Sowing & Planting Plan

Dates based on guidance from Garden Focused based on the last frost date for Sutton Surrey of the last week in April. I selected what I'm going to grow and have copied the schedule from the web site and pasted here, and then started to tweak based on experience and added lines like the fortnightly reminder for Spring Onions after the initial one in March and the Plot specific tasks that need to be completed like increasing the height of the  Square Foot Gardening (SFG) beds in March. Generally items in Black under WHAT TO DO have been manually added by me the Garden Focused app did the rest. 

Currently adding specific varieties to the schedule below, updating will continue for the next few weeks as I audit my seed box and new seeds received.

Last Update 4th February 2024


WHEN                WHAT TO DO

January
January             Save inner cardboard tubes from toilet rolls for Parsnip & runner beans etc.
January            Apple - plant trees
January            Apple - prune trees
January            Pear - plant trees
January            Pear - prune trees
Week 1              Sweet peas - Sow 
Week 1              Lettuce (Winter) - Sow 
Week 2              Shallot- plant sets in 8cm pots in protected position           
Week 3              Buy soil testing kit (Brussels sprouts etc.) 
Week 3              Add lime if necessary to reduce soil acidity (Brussels sprouts etc) 
Week 3              Lettuce (Winter) - Sow

February
February           Apple - plant trees
February           Apple - prune trees
February           Pear - plant trees
February           Pear - prune trees
                          Infrastructure Work
Week 1              Parsnip – Germinate in Take-a-way containers 
Week 1              Welsh Onions (D.T.Brown) - sow under glass / indoors (14 – 28 days)
Week 1              Shallot Simiane (Dobies) - sow under glass / indoors (14 – 28 days)
Week 1              Cauliflower (early summer) - sow seed indoors
Week 2              Brussels Sprouts - sow seed of early varieties
Week 2              Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties - begin harvest
Week 2              Aubergine  – sow in modules
Week 3              Parsnip – Transplant into loo rolls once signs of germination 
Week 3              Radish – Sow fortnightly
Week 3              Lettuce (Winter) – Sow fortnightly
Week 3              Potatoes- chit / sprout seed potatoes
Week 3              Cauliflower (summer) - prepare ground
Week 3              Cauliflower (autumn) - prepare ground
Week 4              Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties - begin harvest
Week 4              Celery - sow seeds indoors
Week 4              Sweet pepper - sow seeds
Week 4              Carrot Water Butt – Core out sand & Compost ready for sowing seeds

March
February           Apple - plant trees
February           Apple - prune trees
February           Pear - plant trees
February           Pear - prune trees
                          Infrastructure Work
                          Build Square Foot garden beds higher 
Week 1              Asparagus – Sow seeds inside
Week 1              Parsnip – Germinate in Take-a-way containers
Week 1              Squash / Pumpkins - Prepare Soil 
Week 1              Radish – Sow fortnightly until the end of September
Week 1              Lettuce (Winter) – Sow fortnightly
Week 2              Brussels Sprouts - Sow seeds of early varieties 
Week 1 - 2         Carrot - sow seed of early varieties under cloches
Week 1 - 2         Carrot - sow Bugs Bunny varieties in Cut Down Water Butt
Week 1 - 2         Beetroots - sow in modules in the Greenhouse or Potting Shed 
Week 2              Garlic- plant in late winter / spring
Week 2              Rhubarb - start to harvest
Week 2              Tomatoes - sow seed inside
Week 2              Melon – Amarillo Ora - sow indoors
Week 3              Asparagus - apply spring fertiliser
Week 3              Cauliflower (early summer) - harden off
Week 3              Spring Onions - start to sow fortnightly
Week 3              Spinach - sow seed outside
Week 3              Parsnip – Transplant into loo rolls once signs of germination
Week 4              Radish – Sow fortnightly
Week 4              Lettuce - start sowing seed outside every two weeks
Week 4              Beetroot - sow seeds under cloches
Week 4              Brussels Sprouts - thin seedlings as they appear
Week 4              Cauliflower (early summer) - plant out
Week 4              Onions - sow seed outdoors
Week 4              Potatoes - plant out sprouted sets
Week 4              Sweet Peppers - pot up

