A simple planting guide: when to plant vegetables

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Written by the expert and completely food-obsessed team behind this website, our social channels and our monthly magazine.

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Check out our quick and easy guide on when to plant vegetables and herbs in the UK, including whether to use seeds or plants and the month’s to harvest them all.

A simple planting guide: when to plant vegetables

Vegetable	Use seeds or plants?	When to plant	Sowings/ plantings per season	When to harvest?
Baby beetroot	Seeds	Apr-Jul	2-3	Jul-Oct
Baby carrots	Seeds	Apr-Jun	2-3	Jul-Oct
Chard	Seeds	Apr-Jul	1-2	Jul-Nov & Feb-Mar
Courgettes & Squash	Seeds/plants	May-Jun	1	Jul-Oct
Garlic	Sets (cloves)	Oct-Nov or Jan-Feb	1	July
Kale	Seeds/plants	May-Jun	1	Sep-Nov & Feb-Mar
Peashoots & Mangetout	Seeds	Mar-Jun	2-3	May-Aug
Peppers & Chillies	Plants	May-June	1	Aug-Oct
New potatoes	Seed tubers	Mar-Apr & Jul-early Aug	1-2	Jul & Nov
Salads	Seeds	Mar-Sep	4-6	Apr-Nov
Shallots	Sets (small bulbs)	March	1	Jul-Aug
Tomatoes	Plants	May-Jun	1	Jul or Aug-Oct
When to plant herbs
Basil	Seeds/plants	Late May and again in late Jul	1-2	Jul-Sep
Chervil	Seeds	Mar-Jul	3-4	May-Nov & Feb-Mar
Coriander	Seeds	Apr-Jul	3-4	Jul-Sep
Parsley	Plants	Apr (and Jul if crop fails)	1-2	Jun-Nov & Feb-March