Growing Guides
Practical guides for every crop
Free growing guides covering sowing times, germination, plant spacing and harvest windows for vegetables, herbs and flowers, plus pest notes and companion planting for every crop.
Achillea
Achillea is a hardy herbaceous perennial grown for flat heads of small flowers above ferny aromatic foliage. It is valuable in sunny borders, wildlife planting and cutting gardens, especially where drought tolerance and a long flowering season are important.
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria is a tuberous perennial grown for long-lasting lily-like flowers in bright colours, making it a strong garden and cut-flower plant. It forms spreading clumps and flowers freely once established in a sheltered fertile position.
- Plant spacing
- 40 cm
Anemone
Anemone is a broad flower group that includes spring and autumn-flowering types valued for clear open blooms and elegant stems. In garden terms it is often grown either from corms for spring colour or as hardy perennial clumps for late-season display.
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
Apple
Apple is a long-lived orchard fruit tree grown for dessert fruit, cooking apples or cider, depending on the variety. It is one of the most adaptable and rewarding fruit trees for gardens, available in forms ranging from compact cordons to full freestanding trees.
- Plant spacing
- 300 cm
Aquilegia
Aquilegia is a graceful hardy perennial with nodding spurred flowers that light up late spring and early summer borders. It self-seeds gently in suitable conditions and fits especially well into cottage-style and lightly shaded planting schemes.
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
Asparagus
Asparagus is a permanent spring vegetable grown from crowns for tender spears that return year after year once established. It takes patience to build a productive bed, but few crops offer the same sense of early-season reward from a long-lived planting.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 21–29 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
Astilbe
Astilbe is a hardy moisture-loving perennial grown for feathery flower plumes and finely cut foliage that bring texture to shaded borders. It is particularly useful where soil stays reliably damp and many sun-loving plants would struggle.
- Plant spacing
- 40 cm
Aubergine
Aubergine is a tender Mediterranean crop grown for glossy fruits in shades of purple, black, white or striped, depending on variety. It needs a long warm season and high light levels, but rewards good conditions with richly flavoured fruits for roasting, grilling and stews.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 22–30 °C
- Plant spacing
- 60 cm
- Harvest
- 150 days
Basil
Basil is a tender aromatic herb grown for soft highly fragrant leaves used fresh in pesto, salads, pasta and many summer dishes. It is one of the defining herbs of warm weather growing, thriving in pots, greenhouses and bright sheltered outdoor spots.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 20–25 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 60 days
Bay Laurel
Bay laurel is an evergreen aromatic shrub grown for leathery leaves that lend savoury depth to stocks, stews and braises. It is both a useful culinary herb and an attractive structural plant for containers, courtyards and sheltered borders.
- Plant spacing
- 120 cm
Beetroot
Beetroot is a reliable dual-purpose crop grown for sweet earthy roots as well as tender edible leaves. It suits successional sowing, grows well in beds and raised systems, and can be harvested small for bunching or larger for storage.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 10–30 °C
- Plant spacing
- 10 cm
- Harvest
- 60 days
Bell Pepper
Bell pepper is a heat-loving crop grown for sweet, crisp fruits with thick walls and a long harvest window. The fruits can be picked green or left to mature to red, yellow or orange, with flavour and sweetness deepening as they colour.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 20–25 °C
- Plant spacing
- 40 cm
- Harvest
- 85 days
Blackberry
Blackberry is a cane fruit grown for heavy crops of dark berries from vigorous thorny or thornless stems. It is useful both for fresh picking and preserving, and modern varieties offer manageable growth for gardens as well as allotments.
- Plant spacing
- 150 cm
Blackcurrant
Blackcurrant is a hardy soft-fruit bush grown for strongly flavoured berries used fresh, in jams and in cordials. It is one of the most productive berry bushes for cooler climates and can crop heavily from a relatively compact plant.
- Plant spacing
- 150 cm
Blueberry
Blueberry is an acid-loving berry bush grown for sweet fruits with good keeping quality and a long list of fresh and baking uses. It also offers spring flowers and rich autumn colour, making it one of the most decorative productive shrubs for gardens.