April
April                  Asparagus - harvest when 15cm high
April to May      Peach - protect blossom from frost
April to May      Peach - spring prune after blossoms fade
Week 1              Parsnip – Germinate in Take-a-way containers
Week 1              Gourd – Luffa – Soak overnight and sow
Week 1              Asparagus Crowns - plant outside
Week 1              Brussels Sprouts - Sow seed of mid to late varieties
Week 1              Cabbage (summer) - sow seeds indoors
Week 1              Onion Sets - plant
Week 1              Onion Sets - protect from birds for 5 weeks
Week 1              Radish - sow seed under cloches
Week 1              Shallot - plant sets outside (18cm / 7in apart)
Week 1              Shallot - protect from birds for 5 weeks
Week 1              Turnip - start to sow seed outdoors
Week 1              Spinach - sow seed inside
Week 1              Swiss Chard - sow outdoors with cloche protection
Week 1 - 2         Carrot - remove cloches from early sown varieties
Week 1 - 2         Carrot - sow early seed varieties in open
Week 1 - 2         Strawberries - buy and plant potted plants
Week 1 - 2         Cucumber  – Sow Party Time all six seeds
Week 2              Melons – Sugar Baby sow seed in pots indoors
Week 2              Melon – F1 Mabgomel sow seeds in pots in doors
Week 2              Melons – Rugoso di Consenza Giallo sow seed in pots indoors
Week 2              Beetroot - sow seed in pots indoors
Week 2              Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties - sow under cover
Week 2              Salsify - sow seeds
Week 2              Tomatoes - pot-up young plants
Week 2              Squash / pumpkins - sow seed indoors
Week 2              Radish – Sow fortnightly
Week 2              Spring Onions – Sow fortnightly
Week 2              Lettuce (Winter) – Sow fortnightly
Week 3              Parsnip – Transplant into loo rolls once signs of germination
Week 3              Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties - sow seed bed
Week 3              Cabbage (summer) - sow outdoors
Week 3              Calabrese (sometimes called broccoli) - sow seed
Week 3              Cauliflower (summer) - weekly feed
Week 3              Courgette - sow seeds indoors
Week 3              Cucumber (ridge) - sow seeds in Potting Shed 
Week 3              Lettuce - begin to thin seedlings, distance by variety
Week 3              Onion seeds - harden off seedlings
Week 3              Radish - sow seed outside
Week 3              Sweetcorn - sow seed indoors / greenhouse
Week 3              Swiss Chard - sow seed outdoors no protection
Week 4              Beetroot - sow seed outside
Week 4              Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties - sow under cover
Week 4              French Beans - sow seeds under cloches
Week 4              French Beans - sow seeds in pots indoors
Week 4              Parsnip - sow seed outside
Week 4              Spinach - plant out seed sown indoors
Week 4              Spinach - thin out previously sown seedlings
Week 4              Sweetcorn - sow seed under cloches
Week 4              Turnip - thin seedlings 15cm earlies, 25cm main crops

                                    >>> LAST FROST DATE <<<
May
Week 1              Lettuce (Winter) - Sow 
Week 1              Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties - sow seed bed
Week 1              Cabbage (summer) - plant out indoor sown plants
Week 1              Celery - plant out
Week 1              Cucumber (ridge) - sow seed under cloches outside
Week 1              Kale (curly) - sow in pots or seed bed
Week 1              Runner Beans - sow seed in pots indoors
Week 1              Runner Beans - sow seed under cloches
Week 1              Tomatoes - begin to harden off
Week 1              Carrot - sow maincrop seed
Week 1              Radish – Sow fortnightly
Week 1              Spring Onions – Sow fortnightly
Week 1              Lettuce – Sow fortnightly
Week 2              Beetroot - plant out seedlings sown in pots indoors  
Week 2              French Beans - sow seed outside
Week 2              French Beans - harden off seedlings
Week 2              Onion - plant out seedlings
Week 2              Potatoes - nitrogen feed fortnightly
Week 2              Rhubarb- apply mulch
Week 2              Squash / pumpkins - harden off
Week 2              Strawberries - mulch around plants
Week 2              Cucumber  – Sow Party Time 3 plants into the greenhouse 
Week 3              Beetroot - thin out seedlings
Week 3              Brussels Sprouts- transplant
Week 3              Cabbage (spring) - harvest
Week 3              Cauliflower (autumn) - sow seed in pots
Week 3              Courgette - Harden off indoor grown plants
Week 3              Cucumber (ridge) - Harden off indoor grown plants
Week 3              French Beans - plant out seedlings sown in pots indoors
Week 3              Runner Beans - harden off seedlings
Week 3              Swede - sow seed outdoors
Week 3              Sweetcorn - plant out seedlings sown in pots indoors
Week 3              Swiss Chard - thin out seedlings
Week 3              Parsnip – Transplant into loo rolls once signs of germination
Week 3              Melons – Amarillo Oro - Plant Out
Week 3              Melons – Sugar Baby - Plant Out
Week 4              Radish – Sow fortnightly
Week 4              Aubergine – Plant Out 
Week 4              Spring Onions – Sow fortnightly
Week 4              Luffa  - Transplant into pots
Week 4              Lettuce – Sow fortnightly
Week 4              Onions Onwards - water in dry conditions
Week 4              Courgettes - plant out
Week 4              Parsnip - thin seedlings to 15cm / 6in apart
Week 4              Radish - begin to harvest
Week 4              Runner Beans - plant out seedlings sown in pots indoors
Week 4              Runner Beans - sow seed outside
Week 4              Shallot Onwards - water in dry conditions
Week 4              Squash / pumpkins - plant out
Week 4              Tomatoes - plant out

