12 Months of Gardening: An Interactive Guide to Growing Veg Throughout the Year!
Whether you're completely new to growing vegetables and gardening, are looking for an easy way to get your kids involved, or simply need a quick refresher course, we’ve found a super fun piece of content that will take you through 12 months of vegetable gardening, giving you all the basics tips you'll need to get your vegetable patch up and running.
Here’s a quick preview of 12 Months of Growing Vegetables!
And now for a look at some of the vegetables featured in the guide above:
In January to May plant… Aubergines
Aubergines (or Eggplants) are technically fruits, but they certainly don't taste fruity! They are very tasty though, and incredibly nutritious. These funny looking purple plants should be grown, or at least started off in a greenhouse in colder regions. They should be fine in milder temperatures if covered by a fleece blanket or garden cloches. The best time to plant your aubergines is in the spring between January and May, and they should be harvested in the late summer, between July and September. You can also grow aubergines indoors, but they should be tied to a support system and staked regularly.
In February to July plant… Carrots
Bugs Bunny's favourite snack and an excellent ingredient in cakes and soups, carrots should be planted in light, fertile soil in a sunny position. They can also be grown in containers and should be watered regularly until seedlings emerge, after which they should only be watered when the soil is visibly dry. The months in which it's possible to grow a decent set of carrots range quite widely between February and July, and they can be harvested between May and October. Check out our specific ppages on vegetable growing too: how to grow carrots is right here!
In March to May plant… Broccoli
Broccoli is nutritious and delicious and the Sunday roast simply wouldn't be the same without it! Plant your broccoli in a sunny spot with well-drained soil that has been mixed with mature compost and a high-nitrogen organic fertiliser. Plant your seeds in the spring and harvest them in the summer and water them every 10-14 days, possibly more during a particularly dry spell.
In March to June plant… Parsnips
Parsnips are a spicy, unique vegetable bursting with flavour, and they are pretty easy vegetables to grow too! Sow your seeds between March and June, burying them around half an inch and keeping them about one inch apart in evenly moist soil. Once the seedlings have sprouted to about an inch, thin them out, leaving one seedling roughly every six inches and then harvest your crop in winter. For a sweeter taste to your parsnips, wait until after the first frost before you harvest.
In March to July plant… Beetroot
One of nature's sweetest vegetables and a super food to boot! Beetroots require fertile and well-drained soil, and do best in warm weather, so sow them in spring and harvest them before the summer is completely up. Use fleeces or cloches to protect the seeds and thin the ranks to about one seedling every four inches once they begin to sprout. Water every two weeks or every 10 days during a dry spell, and if they are not growing as you'd expect, consider using fertiliser to enrich the soil.
In April to June plant… Courgettes
Seen as a bit of a delicacy by some, courgettes are tasty and versatile, going great in a stew or even on the BBQ. They are also surprisingly easy to grow. Simply place your plants about 90 centimetres apart in a sunny, sheltered spot in enriched soil and water them weekly, being careful to water just the base of the plants so as not to cause them to rot. Sow in the spring between April and June and harvest towards the end of the summer.
In May to June plant… Swede
Swede grows best in soft, well-drained and nutrient-rich soil, but can thrive in all soil types as long as it's not too acidic. If you feel you soil is lacking, enhance it with some manure and fertiliser, and water it frequently, especially during dry periods. You want to ideally keep the moisture levels as even as possible. Sow your swede between May and June and harvest in between September and November.
There’s lots more info on when to plant and harvest veg throughout the year in this helpful (but more importantly, fun!) guide to growing veggies, and we’ve also got heaps of tips to help you become a master veg harvester, right here!
In this Section:
Instead of the Credit Crunch, try the Carrot Crunch!
Get fresh air, excercise, organic produce, teach your kids life skills and at the same time, save those pennies - all that and more simply by growing your own veg!
All Year Round Delight - Sprouting Seeds!
Ready to eat within a week, sprouting seeds satisfies even the most impatient young gardener, and you will be surprised at how many different seeds can be sprouted! Read more!
Swiss Chard - the neglected vegetable ...
This almost forgotten alternative green is easy to grow and crops for months, so why not give it a try? Read more!
Not quite sure where to start?
Try growing some loose-leaf lettuce, either indoors or outside. It is easy to grow and matures quickly. Read more!
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