- Plant spacing
- 120 cm
Broad Bean
Broad bean is a hardy legume suited to cool weather and early sowing, producing sturdy plants and heavy flushes of large pods in late spring and early summer. It is one of the best crops for getting a substantial harvest before the main heat of summer.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 5–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
- Harvest
- 90 days
Broccoli (Calabrese)
Calabrese is the familiar fast-maturing broccoli grown for a large central head followed by smaller side shoots. It is a dependable crop for summer and autumn harvests, giving a generous return from well-grown plants in fertile ground.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 60 cm
- Harvest
- 100 days
Broccoli (Sprouting)
Sprouting broccoli is grown for many slender tender spears harvested from late winter into spring, when little else is ready outside. It occupies space for a long season but earns it back with reliable cool-season harvests and excellent flavour after winter weather.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 60 cm
- Harvest
- 240 days
Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are tall long-season brassicas grown for many firm buds spaced along the stem from autumn into winter. They reward patience and good soil with a harvest that stands well outdoors and improves in flavour after cooler weather.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 60 cm
- Harvest
- 180 days
Cabbage
Cabbage is a versatile heading brassica grown for crisp fresh leaves, slaws, soups and cooked dishes across much of the year. Different sowing times and varieties allow it to fill spring, summer, autumn and winter slots in a productive rotation.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
- Harvest
- 150 days
Cape Gooseberry
Cape gooseberry is a tender physalis grown for small golden fruits enclosed in papery husks, with a sweet-sharp tropical flavour. It brings both ornamental and culinary interest, cropping over a long season when given warmth and time.
- Germination
- 10–20 days
- Temperature
- 20–25 °C
- Plant spacing
- 75 cm
- Harvest
- 110 days
Carrot
Carrot is a classic direct-sown root crop grown for sweet crisp roots that can be eaten young, stored for winter or lifted as needed from the bed. It suits open ground and deep containers, and rewards regular sowings with a long harvest season.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 7–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 5 cm
- Harvest
- 90 days
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a cool-season brassica grown for dense curds that are best when growth has remained uninterrupted from start to finish. It is less forgiving than cabbage or kale, but well-grown plants provide excellent heads for summer, autumn or winter use depending on type.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 60 cm
- Harvest
- 120 days
Celeriac
Celeriac is a slow-maturing root celery grown for fragrant knobbly bulbs that excel in soups, mash, roasts and winter dishes. It needs a long season and more attention than many roots, but stores well and brings a distinctive savoury flavour to the kitchen.
- Germination
- 10–20 days
- Temperature
- 15–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 120 days
Celery
Celery is a moisture-loving stem crop grown for crisp stalks and aromatic flavour in salads, soups and cooked dishes. It needs more attention than many vegetables, but few crops offer the same combination of fresh crunch and deep kitchen usefulness.
- Germination
- 14–21 days
- Temperature
- 15–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 120 days
Chard
Chard is a long-cropping leafy beet grown for broad tender leaves and, in many varieties, brightly coloured stems. It bridges the gap between summer and winter cropping very effectively, often continuing to produce after repeated cutting.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 75 days
Cherry
Cherry is a stone fruit tree grown for sweet or sour fruits, often trained into compact forms for easier netting and picking. It is highly rewarding in a warm sheltered position, where blossom, foliage and fruit all add ornamental as well as edible value.
- Plant spacing
- 300 cm
Chervil
Chervil is a delicate annual herb with finely cut leaves and a gentle aniseed flavour, often used where a lighter touch than parsley or dill is wanted. It is especially valuable in cool weather and in partial shade, where leaves stay soft and fresh tasting.
- Germination
- 7–21 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 45 days
Chilli
Chilli is a tender pepper crop grown for fruits that range from mildly warming to intensely hot, depending on the variety. It suits pots, greenhouse culture and sunny patios, and can be harvested green, fully coloured or dried for later use.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 20–30 °C
- Plant spacing
- 40 cm
- Harvest
- 100 days
Chinese Cabbage
Chinese cabbage is a fast oriental brassica grown for crisp elongated heads or leafy harvests, depending on sowing and use. It is best treated as a late summer or autumn crop in many climates, because cool shortening days help it make strong hearts instead of bolting.
- Germination
- 4–10 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 70 days
Chives
Chives are clump-forming perennial alliums grown for slender onion-flavoured leaves, edible flowers and neat ornamental habit. They fit easily into vegetable beds, herb patches and containers, and provide harvests over a long period with little fuss.
