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Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Greatest skilled recommendation on sowing hardy winter veg seeds


Summer time’s right here and there’s a lot to do within the backyard, from popping in bedding crops to selecting beans and strawberries. However if you’d like nutritious, homegrown veggies within the depths of winter, now’s the time to begin sowing succession crops. We checked in with our favorite gardening bloggers to see which hardy vegetable seeds they’re sowing this summer time. Right here’s what they stated…

Within the meantime, browse our full vary of vegetable seeds to search out conventional favourites in addition to thrilling new varieties.

Contents:

Which seeds to sow in summer time for winter and early spring crops

It appears unusual to consider winter crops in the course of summer time, however cautious planning now will preserve your harvest going by means of the colder months and effectively into subsequent spring. The Suttons staff suggests sowing seeds like cabbages and cauliflowers this summer time. However don’t fear when you’ve missed the sowing window. It’s straightforward to purchase veg crops and there’s nonetheless time to place them in. Suppose sprouting broccoli, Brussels sprouts and leeks. Learn the complete article for recommendations on planning your winter veg and discover ways to make your backyard productive all 12 months spherical. 

“With regards to winter greens, we actually do must assume forward.” That’s the recommendation of Richard Suggett of The Veg Grower Podcast, whose episode on what to sow now for winter veg is filled with sensible recommendation. Cauliflower and kale are amongst his prime selections, and he additionally intends to sow cabbage for Christmas dinner! Hearken to the complete episode to search out out what else he’s sowing this summer time, and choose up skilled recommendations on rising brassicas.

No-dig skilled Charles Dowding sowed his spring onions in late August and, as you may see from his video, they’re coming alongside properly. Timing is essential, as you want the crops to be “sufficiently small to not be too battered by the wind or undergo from laborious frost within the winter, but additionally massive sufficient that they will survive”. Watch his useful video for six greens to develop by means of the winter.

Sowing spring cabbage seeds

Sow ‘Pink Drumhead’ cabbage seeds in August for an early crop the next 12 months
Picture: Cabbage ‘Pink Drumhead’ from Suttons/©Floramedia

In June and July, Ivan sows Savoy cabbage seeds that might be prepared to reap from late December onwards, however he says they’ll fortunately sit exterior proper by means of the winter. To encourage his seeds to interrupt the floor as shortly as potential, he makes use of a colander to sieve a really mild protecting of compost over them. Watch the complete video over at Ivan’s Gardening Allotment UK for a useful demonstration. And to maintain his greenhouse productive by means of the winter, he additionally sows Pak Choi (Chinese language cabbage) in September as a cut-and-come-again crop. What an awesome thought!

Earlier than you pot in your spring cabbages, watch this attention-grabbing video over at Steve’s Seaside Kitchen Backyard & Allotment. With a formidable choice of cabbages and different brassicas overwintering in his polytunnel, Steve explains that he’d wrestle by means of the ‘hungry hole’ if he didn’t have them able to go within the floor early subsequent 12 months. 

Left it a bit late to sow your brassica seeds? Over at That’s What We Name The Good Life,  YouTube gardener Susanne recommends ordering some “part-grown crops to get you began”. She crops out her Savoy cabbages in September, and expects them to be prepared by spring. Her prime tip? Agency them in effectively to assist them type sturdy hearts. Susanne additionally covers her cabbages to maintain pests at bay.

For Instagram allotmenteer Lindsay, spring cabbages actually brighten up her plot in January, when it usually appears “a bit barren”. She planted them the earlier autumn and, as you may see from her photograph, they give the impression of being extremely wholesome! Lindsay grows all kinds of fruit, veg and flowers in Stirling. Observe her journey over at @scottish_allotment as she takes on a fair larger plot!

Sowing swede and turnip seeds

“July is a unbelievable time to sow some swede,” says Gary of The Allotment Backyard and Kitchen, together with turnips, carrots, beetroot and lots of different nutritious veggies. In the event you direct sow your seeds, simply keep in mind to skinny out the seedlings so that they’ll have loads of room to develop. Need to know one of the best veg seeds to sow in July? Watch Gary’s video for skilled recommendation.

In the event you’ve by no means grown them earlier than, watch Peter’s week-by-week video diary on how one can develop swedes over at A Thorny Pot to see the whole course of from sowing to harvesting. He begins his swedes off in trays, sowing 2-3 seeds per cell to make sure a superb germination fee. When scaling down, Peter explains that “the strongest seedling is just not at all times the biggest.” He advises selecting the seedlings with the best variety of leaves and the thickest stems. 

Turnips are quick growers and may be prepared to reap in as little as 5 weeks once they’re at their tastiest and most tender. Because of this, John Harrison of Allotment & Gardens recommends successional sowing turnip seeds each few weeks for “a unbroken provide of flavoursome younger roots”. You’ll be able to even eat the leafy turnip tops as “a scrumptious inexperienced vegetable”

Different vegetable seeds to sow in summer time

Do you know that sprouting broccoli is much hardier than the extra conventional calabrese? It’s effectively suited to sowing in early summer time, explains Benedict Vanheems of GrowVeg, and produces “a crop within the cooler months, from late winter and on by means of spring”. In the event you get the timing proper, your broccoli seedlings might be able to plant out simply as your summer time veg is being harvested, making it an awesome succession crop. 

Over at Rafs Kitchen Backyard, Raf’s beetroot seedlings are able to go within the floor as quickly as gaps seem in July. He rejuvenates the soil with poultry manure earlier than planting them out, and can get pleasure from harvesting the leafy inexperienced tops, child beets and bigger beetroots over the next months. Watch his winter vegetable planting video for extra inspiration! 

Hailed as a superfood, you may develop kale all 12 months spherical with a bit of skilled assist from Huw Richards. He grows seven forms of kale, beginning them off in a seed mattress earlier than transplanting them into gaps. In his useful video, Huw explains that kale is one among his favorite ‘reduce and are available once more’ crops by means of the winter months. Do you know that the flower stems are additionally edible? “Deal with them a bit like purple sprouting broccoli and so they’re completely scrumptious,” he says! 

Don’t let your veg patch sit idle by means of the winter when there are such a lot of varieties that may develop fortunately within the chilly. In the event you’re undecided which vegetable seeds to sow every month, try our useful information for recommendation.

Lead picture: Cabbage (Savoy) ‘F1 Serpentine’ from Suttons



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