Planning Your Planting Calendar
Do you have big growing plans for the year ahead? A planting calendar may be just what you need to stay on track, meet your goals, and enjoy impressive harvests year-round. In this handy article, LBS Horticulture will share the advantages of planting plans and how to create an effective schedule to guide you through each month of the year.
Planning a Fruit and Vegetable Planting Calendar in the UK
Before you grab your seeds and finest compost, it's good to have a solid action plan. Develop an allotment or greenhouse planting schedule to ensure sowing success.
What is a Planting Calendar?
A planting calendar is a valuable tool for keeping track of planting duties throughout the year – so you know what to sow, when, and where. It's especially beneficial if you aspire to grow many different crops, each with its unique growing conditions. You can plan out a handy guide and reference it throughout the year.
Most planting calendars will list out the months of the year and the following information:
- The seeds to sow in each month
- Whether you should sow the seeds indoors or directly outdoors
You can make your plan as simple or detailed as you like. Stick to the basics, or use your calendar as a source of all key information, such as transplanting times, sowing depths, plant spacing, and potential pests to watch out for.
Why Make a Planting Schedule?
A planting schedule is a great way to improve efficiency and organisation in the garden. Like an ordinary calendar, it helps you plan for events and prompts action. As a result, you can achieve the following benefits:
- Improved Harvests: A well-planned calendar ensures you sow at the optimal time for each crop, helping your plants thrive. As a result, you should gain healthier, tastier crops and higher yields.
- Plan for Crop Rotation: Knowing what you're growing and when helps you prepare for a successful crop rotation cycle.
- Enhanced Productivity: A planting schedule gives you time to prepare for each crop. You can begin stocking up on appropriate growing media, specific plant food, or pots and trays that will be most effective for starting your seeds.
Creating A Greenhouse or Allotment Planting Schedule in the UK
Interested in making your own planting calendar? One of the simplest ways is to gather all the packets of seeds you want to grow throughout the year and sit down to make a plan. Follow these steps to get started.
- Create a list or spreadsheet with a header for each month of the year. This outline will allow you to map out your planting schedule month by month.
- Check the instructions on each seed packet for the recommended sowing month or season.
- Based on the seed packet information, jot down each crop under the appropriate month in your calendar.
- When adding your crops to your list, note whether you should sow the seeds indoors or outdoors. You can also add any other relevant information or care conditions.
Now you have a basic planting schedule! You can leave it as is or transfer the information to a more detailed format like a digital calendar or planting planner.
Suggested Planting Calendar
Below are some month-by-month suggestions of common crops you could include in your planting schedule, as suggested by the Royal Horticultural Society.
January
| Sowing Indoors | Broad Beans, Cauliflower, Leek, Lettuce, Parsnip, Peas, Pepper. |
| Sowing Outdoors | - |
February
| Sowing Indoors | Broad Beans, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage (summer), Celeriac, Celery, Lettuce, Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Pepper, Tomatoes. |
| Sowing Outdoors | Broad Beans, Carrot, Leek, Lettuce, Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Potato, Radish |
| March | |
|---|---|
| Sowing Indoors | Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage (summer), Celeriac, Celery, Marrow, Pepper, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes. |
| Sowing Outdoors | Broad Beans, Beetroot, Broccoli (calabrese), Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage (summer), Cabbage (winter), Carrot, Kale, Leek, Lettuce, Onion, Parsnip, Pea, Potato, Radish, Spinach. |
April
| Sowing Indoors | French Beans, Runner Beans, Celery, Marrow, Sweet Corn |
| Sowing Outdoors | Beetroot, Broccoli (calabrese), Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage (summer), Cabbage (winter), Cabbage (Chinese), Carrot, Cauliflower, Kale, Lettuce, Marrow, Parsnip, Pea, Potato, Radish, Spinach, Swede, Sweet Corn. |
May
| Sowing Indoors | - |
| Sowing Outdoors | French Beans, Runner Beans, Beetroot, Broccoli (calabrese), Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage (summer), Cabbage (winter), Cabbage (Chinese), Carrot, Cauliflower, Kale, Potato. |
June
| Sowing Indoors | - |
| Sowing Outdoors | Beetroot, Carrot, Lettuce, Pea, Radish, Spinach, Swede |
July
| Sowing Indoors | Lettuce |
| Sowing Outdoors | Cabbage (spring), Cabbage (Chinese), Onion, Radish, Spinach |
August
| Sowing Indoors | Lettuce |
| Sowing Outdoors | Cabbage (spring), Onion, Radish. |
September
| Sowing Indoors | - |
| Sowing Outdoors | Onion |
October
| Sowing Indoors | Lettuce |
| Sowing Outdoors | Pea |
November
| Sowing Indoors | Onion |
| Sowing Outdoors | Broad beans, Pea |
December
| Sowing Indoors | Onion |
| Sowing Outdoors | - |
Adhere to Your Planting Calendar with LBS Horticulture
With your planting plan in hand, you're all set to make the most of the upcoming growing seasons. Need to stock up on essentials? Source your growing media, tools, pots and trays from LBS Horticulture for competitive pricing on leading brands.
If you have any questions about this post or our products, please don't hesitate to reach out to the LBS team. Contact us today to speak with our friendly experts for advice or assistance. Alternatively, browse our additional articles for more insights and handy guides.