- Germination
- 10–14 days
- Temperature
- 15–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 60 days
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum is grown for masses of late-season daisy-like flowers that extend colour well into autumn. Depending on the type, plants may be used for border planting, patio displays or cut flowers, but all benefit from good light and careful seasonal management.
- Plant spacing
- 40 cm
Cornflower
Cornflower is a hardy annual wildflower and cutting flower grown for vivid blue blooms and easy performance from seed. It is particularly useful in cottage gardens, pollinator-friendly planting and annual mixes where a light natural look is wanted.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 15–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
Cosmos
Cosmos is a free-flowering half-hardy annual grown for airy foliage and long-lasting daisy-like flowers in white, pink, crimson and orange shades. It is one of the most useful summer fillers for borders and cutting gardens, flowering over a long season if kept picked.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 18–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
Courgette
Courgette is one of the most generous summer crops, producing a steady stream of tender fruits over many weeks in warm weather. Plants are vigorous and broad, making them excellent for productive beds where space can be given over to a crop that repays regular harvesting.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 20–30 °C
- Plant spacing
- 90 cm
- Harvest
- 55 days
Cranberry
Cranberry is a low acid-loving fruiting plant grown for glossy red berries with a sharp preserving flavour. It is less commonly grown than many berries, but can be productive where its special moisture-retentive acidic conditions are met.
- Plant spacing
- 40 cm
Cucumber
Cucumber is a fast-growing cucurbit grown for crisp refreshing fruits, whether for slicing, salads or pickling. Plants can be trained vertically to save space and are especially productive in greenhouses, though outdoor ridge types also crop well in warm sheltered gardens.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 20–30 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
- Harvest
- 84 days
Daffodil
Daffodil is a hardy spring bulb grown for cheerful trumpet or cup-shaped flowers that return reliably in borders, grass and containers. It is one of the easiest flowering bulbs to naturalise and brings strong seasonal structure as well as colour.
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
Dahlia
Dahlia is a tender tuberous perennial grown for richly coloured flowers in an exceptional range of forms, sizes and planting styles. It is one of the strongest late-summer performers for borders and cutting gardens when given warmth, fertility and regular picking.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 18–22 °C
- Plant spacing
- 60 cm
Delphinium
Delphinium is a stately hardy perennial grown for tall flower spires that add height and drama to early and midsummer borders. It is a classic cottage-garden and cut-flower plant, especially valued where strong vertical structure is needed.
- Germination
- 14–21 days
- Temperature
- 15–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 75 cm
Dill
Dill is a feathery annual herb grown for leaves, flowers and seed, all of which bring a fresh aniseed note to the kitchen. It is both ornamental and productive, fitting well into herb beds, vegetable rows and pollinator-friendly planting.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 15–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 25 cm
- Harvest
- 55 days
Dwarf French Bean
Dwarf French bean is the compact bush form of French bean, ideal for raised beds, mixed veg plots and larger containers. It crops quickly and conveniently without the need for tall supports, making it a practical choice for smaller spaces.
- Germination
- 7–10 days
- Temperature
- 16–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 55 days
Echinacea
Echinacea is a hardy perennial prized for bold daisy flowers with raised centres and good late-summer presence. It is popular in prairie-style planting, pollinator gardens and cutting schemes, especially where strong stems and drought tolerance are useful.
- Germination
- 10–20 days
- Temperature
- 18–22 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
Fennel (Bulbing)
Bulbing fennel, often called Florence fennel, is grown for swollen pale stems with a mild sweet aniseed flavour. It differs from herb fennel because the harvest is the enlarged base, which is best when grown fast and kept juicy.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 15–22 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 100 days
Field Bean
Field bean is a hardy fava-type legume grown both for edible beans and as a nitrogen-fixing green manure in cool-season rotations. It tolerates tougher conditions than many beans and is particularly useful where autumn sowing can improve soil before later crops.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 5–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
- Harvest
- 90 days
Fig
Fig is a Mediterranean fruit shrub or small tree grown for soft sweet fruits and bold tropical-looking foliage. In cooler climates it is best given the shelter of a warm wall or container culture, where warmth and restricted roots improve fruiting.
- Plant spacing
- 250 cm
Foxglove
Foxglove is usually grown as a hardy biennial or short-lived perennial for tall spires of tubular flowers loved by bees. It is a valuable woodland-edge and cottage-garden plant that naturalises readily if some seedlings are allowed to establish.
