Growing your own produce is exciting, but it can be tricky to know what to plant and when. Our month-by-month growing guide simplifies the process, allowing you to grow produce all year and make the most of your allotment space.
Whether you’re just starting out or aiming to boost productivity, a monthly planting guide tells you exactly what and when to sow, plant, and harvest vegetables, fruits, and even nuts.
Instead of becoming overwhelmed by what to grow and when, following a vegetable-growing month-by-month is much more productive. Knowing when to plant certain vegetables, fruit, herbs and nuts, increases your chances of a healthy, strong plant and a better yield.
For instance, planting a summer crop too early in the year, or a winter harvest crop during warm summer months can lead to bolting, pest infestation, a poor-quality yield, or even plant death.
Following our guide means you can grow all-season produce, and more importantly, avoid missing the right sowing and harvest windows.
Growing veggies all year round is possible, even for amateur planters. At Allotment Online, our month-by-month vegetable planting guide can assist both beginners and intermediates. It’s highly adaptable and can be modified depending on your skill level, the produce you enjoy eating, and where you are in your growing journey.
If you’re new to growing fruit and vegetables, our month-by-month planting guide takes the uncertainty away by showing you exactly what to plant and when. It’s the reassurance you need to feel confident that you’re on the right track.
And when challenges arise (because they always do!), you’ll also find plenty of advice and practical tips to help you put things right.
After a few growing seasons, you likely feel confident enough to make your own decisions about what to plant and when. However, there’s always something else to learn! From knowing the right time to plant a certain fruit, to understanding germination periods and harvesting for the best yield, our guide ensures you stay productive year after year.
By following a month-by-month plan, you can extend your harvesting season and experiment with different varieties. The goal is to have a thriving vegetable garden all year round!
Our monthly planner makes it easy to see the key jobs for your allotment plot. Each month includes tips on what produce to sow, what to harvest, and essential tasks like pruning and maintenance to keep your allotment thriving throughout the year.
Choose the month we’re in and get going, or plan ahead!
Weather plays a major role in your allotment success. While we can’t control the climate, knowing what to grow and when allows you to make the most of seasonal produce wherever you’re based.
For ease, we’ve divided the UK’s weather into four major geographical areas. Although, it’s definitely worth doing your own research again!
Near the coast, winters are mild, summers are cool, and frosts are less frequent. This creates an extended growing season. The main challenge here is exposure to salty winds, which can damage delicate plants.
For inland allotment, your plants will be exposed to more extreme temperatures, colder winters and hotter summers. You will often experience a longer frost window, giving you a shorter growing window. If you like in the Midlands, you need to be careful with spring crops, making sure to harden them off before planting them outdoors.
In the north, summers are typically shorter and frost-free days are limited. Hardy, resilient crops are essential, and planning carefully what to sow and when will help you achieve strong, healthy yields.
In the south, it’s more common to experience longer summers, milder winters and drier weather conditions. Try to plant more drought-resistant varieties and regularly water to keep your crops thriving. Early sowings are also more successful, as the soil tends to warm up and defrost sooner in spring.
No two seasons are ever quite the same, especially in the UK! Frosts may arrive earlier or later than expected, summers can be wetter or drier, and the temperature can change dramatically, quickly.
That’s why it’s important to adjust your growing schedule to suit the conditions rather than sticking rigidly to dates on a calendar.
Tools like raised beds, fleece, cloches, and polytunnels make a big difference when the weather doesn’t cooperate. Raised beds warm up more quickly in spring and help protect roots from waterlogging after heavy rain. Cloches and fleece provide quick frost protection, while polytunnels and cold frames extend the season by trapping heat and shielding crops from wind, rain, and snow.
Even without a greenhouse, these affordable alternatives allow you to keep growing vegetables throughout the year, helping you adapt to unexpected cold snaps, rainy spells, or early thaws.
Allotment growing is about learning as you go, adapting when unexpected things happen and making the most of the tools you have!
Growing veggies all year round is possible if you adapt our monthly guide to your local weather conditions. Some common best practices to bear in mind include:
You can learn what vegetables to plant and when on our individual monthly pages, but for some generic advice on maximising your yield, here’s our advice:
Crop rotation: This technique that has several benefits, from preventing soil-borne pests and diseases to improving soil fertility, encouraging the diversity of crops and improving quality and yield.
Succession planting: By sowing little and often, you can successfully grow veg all year round. This method helps to maximise harvest even if you have limited plot space, and you reduce waste with staggered growing, as there is less spoilage. For first-time growers, it reduces the chances of failure.
Companion planting: You can combine slow-growing crops with fast-growing crops, or plants from different families to prevent pest infestation and the spread of diseases. However, make sure to check what plants are compatible, because it can also have a negative effect.
Soil enrichment: Instead of relying on chemical fertilisers, which are harmful for plants, the planet and even humans who consume them, opt for composting and mulching.
Pest and disease monitoring: Crop rotation, succession planting, and companion planting can all help reduce pest and disease infestation. By learning about seasonal pests and how they affect your crop, you will also gain an edge, so that you can maintain a successful vegetable garden all year round.
Whether you’re looking for easy vegetables to grow year-round or practical tips on cultivating fruits and nuts, you’ll find it all here. At Allotment Online, we’ve built a thriving community of both new and experienced growers who share advice, tips, and real-life growing stories to help inspire your journey.
If you’re ready to get started, our Allotment Directory can help you find a plot to rent near you. And with our month-by-month allotment planner, you’ll have the guidance you need to plan ahead and make the most of your growing space.
