the soil. Some older leaves can be removed, if necessary, to maximise sun upon the fruit.
Continue earthing up celery, putting a layer of paper between the stems and the soil.
Take care when thinning out any late-sown carrot seedlings to prevent the scent released attracting carrot fly females. To protect them from carrot fly use fleece or enviromesh coverings.
Sow green manures such as crimson clover and Italian ryegrass to act as a soil improver and to cover bare areas. When dug in, they conserve nutrients and improve soil texture.
Alternatively, after clearing old crops, place black plastic over bare areas of ground to suppress weed growth.
Pest & disease watch
Keep up with potato blight control on outdoor tomatoes and potatoes to prevent further infection of the crop. Cut off the haulms (tops) of blighted potatoes and burn them, or put them in the dustbin. The tubers can still be harvested.
Potato powdery scab is also prevalent at this time of year.
Watch tomatoes for blossom end rot, ghost spot, blotchy ripening and greenback. Problems with ripening can be caused by heat damage, lack of feeding or water, or by a genetic tendency in some varieties. Tomato viruses are another problem.
Look out for the caterpillars and excrement of the pea moth, and for fungal spots on bean and pea pods and leaves.
Remove any sweetcorn cobs affected by smut, with swollen, grey or brown kernels that burst to release powdery fungal spores.
Carrot fly is still about.
Check stored onions for softness and the grey or black mould of neck rot.
Onion eelworm can cause swelling and distortion of onion plants, and rotting of stored bulbs. Crop rotation is the best preventative.
September
Continue to sow vegetables for overwintering, to mature next spring: turnip, spinach, winter lettuce, Oriental vegetables and seed of overwintering onions, both salad and bulb types.
Plant overwintering onion sets in late September.
Spring cabbages that were sown last month are probably ready for planting out. Cover them with horticultural fleece or netting to stop the pigeons shredding them.
Dig up potatoes before slug damage becomes a problem. Leave them out to dry for two to three hours before storing. Only store sound tubers in paper sacks or boxes.
Regularly pick fast maturing vegetables, such as French beans, runner beans, courgettes, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, to prevent them becoming stringy, tough or bitter and to encourage further crops.
Remaining outdoor tomatoes should be picked by the end of the month and ripened indoors. The whole truss can be cut off to allow the fruits to ripen ‘on the vine’, perhaps under a cloche or on a windowsill. Any green fruits can be used in chutneys.
Aubergines may still be cropping in the greenhouse. Pick them once the fruits have coloured, but before the skins start to wrinkle.
Lift onions and shallots once the foliage has started to die back. Do not be tempted to bend over the tops by hand as this can reduce their effective storage time. Allow them to dry on the soil surface if weather permits, otherwise dry in a well-ventilated shed and store in a moisture-free place. Thick-necked onions should be used rather than stored, as they may be prone to rots.
In cold districts, carrots, beetroot and turnip are best lifted and stored for use over the winter. Only store intact roots. Parsnips should be left in, as they taste better once frosted.
Harvest sweetcorn as it becomes ripe. Push a fingernail into the kernel when the tassels at the end of the cob start to shrivel and brown. If the liquid looks milky, they are ready.
Any remaining globe artichokes should be harvested now, before the buds start to open.
Marrows, pumpkins and squashes may be ready for harvesting. Leave them in the sun, or in a greenhouse/garage, to let the skins harden and dry off, before storing them in a cool, dry, dark place.
When asparagus foliage turns brown, it is time to cut it down. Take care of the spines, and give the plants a good mulch afterwards. Any new asparagus beds can be prepared at the same time, adding grit if your soil is poorly drained (e.g. heavy clay).
Celery can be earthed-up for the final time this month, leaving just a tuft of foliage sticking out of the trench or collar in order to blanch the stems. Self-blanching types are less hardy, and should be harvested before the first frosts. Trench cultivars can be left in the ground, although do have some horticultural fleece or straw handy to throw over the tops if severe frosts are forecast in your area. Beware celery rash when handling the plants, especially in sunny weather - gloves and long sleeves are necessary.