- Germination
- 14–21 days
- Temperature
- 15–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 40 cm
French Bean
French bean is a warm-season legume grown for crisp tender pods, with this entry representing the taller climbing forms grown up canes or supports. It is quick, productive and especially useful for fresh summer picking when pods are harvested young and often.
- Germination
- 7–10 days
- Temperature
- 16–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
- Harvest
- 60 days
French Marigold
French marigold, usually grown as Tagetes patula in garden practice, is a compact bushy half-hardy annual with aromatic divided foliage and bright flowers in yellow, orange, red and bronze shades. It is widely used in borders, pots and vegetable gardens, and is commonly paired with crops such as tomatoes in companion planting schemes.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 18–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 25 cm
Garlic
Garlic is a strongly flavoured bulb crop grown from individual cloves, usually planted in autumn or late winter for harvest the following summer. It is valued both for the bulbs and, in some types, for edible flower stalks and green tops.
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 240 days
Gherkin
Gherkin is a small-fruited cucumber grown mainly for pickling, preserving and crunchy snacking harvests. The plants are vigorous and productive, and fruits are best used while still youthful, firm and evenly shaped.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 20–30 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
- Harvest
- 55 days
Globe Artichoke
Globe artichoke is an architectural perennial grown for large edible flower buds as well as dramatic silvery foliage. It suits gardeners who want a crop that earns its place visually and productively, especially in sunny sheltered positions.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 18–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 90 cm
- Harvest
- 180 days
Gooseberry
Gooseberry is a hardy bush fruit grown for sharp cooking berries or sweeter dessert fruit, depending on variety and picking stage. It is productive, compact and well suited to training as bushes, cordons or fans in small productive spaces.
- Plant spacing
- 120 cm
Grape Vine
Grape vine is a climbing fruit crop grown for dessert grapes or wine-making fruit in greenhouses, polytunnels or warm sheltered outdoor sites. It is a classic trained crop, combining structural growth with potentially heavy bunches when managed carefully.
- Plant spacing
- 180 cm
Hellebore
Hellebore is a hardy evergreen or semi-evergreen perennial valued for winter to spring flowers and handsome leathery foliage. It is especially useful in shady borders and woodland settings where interest is needed well before many other perennials begin.
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
Hollyhock
Hollyhock is a tall traditional cottage-garden plant grown for dramatic spires of flowers in midsummer. It is often treated as a biennial or short-lived perennial and is especially effective against walls, fences and the back of sunny borders.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 15–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 60 cm
Hydrangea
Hydrangea is a deciduous flowering shrub grown for large heads or panicles of bloom and bold foliage. Different groups suit different sites, but in general they are valued for long display, generous garden presence and reliable flowering once established.
- Plant spacing
- 180 cm
Iris
Iris includes rhizomatous and bulbous flowering plants valued for elegant blooms and sword-like foliage. Garden irises offer a wide seasonal range, but most thrive best where light, drainage and correct planting depth are carefully observed.
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
Kale
Kale is a leafy brassica valued for repeated pickings, strong flavour and excellent tolerance of cold weather. It is one of the most useful crops for keeping a bed productive from late summer well into winter and early spring.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
- Harvest
- 60 days
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a quick brassica grown for its swollen stem, which stays sweet, crisp and mild when harvested young. It is an excellent space-efficient crop for succession sowing, with good raw and cooked uses from summer into autumn.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 60 days
Lavender
Lavender is a sun-loving shrubby perennial valued for fragrant foliage, flower spikes and strong pollinator appeal. Though often treated as ornamental first, it also has culinary and household uses and can sit well in edible landscapes.
- Germination
- 14–28 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
- Harvest
- 120 days
Leek
Leek is a long-season allium grown for sturdy stems with a long white shank and dark leafy tops. It is particularly valuable for autumn and winter harvests, when it stands well in the ground and provides fresh produce after many other crops are finished.
