Planting with the Seasons: A Month-by-Month Guide to Vegetable Sowing Dates

The timings you need to make successful sowings from February until early November.

Every year I publish a Calendar of sowing dates. This is the 2025 version in my webshop:
It also has advice on how to sow seeds, what potting mix to use.

At Homeacres, Somerset UK on 20th February.

00:00 Introduction, including explanation of recommended sowing dates in my calendar
01:07 February sowings…
01:50 Lettuce, options
02:44 Radish
03:07 Onions, bulb and salad (from seeds)
03:54 Speciality veg, kohlrabi and fennel
04:36 Spinach
05:05 Legumes, peas and broad beans
05:46 Peas for shoots
06:00 Beetroot
06:22 Cabbage, two types
07:08 Broccoli, two types
07:31 Cauliflowers
07:56 Heat-loving plants, chilli, pepper, aubergine
08:35 Tomatoes, and why sowing in March may be better than in Feb
09:08 More March sowings…peas for pods
09:34 Carrots and parsnips (first outdoor sowings)
10:03 Celery and celeriac
10:34 Leeks, and basil (March or April)
11:08 Onions from sets
11:28 Potatoes
12:21 April sowings… more warmth-loving plants, eg basil
12:44 Cucumbers, for growing under cover
13:04 Courgettes
13:20 Squash plants
13:53 Sweetcorn
14:15 Chard and leaf beet
14:45 Melons
15:11 May sowings…cabbage
15:27 Brussels sprouts, and kale
15:55 Swedes/rutabagas
16:19 Beans (French, pole, runner, borlotti)
17:12 Summer sowings…
17:36 Endive and radicchio
18:20 Chinese cabbage
19:22 Radish (winter)
19:29 Turnips (end of summer/early autumn)
19:36 Early autumn sowings...rocket, pak choi, mustards
20:01 Lettuce and endive
20:14 Garlic
20:35 Broad beans
20:44 Sowing date reminders – my sowing calendar, available in print and digital, and sowing timeline wallchart
21:03 My book, No Dig, which has lots of detailed info on growing veg

See also this page of my website, where I explain month by month, best sowing dates, and why!

You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members:

[Melody-enxn]

This is exactly the type of guide I've been searching for a long time on youtube! What seeds to sow each month! I love this! Thank you so much for making this!❤️

[jeas]

Mr. Dowding, you are an absolute treasure. Thank you so much for teaching the world to grow over these years. Much love.

[Anna-yjcs]

Are you not on TV yet? Your advice is practically invaluable and your voice so soothing! You would be watched by millions! I ordered the calendar and it's very handy! Thank you so much!

[kravgirl]

I often begin my morning with a coffee and a Charles Dowding video, as I am now. You have a soothing voice and your content gets my brain moving in the right direction. My Texas garden is thriving because of all I’m learning! Thank you!

[DValentine-lpyr]

Charles Dowding is the BEST gardener in the world! In my humble opinion. His no-dig approach changed my life. He's a brilliant man.

[mohammedadam]

That's why he's the GOAT! 🐐Thank you Sir Charles Dowding!

[wyldwuchs]

I've already somewhat established my own sowing strategies but I'll leave a comment for the algorithm.
I also want to leave a big *THANK YOU* for being one of my main inspirations to gardening for all these years.

No dig has been such a huge relief for somebody dealing with physical impairments.
Greetings from Germany 💚

[Im-just-Stardust]

Oh my, nothing better than waking up with a notification from Mr Dowding himself. Charles, thank you for all the questions you answered to me over the year. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.

Edit after watching : What an amazing guide you just did here, thank you so much.

[OrtoInScatola]

Funny, a couple of years back I watched all your videos and compiled every sowing and planting dates you mentioned and created myself a plan based on your dates adapting them to our climate by using the reasoning more than the dates themselves. I think that is the key to learn from your experience. And that is the difference between your videos and everyone else’s. You focus on the why, most people just dictate their dates…

[tedbastwock]

Charles, this video alone is enough for a novice to learn how to feed themselves year round, what an amazing resource this video, and your complete video library. You never cease to amaze me. Every time I think I have found the ultimate gardening video on your channel, you pop out another. Well done, and thank you. I love your No Dig book and Calendar and CD trays, so appreciative of what you offer.

[agnex]

Mr Charles Dowding you are a miracle! I don't know if I ever came across anything that great quality lectures about gardening as you doing! You are massive inspiration for so many people! Thanks for all your hard job!
The only problem I need more land as I got only tiny back garden 😂

[taffpatch]

Well well well, what a gem of a video, well done and thanks Charles x.

[helenprocessofgrowing]

As a seasoned gardener, I still need monthly reminders of sowing dates.I had one of your printed calenders previously, but I prefer this as it's succinct and time stamped.Thankyou for this Charles.

[tedbastwock]

WOW that's some amazing looking Chinese Napa Cabbage!!! Mine always end up looking like cheesecloth by the time they're that age! Charles, this is an AMAZING video. I have your calendar this year and I'm very impressed by it -- it's so useful, beautiful, and professionally-done! Next year I might buy 3 of them so I can have one to use as usual and 2 to pull apart and tack up each month's beautiful picture and calendar on the wall as an arrangement of 24 squares.

[tinkeringinthailand]

It feels so strange watching, and knowing, the correct times for seed sowing in the UK latitude when compared to the correct times here in Thailand. I am currently harvesting carrots, Courgettes, tomatoes, kale, beetroot and sugar peas, which were sown in November and December 😅😅😅My "Thailand no dig" beds are going from strength to strength. Thanks for posting Charles.

[Sue-ecun]

Wow! Thanks Charles! Explained so many of my failures, mostly head lettuces. They have confounded me for years! Hopefully this year *fingers crossed*! By the way, I say it every year and I tell everyone who toils in the garden, NO DIG, is the absolute way to go! New beds going in this year again! Thanks for everything!

[karinamauritia]

Always enjoy your videos. You look fantastic in that bright red jacket. You put so much work into your videos. Thank you.

[kvintaquilts]

Just the info I needed! Given that I am in Denmark and thus in zone 7, without a greenhouse, I will have to delay most of my sewings with minimum 2-3 weeks, but this information is still immensly usefull! Thanks!!

[AreYouKittenMeRtNow]

This was a great video ❤ I understand you’re referring mostly to your planting zone but I must say I laughed out loud when you said garlic could be planted as late as February as we got 4 inches of snow today and both the ground and my compost bins are frozen solid 🥶 Every year I’m amazed when my little garlic and shallot shoots make it through our pretty brutal winters (northeastern USA) My grow room is sure active right now though… thank heavens for heat mats! Thank you for all the time and energy you put into your videos Charles they are such a delight and so incredibly helpful, you’ve truly changed gardening for me in the best of ways!! ❤

[LawdDemRangz]

Wonderful video as always, Charles. I’m listening to you as I make breakfast.