Irregular watering can lead to problems with blossom end rot on tomatoes, splits in root vegetables and pea and bean flowers aborting. Help prevent this by watering during dry spells. Recycled grey water is not recommended for edible crops, but stored rainwater is ideal.
Keep up too with watering winter squash and pumpkins: this will prevent their growth from being checked. Use stored rainwater wherever possible
Sow green manures, such as mustard and Italian ryegrass, to prevent autumn weeds establishing and to act as a soil improver once dug in during winter or spring. Alternatively, place black plastic over bare ground after clearing old crops to suppress weed growth.
Pest & disease watch
Keep up with potato blight and tomato blight control. Outdoor tomatoes are more vulnerable than greenhouse ones. Blighted potato haulms can be cut off and burnt, or placed in the rubbish. The tubers can still be harvested. Precautionary spraying may be beneficial, if the weather is conducive to fungal spread; suitable products are Bordeaux Mixture, Dithane 945 and Murphy Traditional Copper Fungicide.
Potato powdery scab is prevalent in wet weather at this time of year, especially on clay soils. Dispose of affected tubers and rotate crops to prevent the problem building up in the soil.
Common scab and other potato skin problems can be prevalent in dry Indian summer weather, particularly on well-drained sandy soils. Watering is key, and the use of acidic fertilisers may help if you have alkaline soil (which worsens the problem).
Be sure to clear debris created when lifting potatoes, and take care not to damage the haulms. Potato debris left out in wet weather could cause the development of fungal diseases such as black leg or fluffy grey mould.
October
Harvest pumpkins and squashes when ripe. Leave them in the sun, or in a greenhouse or garage, to let the skins harden and dry off, before storing them in a cool, dry, dark place.
Pick the last of the remaining runner beans. Any really late and stringy ones are better composted than eaten.
Dig up outdoor tomato plants and hang them upside-down in the greenhouse to allow the fruits to ripen. Any that don’t ripen can be used green in chutneys.
Continue lifting carrots and beetroot, plus any remaining potatoes still underground in mild areas. Only store healthy, intact roots. Parsnips should be left in, as they taste better once frosted.
Sow overwintering broad beans in situ (mild regions only). Covering the trench with fleece or cloches will provide insulation in colder areas, as well as protection from pigeons.
Carrots and peas can still be sown in cold frames, but only in mild areas.
Plant out spring cabbages if not already done. Remember to net them for protection from pigeons.
Finish planting autumn onion sets for a crop in early to mid-summer next year.
Garlic can still be planted in mild areas having free-draining soil. Otherwise it can be started in containers or modules, and planted out when more mature.
Radishes, mustard cress, and winter lettuces can be sown in growing-bags under glass or on a windowsill; the ideal temperature is 16°C (61°F). Old, used growing-bags from the previous summer are fine for this, as long as regular liquid feeds are given. After this second use, they can be emptied over the beds as a soil improver. (Don’t, however, spread compost used for tomato growing over your potato beds, as these crops can share many pests and diseases).
Earth up, or add to the cardboard sheath over any remaining trench celery plants that have not yet had their final top-up. Only a tuft of foliage should show at the top. In cold areas, the plants may benefit from being covered with fleece and straw (or bracken, paper, etc.) in case of frost. Self-blanching types are less hardy, and should be harvested before the first frosts. Beware celery rash when handling plants, especially in sunny weather - gloves and long sleeves are necessary.
Chicory (e.g. Witloof), and seakale, can be forced to provide salad leaves into the winter. The blanched, forced leaves are produced when an upturned pot, for example, is placed over the plant to block out the light.
The dying tops of Jerusalem artichokes can be cut back to ground level. Tubers can be cleared from an area of ground if the plant is becoming invasive, as they will re-grow readily.
Cut back asparagus foliage if not already done last month. Take care of the spines, and give the plants some mulch afterwards.