- Germination
- 10–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 180 days
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a lemon-scented mint relative grown for fresh leaves used in teas, desserts, salads and light herbal mixtures. It is easy to grow and strongly aromatic, making it a useful choice for gardeners who want plenty of foliage from a forgiving perennial.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
- Harvest
- 70 days
Lettuce
Lettuce is a quick leafy salad crop that ranges from looseleaf cutting types to crisp compact heads for whole harvests. It is one of the easiest ways to keep fresh produce coming from spring into autumn through steady successional sowing.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 10–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
- Harvest
- 84 days
Lily
Lily is a summer-flowering bulb grown for highly decorative trumpet, bowl or Turk’s-cap flowers, often with strong perfume. It is a favourite for borders and cutting, provided drainage is good and stems are protected from harsh exposure.
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
Lupin
Lupin is a bold upright perennial grown for dramatic flower spikes and hand-shaped foliage in late spring and early summer. It brings strong vertical colour to mixed borders and cutting gardens, and modern hybrids offer a wide range of shades.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 15–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
Mangetout
Mangetout is an edible-podded pea grown for its flat tender pods, harvested before the peas inside noticeably swell. It is one of the quickest and sweetest climbing crops for spring and early summer, with the whole pod used fresh.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 10 cm
- Harvest
- 65 days
Marjoram
Marjoram is a sweet warm-flavoured aromatic herb used fresh or dried in Mediterranean and vegetable dishes. It is softer and gentler than oregano, making it useful where a more delicate herbal note is wanted.
- Germination
- 10–14 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 75 days
Melon
Melon is a tender dessert crop grown for sweet aromatic fruits that need real warmth to ripen well. In most UK gardens it is best treated as a greenhouse or very sheltered polytunnel crop, where the vines can be managed closely and fruit quality is more dependable.
- Germination
- 4–10 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 60 cm
- Harvest
- 90 days
Mint
Mint is a strongly scented perennial herb grown for abundant leaves used in drinks, sauces, salads and teas. It is vigorous and productive but spreads rapidly, so it is usually best managed in containers or confined spaces.
- Germination
- 10–15 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 40 cm
- Harvest
- 70 days
Mizuna
Mizuna is a fast oriental leaf crop with feathery mildly peppery leaves suited to salads, quick cooking and mixed leaf sowings. It grows rapidly, looks attractive in the bed and is useful for filling short seasonal gaps with quality leafy harvests.
- Germination
- 4–10 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
- Harvest
- 35 days
Mustard Greens
Mustard greens are quick peppery brassica leaves used in salads, stir-fries and mixed greens harvests. They are especially useful in the shoulders of the season, when rapid leafy growth can be achieved before heat or severe cold become limiting.
- Germination
- 4–10 days
- Temperature
- 8–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
- Harvest
- 40 days
Nasturtium
Nasturtium is a quick half-hardy annual grown for bright flowers, rounded leaves and a useful trailing or mounding habit. It is popular in ornamental and kitchen gardens alike, especially because both foliage and flowers are edible and pollinator friendly.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 15–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
Onion
Onion is a staple bulb crop grown from seed, modules or sets for fresh use, drying and long storage. It is one of the backbone allotment crops, fitting easily into rotations and rewarding good ripening and curing with months of kitchen use.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–30 °C
- Plant spacing
- 10 cm
- Harvest
- 100 days
Oregano
Oregano is a Mediterranean herb grown for pungent aromatic leaves that are useful fresh but even more intense when dried. It is compact, drought tolerant and attractive in flower, so it works well in herb beds, borders and containers alike.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 75 days
Ornamental Allium
Ornamental allium is a hardy bulb grown for round heads of starry flowers on straight stems in late spring and early summer. It brings strong architectural shape to borders and combines especially well with grasses and early summer perennials.
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
Pansy
Pansy is a compact flowering plant grown for cheerful cool-season colour in pots, borders and edging displays. It is especially valuable in autumn, winter and spring planting schemes where reliable low growth and regular flowering are needed.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 15–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
Parsley
Parsley is a classic culinary herb grown for curly or flat leaves and valued for its long harvest season in cooler weather. It is useful in herb gardens, mixed beds and containers, and often provides better leaf quality than tender annual herbs when temperatures dip.
- Germination
- 14–35 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
- Harvest
- 75 days
Parsnip
Parsnip is a long-season root crop grown for large pale roots that develop a richer sweeter flavour after cold weather. It is especially valued for autumn and winter cooking and can often be left in the ground until needed.
