Store-bought vegetables can often lack the level of flavour that we desire, come in at a higher cost, and be less environmentally friendly with the need for transportation.
Many are now turning towards spring vegetable gardening as the perfect solution to growing fresh, healthy, and incredibly tasty food at home.
Not only will the produce be wonderful for consumption later in the year, but vegetable gardening can be a very satisfying and rewarding process, sparking joy and relaxation. Below, gardening expert Fiona Jenkins at MyJobQuote.co.uk explains the best vegetables to sow in early spring. Whether you are new to gardening or a seasoned pro, here are 4 of the top vegetables to get sowing this spring!
Lettuce
Lettuces are quick and easy to grow and come in a variety of colours, flavours and textures. They are one of the most popular crops to grow as they are compact enough for even the smallest garden, balcony, or patio.
When to Sow
For a summer/autumn harvest, start sowing your lettuces outside in late March. For an earlier crop, you can begin to sow indoors in early February and plant outside in early March under cloches or plastic tunnels.
How to Sow
Lettuces are mainly sown indoors when temperatures are too low or to keep seedlings protected from slugs and snails until they are larger and hardier. Indoor-sown lettuces can be moved outside in the spring after the last frost has passed.
Choose a warm spot in full sunlight to sow your lettuce with fertile, moisture-retentive soil. Ensure that the area is completely free of weeds and dig in plenty of garden compost before raking to remove any large stones and get the soil fine and level.
Sow the seeds thinly, around 1cm deep, in rows 30cm apart. Alternatively, lettuce seeds can be sown in large containers or growing bags positioned in a warm, sunny spot. Sow them thinly in damp multipurpose compost and cover them with a thin layer of fine compost.
Care Tips
- Water young seedlings regularly, especially in warm weather. Continue to water frequently over the spring and summer months to keep the soil moist and prevent it from drying out.
- Lay a thick layer of mulch, such as garden compost, around the lettuce plants to further hold in the moisture and prevent soil from drying out during periods of warmer weather.
- Keep seedlings and young lettuce plants free of weeds, which can reduce air circulation and encourage fungal disease. Preventing weeds will also mean the plants are not having to compete for water or sunlight, which can slow their growth.
Carrots
Carrots are sweet, tasty, and packed with vitamins, making them a popular choice for growing at home. They are a straightforward crop to grow from seed, take up little space, and can be grown in containers.
When to Sow
Early varieties can be sown in February or March if protected with cloches or biodegradable fleece. These vegetables are perfect for growing in the garden through the early spring months.
How to Sow
Carrots grow best in full sun and light, well-drained soil. They should be sown directly outdoors, as moving and replanting can disturb the roots and lead the carrots to become forked or distorted once grown.
Before sowing, fork through the soil to remove any stones, weeds, and hard lumps, and then rake it to a fine texture. Make a shallow drill along the base and sow the carrot seeds as thinly as possible along its length.
Sowing small batches of the seeds every three to four weeks will give you continuous harvests. Carrot seeds can, however, be slow to germinate, so patience is key.
Care Tips
- Carrots are drought resistant, so they do not need frequent watering but will benefit from a good fortnightly soak during long dry spells.
- Regularly remove weeds that are crowing carrots, but be careful to avoid damaging the tops of the roots of your crops.
- It is advisable to put a barrier around your crops to protect them from carrot flies, which can tunnel into the roots and cause holes that lead to rotting.
Broad Beans
Broad beans are delicious, tender crops which yield pods of green or white beans that can be used in salads, stews, and soups. They do not take up too much space and can be grown in the ground, raised beds, or large pots.
When to Sow
Broad beans can be sown outside either in autumn or spring. If the weather is particularly cold, it is best to sow the seeds indoors in containers first and plant the young plants around six weeks later. Sow in March or April for a summer harvest.
How to Sow
Broad bean seeds are large, which makes them very easy to sow. Before sowing, fork plenty of compost into the planting area and rake the surface to a fine texture. Sow the seeds 5cm deep, with about 2cm between each drill. Cover the seeds with soil, firm it down and water well.
If beginning the sowing process indoors, fill small pots with peat-free multipurpose compost (yoghurt pots work great!). Place one seed in each pot and place it in a cool area such as a windowsill or unheated greenhouse until the roots have filled the pot, and they are ready to be planted outside.
Care Tips
- Cover the newly sown area with netting to protect the seeds from birds and squirrels.
- Water regularly once flowers start to appear, and hoe between the rows to keep weeds down.
- Taller varieties may need support from canes and string to assist their healthy growth.
Peas
Home-grown peas are sweet and delicious, arguably far superior to any that you can buy in supermarkets. They are an easy crop to grow, with climbing and dwarf varieties taking up little ground space. Sowing several batches will provide you with multiple harvests throughout the summer.
When to Sow
Sow small batches every few weeks from early spring for harvests through summer and into autumn. They are ideal for sowing outdoors during spring but can also be started off indoors in February or March for an early start.
How to Sow
If sowing indoors, fill some deep trays or small pots with multipurpose compost. Sow up to three seeds per pot, around 5cm deep. Alternatively, sow them along a length of guttering filled with compost; this will make transplanting outside easy as you have ready-made rows that can be slid into a trench.
To sow outside, choose a warm, sunny, and sheltered site with well-drained soil. Weed the area thoroughly and fork in plenty of compost, ideally a few weeks before sowing, to allow the soil to settle.
For taller varieties, allow generous spacing between rows to improve air circulation and make the plants easier to support. Short varieties need less space and will only require small twiggy sticks for support. Cover with soil, then lightly firm it, and water well once planted.
Care Tips
- Once young pea plants are settled and growing well, they shouldn’t need frequent watering aside from during dry spells. Do, however, ensure that they are given a good watering when they start to flower and again two weeks later.
- Add a tick mulch of compost around the pea plants to help stop the soil from drying out in summer and to deter weeds.
- Peas usually grow well in soil without the need for fertiliser; however, if starting in a container, assist growth with a high potassium fertiliser, such as tomato feed, every fortnight.
FIONA JENKINS
FionaJenkins is a UK-based landscaper with over twenty-five years of experience in the industry. As a gardening expert for MyJobQuote, one of the UK’s top trades-matching sites,Fiona offers her expert advice to MyJobQuote’s tradespeople and homeowners and has also been featured as a gardening expert for a range of reputable publications.