Now is a good time to get ahead and prepare new asparagus beds for planting up in the spring. Plenty of organic matter and grit will help to improve drainage to the level required by asparagus. A raised bed could be a good investment on heavy clay soil, to make it more asparagus friendly.
When clearing old pea and bean plants, simply cut off the tops for the compost heap, and dig the roots into the soil. They return valuable nitrogen to the earth, acting as a natural fertiliser.
October is a good time for digging over vacant areas of the vegetable plot, as the approaching cold weather may help to improve the soil structure by breaking down large clumps into crumbly particles. After digging, any vacant ground can be covered with black polythene to prevent re-colonisation by weeds, or smearing of the surface structure by rain-splash (this is known as 'capping').
In the south of England, green manures can still be sown until the middle of the month. Plants such as field beans, winter tares and Italian ryegrass will prevent autumn weeds establishing, and will act as a soil improver.
Pest & disease watch
Keep an eye on Brussels sprouts, removing yellowing leaves to prevent grey mould from becoming troublesome.
Remove all plant debris from the vegetable patch or allotment, to reduce the spread and the overwintering of disease and pests.
Refrain from composting diseased material, as the temperatures in domestic heaps may not be sufficient to kill pests and diseases. Burning the waste, burying it deeply, or placing it in the domestic rubbish are alternatives.
Place mouse controls near your stored vegetables.
Flea beetle can still be a problem until the end of October, so keep nets in place, but the potential damage caused is unlikely to be as severe as it was in the spring.
November
Order seed catalogues for next year, if you haven't already done so.
Harvest leeks. They can be heeled in horizontally into a shallow trench outside the back door, for easy access.
Cauliflowers can be harvested, or left in situ with the leaves snapped and folded down over the curds to protect them.
Lift and store root crops such as carrots, beetroot, turnips and swedes.
Parsnips can be left in the ground until needed, or lifted and then buried in a shallow trench for easy access when needed. They taste better when frosted. Make sure to mark the trench.
Celeriac can also be left in the ground for a bit, but do protect them from the cold with a thick mulch of straw, bracken, or other suitable material.
If you have Brussels sprouts ready for harvesting, pick the largest sprouts from the bottom of the stalk first.
Stake any Brussels sprouts stalks that look leggy and vulnerable to wind rock.
Dig up chicory roots to be forced. Pot them up after removing foliage and position them in a dark warm place. The tasty chicons will appear in three to six weeks.
Seakale can be forced as well, but is best forced outside. An upturned pot or cardboard box/tube works well.
You may have other vegetables ready for harvest: Jerusalem artichokes, winter cabbage, spinach, Swiss chard, kohl rabi and radishes can all still be cropped.
Sow over wintering broad beans (mild areas only) outside or under cloches where the soil is well drained, or in pots in an unheated greenhouse in cold districts. Harvests should be marginally earlier than the first spring sowings.
Plant garlic cloves in modules inside a cold frame, or outdoors in mild areas in its final position (free-draining soils and low rainfall areas only).
Clear late-season debris off the vegetable plots, and dispose of it as advised below in pest & disease watch.
Clean and store bamboo canes in the shed or other dry place to ensure they're still in good condition for next year.
Dig over, incorporating well-rotted organic matter if available and weed vacant areas of the vegetable plot. Once they are fully wetted by winter rain, cover them with thick black polythene or other opaque covering, and leave them until next season, when they will be easy to prepare for planting and sowing.
After digging, you may want to mulch.
Winter rye can still be sown as a green manure well into November.
Now is a good time to get ahead and prepare new asparagus beds for planting up in the spring. Plenty of organic matter and grit will help to improve drainage to the level required by asparagus. A raised bed could be a good investment on heavy clay soil, to make it more asparagus friendly.
Pest & disease watch
Ensure that crops remaining in the ground, and new sowings under cloches, are protected from mice. Cloches should be securely closed, and traps, bait, or ultrasonic devices nearby may be of some help.