- Germination
- 14–28 days
- Temperature
- 10–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 10 cm
- Harvest
- 120 days
Pea
Pea is a cool-season legume grown for sweet shelling peas, edible pods or tender shoots, depending on type. It is one of the earliest productive crops in the vegetable garden and is especially useful where vertical growing can make efficient use of space.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 10 cm
- Harvest
- 70 days
Pear
Pear is a fruit tree grown for juicy dessert fruit or firmer culinary varieties that hold up in cooking. It brings a refined orchard character to gardens and is especially well suited to training as espaliers, cordons and fans where space is limited.
- Plant spacing
- 300 cm
Peony
Peony is a long-lived flowering perennial or small shrub grown for large opulent blooms and handsome foliage. Once established it can thrive for decades, making it one of the great structural and seasonal plants for mixed borders and cutting gardens.
- Plant spacing
- 90 cm
Perpetual Spinach
Perpetual spinach is a leaf beet grown like spinach but valued for a much longer picking season and better tolerance of warmth. It produces plentiful dark leaves over many months, making it a practical crop for gardeners who want dependable greens without constant resowing.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 55 days
Plum
Plum is a stone fruit tree grown for dessert fruit, dual-purpose crops and culinary types such as damsons and gages. It can be highly productive in a suitable site, offering generous harvests for eating fresh, bottling, jam making and baking.
- Plant spacing
- 300 cm
Poppy
Poppy includes several much-loved flowering types, from quick annual cornfield forms to larger perennial oriental kinds. In garden use they are prized for satiny petals, easy seed sowing and strong early to midsummer impact in sunny borders and naturalistic planting.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 15–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
Pot Marigold
Pot marigold, Calendula officinalis, is a hardy annual grown for bright daisy-like flowers over a long season. It is valued in ornamental and kitchen gardens alike because the petals are edible, the plants are easy to raise from seed, and they often self-sow gently from year to year.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 12–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
Potato
Potato is a staple tuber crop grown from seed tubers for early fresh harvests, substantial summer crops and long-storing maincrop yields. It is adaptable, highly productive and central to many veg garden rotations, though disease pressure means timing and hygiene matter.
- Plant spacing
- 37 cm
- Harvest
- 110 days
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a vigorous winter squash grown for large fruits with firm flesh and good storage qualities through autumn and winter. Plants spread widely and need warmth, fertile ground and time, but can yield dramatic ornamental and kitchen harvests from a single planting.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 20–30 °C
- Plant spacing
- 90 cm
- Harvest
- 110 days
Quince
Quince is an aromatic pome fruit grown mainly for cooking, preserving and jelly making rather than for eating raw. The fruits are fragrant and highly distinctive, giving this small tree a special role in the productive garden for cooks who enjoy preserving.
- Plant spacing
- 300 cm
Radish
Radish is one of the quickest crops in the kitchen garden, grown for crisp peppery roots and in some cases edible pods. It is ideal for beginners, for filling short gaps, and for adding fast turnover to mixed salad sowings.
- Germination
- 3–10 days
- Temperature
- 8–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 5 cm
- Harvest
- 30 days
Raspberry
Raspberry is a hardy cane fruit grown for sweet berries in summer or autumn, depending on whether the variety fruits on old or current season growth. It is one of the most rewarding soft fruits for home gardens because the crop is expensive to buy fresh and tastes best when picked fully ripe.
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
Red Cabbage
Red cabbage is a dense richly coloured heading cabbage used for salads, braising, pickling and winter storage. Its stronger flavour and firm texture make it especially useful for late-season kitchen use as well as decorative planting value in the bed.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
- Harvest
- 120 days
Redcurrant
Redcurrant is a hardy soft-fruit bush producing translucent berries in decorative hanging strings, useful for fresh use, desserts and preserves. It is neat enough for formal fruit training yet productive enough to justify a place in almost any mixed fruit garden.
- Plant spacing
- 150 cm
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a robust perennial grown for thick tart leaf stalks used in crumbles, compotes, jams and baking. Once established it can be highly productive for many years, making it a dependable crop for permanent corners of the plot.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 16–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 90 cm
Rocket
Rocket is a quick peppery leaf crop for salads, sandwiches and garnishes, valued for its distinctive bite. It grows rapidly in cool conditions but can bolt very quickly when days turn hot and dry.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 10–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 40 days
Rose
Rose is a classic flowering shrub or climber grown for beautifully formed blooms, fragrance and a very wide range of garden uses. It remains one of the most important ornamental plants for borders, walls, containers and cutting, provided the right type is matched to the site.