Pigeons are serious pests of brassicas and other vegetables. Cloches, frames of netting or fleece, and metal cages will help to keep them away from vulnerable crops.
Remove any yellowed leaves on Brussels sprouts and other brassicas. This will prevent the development of grey mould and brassica downy mildew.
Remove all remaining plant debris from the vegetable plot. Do not compost any diseased material such as blight-infected potatoes, onions suffering from white rot and any crops with rust. Burn or bin the diseased material, or bury it very deeply in the ground.
Digging over the soil in winter exposes soil pests to frost and bird predators. Frost will help improve soil structure.
Place mouse controls near stored fruit and vegetables.
Regularly check stores and remove rotting and mouldy specimens.
December
Plant shallots and garlic in very mild areas with well-drained soil. Garlic cloves can be planted in modules in mild areas where the soil is less free draining.
An old Victorian idea is to make a manure hotbed by piling a mixture of manure and straw (or leaves), to be rotted over the winter, into an empty compost bin. This is then covered with a layer of John Innes No 3 compost. A cold frame placed on top will benefit from the heat generated by the rotting manure, and this will aid the germination of crops to be started in January for planting outside in February.
Lift and store root crops such as carrots, beetroot and turnips.
Parsnips can be left in the ground until needed, or lifted and then buried in a shallow trench for easy access when needed. They taste better when frosted. Make sure to mark the trench, and to cover it with a protective layer of cardboard if hard frosts are forecast.
Harvest Brussels sprouts. Pick the largest sprouts from the bottom of the stalk first.
Stake or earth up any Brussels sprouts stalks that look leggy and vulnerable to wind rock.
Some of the spring cabbages that were planted out earlier in the autumn can be used as winter greens (if they are large enough), cutting them before they have a chance to form hearts next spring.
Lift and store celery - it can be heeled in just outside the back door, for easy use. It can also be thickly mulched in situ, using straw or bracken held in place with fleece and hoops of wire, and then lifted when needed.
It isn’t too late to force chicory and seakale. Dig up chicory roots to be forced. Pot them up and position them in a dark warm place. The tasty chicons will appear in three to six weeks. Seakale is best forced outside. A light-proof upturned pot or cardboard box/tube works well.
If you have not done so already, now is the time to dig over and incorporate soil improvers into vacant areas of the vegetable plot. You can cover these areas with thick polythene to keep the soil dry and make it easier to work in the spring - particularly useful for heavy clay soils. Clear polythene will increase the soil temperature, enabling earlier sowings in spring. Black polythene will suppress weeds.
Clear late-season debris off the vegetable plots, and dispose of it as advised below in pest & disease watch.
Clean and store bamboo canes in the shed or other dry place to ensure they're still in good condition for next year. Broken or rotted ones can be shortened, where possible, for re-use.
Pest & disease watch
Ensure that crops remaining in the ground, and new sowings under cloches, are protected from mice. Cloches should be securely closed, and traps, bait, or ultrasonic devices nearby may be of some help.
Place mice controls near stored vegetables as well.
Slugs can still pose a threat, and slug controls are necessary now, as always.
Pigeons are serious pests of brassicas and other vegetables. Cloches, frames of netting or fleece, and metal cages will help to keep them away from vulnerable crops.
Pick yellowing leaves off Brussels sprouts and other brassicas promptly, to prevent spread of grey mould and brassica downy mildew.
Remove all remaining plant debris from the vegetable plot. Do not compost any diseased material such as blight-infected potatoes, onions suffering from white rot and any crops with rust. Burn or bin the diseased material, or bury it more than 60cm (24in) deep in the ground.
Digging-over in winter exposes soil pests to frost and bird predators. Frost will help improve soil structure.
Attracting wildlife to your garden (see wildlife gardening section) can help to control pest problems for next year.
Regularly check stored vegetables, removing any rotting or mouldy specimens | 