- Plant spacing
- 90 cm
Rosemary
Rosemary is an evergreen Mediterranean shrub grown for resinous aromatic leaves that can be harvested year round in mild climates. It combines culinary usefulness with strong structural value, making it as important for design as for the kitchen.
- Germination
- 14–28 days
- Temperature
- 15–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 60 cm
- Harvest
- 120 days
Rudbeckia
Rudbeckia is a sunny border perennial or annual grown for bold daisy flowers in yellow, bronze and amber tones. It brings strong late-summer colour and works especially well in prairie planting, pollinator-friendly borders and cutting schemes.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 18–22 °C
- Plant spacing
- 40 cm
Runner Bean
Runner bean is a tall climbing legume grown for long fleshy pods over a prolonged summer season, and many varieties also offer attractive flowers. It is one of the most productive vertical crops for a home garden when warmth and moisture are adequate.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 12–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 90 days
Sage
Sage is a woody aromatic herb grown for savoury strongly flavoured leaves that are useful fresh or dried. It brings structure as well as kitchen value, with grey-green foliage that suits sunny borders, herb beds and gravel-style plantings.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
- Harvest
- 365 days
Salad Leaves
Salad leaves are usually grown as mixed sowings of fast leafy crops chosen for repeated cut-and-come-again harvests. They are perfect for filling small spaces, containers and spare corners, giving a quick return from very little ground.
- Germination
- 4–10 days
- Temperature
- 8–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 5 cm
- Harvest
- 30 days
Savoy Cabbage
Savoy cabbage is a crinkled-leaved cabbage valued for sweet flavour, handsome texture and strong hardiness through autumn and winter. It is one of the most useful cooking cabbages for cold-season harvests, with good standing ability in the ground.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
- Harvest
- 180 days
Shallot
Shallot is an allium grown for clusters of richly flavoured bulbs that store well and bring a deeper taste than many onions. It is especially useful where reliable storage, kitchen versatility and modest space requirements are priorities.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 140 days
Sorrel
Sorrel is a hardy perennial leaf crop grown for its sharp lemony flavour, which lifts soups, sauces, salads and egg dishes. It is a useful permanent leafy herb for cooler climates, offering quick regrowth and early season harvests.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 15–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 25 cm
- Harvest
- 60 days
Spinach
Spinach is a fast leafy green prized for cool-season sowings, quick harvests and repeated leaf pickings. It is excellent for spring and autumn cropping, though it needs care in summer because heat and dry conditions push it rapidly into flower.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 8–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 50 days
Spring Cabbage
Spring cabbage is a hardy overwintered cabbage grown for compact tender heads at a time when fresh garden vegetables are still scarce. It fills an important hunger gap in the productive garden and is especially valuable on allotments with a planned brassica rotation.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 300 days
Spring Onion
Spring onion is a quick allium grown for bunching and fresh use before any real bulb forms. It is especially useful as a catch crop because it takes little space, grows fast and adds a fresh mild onion flavour to salads and everyday cooking.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 5 cm
- Harvest
- 60 days
Squash
Winter squash covers a wide group of productive sprawling plants grown for richly flavoured fruits that can be roasted, mashed, stuffed or stored. Compared with courgettes, the fruits are left to mature fully so they develop hard skins and denser flesh for later use.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 20–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 120 cm
- Harvest
- 100 days
Strawberry
Strawberry is a low perennial fruit crop grown for sweet fragrant berries that are especially valuable when eaten straight from the plant. It suits beds, raised borders, hanging systems and containers, and can provide either a concentrated early harvest or repeat crops through summer depending on variety.
- Germination
- 14–28 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 35 cm
- Harvest
- 90 days
Sugar Snap Peas
Sugar snap pea is an edible-podded pea grown for thick sweet crunchy pods that are picked once the peas inside have just begun to swell. It bridges the gap between mangetout and shelling peas, combining sweetness with a satisfying bite.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 10 cm
- Harvest
- 70 days
Sunflower
Sunflower is a fast-growing annual grown for large bright flower heads, useful wildlife value and strong summer height. It is one of the easiest statement plants from seed, with forms ranging from giant singles to branching cut-flower varieties.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 18–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm
Swede
Swede is a slower stronger-growing brassica root for autumn and winter use, valued for dense roots that store well and stand cold weather. It needs more time than turnip but repays it with larger roots and dependable late-season kitchen value.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 10–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 180 days
Sweet Pea
Sweet pea is a fragrant climbing annual grown for abundant flowers in spring and summer and for one of the finest cut-flower scents in the garden. It is a traditional favourite for wigwams, arches and cutting rows, especially where regular picking is possible.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 12–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is a tender vine crop grown from slips for sweet starchy tubers in the warmest parts of the season. It is more demanding than ordinary potato, but can succeed well in protected growing and warm free-draining soils.
- Plant spacing
- 30 cm
- Harvest
- 120 days
Sweet William
Sweet William is a compact scented plant usually grown as a hardy biennial for dense heads of flowers in late spring and early summer. It suits edging, cottage-style borders and cutting gardens, and often gives stronger colour impact when planted in groups.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 15–18 °C
- Plant spacing
- 25 cm
Sweetcorn
Sweetcorn is a warm-season cereal grown for tender sugary cobs picked and eaten at peak freshness. Because it is wind pollinated, it performs best in blocks rather than isolated rows, making it especially well suited to allotment patches and dedicated summer beds.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 35 cm
- Harvest
- 80 days
Tarragon
Tarragon is an aromatic perennial herb with a distinctive aniseed note, especially prized in French-style cooking, vinegars and dressings. The leaves are strongly flavoured but refined, and are best harvested from active young growth.
- Plant spacing
- 20 cm
Thyme
Thyme is a compact evergreen herb for sunny dry sites, grown for strongly scented leaves and masses of pollinator-friendly flowers. It is one of the best herbs for low-maintenance planting, edging and container culture where drainage is good.
- Germination
- 14–28 days
- Temperature
- 15–20 °C
- Plant spacing
- 25 cm
- Harvest
- 365 days
Tomatillo
Tomatillo is a tender husk tomato grown for firm tart fruits enclosed in papery lantern-like husks. It is central to salsas and sauces, and differs from standard tomatoes in both flavour and growth habit, producing abundant crops on vigorous plants.
- Germination
- 7–14 days
- Temperature
- 20–25 °C
- Plant spacing
- 75 cm
- Harvest
- 85 days
Tomato
Tomato is a tender warm-season crop grown for juicy fruits that can be eaten fresh, cooked, bottled or dried. Plants crop over a long season in greenhouses, polytunnels or sunny sheltered beds, and range from compact bush forms to tall cordon types that keep climbing and setting trusses through summer.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Temperature
- 18–21 °C
- Plant spacing
- 50 cm
- Harvest
- 80 days
Tulip
Tulip is a spring bulb grown for dazzling cup-shaped or more elaborate flowers in an enormous range of colours and forms. It is one of the most important seasonal display plants for beds, borders and containers, especially where bold spring impact is wanted.
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
Turnip
Turnip is a quick versatile root crop that can be harvested young for salads or left slightly larger for autumn cooking. It is useful for filling short gaps in rotations because it grows quickly and can be ready in only a few weeks.
- Germination
- 3–10 days
- Temperature
- 10–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 15 cm
- Harvest
- 60 days
Verbena
Verbena is grown for airy clusters of flowers carried over a long season, often attracting bees and butterflies in large numbers. Depending on the type it may be used as a bedding annual, container subject or lightly perennial border plant with a transparent habit.
- Germination
- 10–21 days
- Temperature
- 18–22 °C
- Plant spacing
- 35 cm
Watermelon
Watermelon is a strongly heat-demanding cucurbit grown for large juicy fruits with crisp sweet flesh. It is most realistic as a protected crop in cooler climates, where warmth can be maintained for long enough to set and ripen fruit properly.
- Germination
- 4–10 days
- Temperature
- 24–30 °C
- Plant spacing
- 120 cm
- Harvest
- 100 days
Zinnia
Zinnia is a half-hardy annual grown for brilliantly coloured daisy and dahlia-like flowers on sturdy stems, making it one of the best late-summer cut flowers. It thrives in heat and sun, and modern varieties offer strong disease resistance and excellent garden impact.
- Germination
- 7–10 days
- Temperature
- 20–24 °C
- Plant spacing
- 25 cm