June
Week 1              Asparagus - stop harvesting
Week 1              Cucumber (ridge) - plant out (grown indoors / shop bought)
Week 1              Carrot (early) - harvest those sown under cloches
Week 1              Lettuce - begin to harvest
Week 1              Sweet Peppers - harden off
Week 2              Cauliflower (summer) - begin to harvest
Week 2              Kale (curly) - transplant to final position
Week 2              Plum - prune from now to mid July
Week 2              Potatoes - potash feed fortnightly
Week 2              Swede - thin seedlings in stages to 25cm apart
Week 2              Sweet Pepper - move to final position
Week 2              Turnip - begin to harvest
Week 2              Melons – F1 Mangomel - Plant Out
Week 2              Melons – Rugoso di Consenza Giallo Plant Out
Week 3              Carrot Onwards- harvest as they become ready
Week 3              Cauliflower (autumn) - plant outside
Week 3              Cucumber (ridge) - prune main stem
Week 3              Spinach - harvest spring grown leaves
Week 3              Radish – Sow fortnightly
Week 3              Spring Onions – Sow fortnightly
Week 3              Lettuce – Sow fortnightly
Week 4              Cauliflower (autumn) - begin weekly feed

July
Week 1              Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties from cover - plant final position
Week 1              Kale (rape) - sow in final position
Week 1              Shallot - harvest some for immediate use
Week 1              Shallot - stop watering
Week 1              Swiss Chard - begin to harvest
Week 2              Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties from seed bed - plant final position
Week 2              Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties from cover - plant final position
Week 2              Courgettes - begin to harvest
Week 2              Onions - plant sets for autumn harvest
Week 3              Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties from seed bed - plant final position
Week 3              Cucumber (ridge) - begin to harvest
Week 3              Onions - stop watering
Week 3              Shallot - harvest / dry out for storage
Week 3              Aubergine – Start Harvesting for next four months
Week 4              Beetroot - begin to harvest
Week 4              Cabbage (spring) - sow (pots / temporary bed)
Week 4              French Beans (dwarf) - begin to harvest
Week 4              Sweetcorn - begin to harvest

August
Week 1              Garlic - begin to harvest
Week 1              Onions - begin to harvest
Week 2              Celery - begin to harvest
Week 2              French Beans- begin to harvest climbing / pole
Week 2              Runner Beans- begin to harvest
Week 3              Senshyu Yellow – Sow in Modules to over winter
Week 3              Calabrese (sometimes called broccoli) - harvest
Week 3              Raspberries (summer fruiting) - prune

September 
September        Peach Tree- autumn prune after harvest
Week 1              Cabbage (summer) - begin to harvest
Week 2              Cabbage (spring) - transplant
Week 2              Parsnips - begin to harvest – Tender & True
Week 2              Spinach- sow in autumn
Mid month        Autumn Onion Sets - plant
Week 3              Swede- begin to harvest (through to early Jan)

October 
Week 2              Asparagus- cut down when foliage yellows
Week 2              Salsify - begin to harvest
Week 2              Strawberries - buy runners
Week 2              Parsnip – Harvest
Week 2              Senshyu Yellow Onions – transplant out into final positions.
Week 3              Cauliflower (autumn) - begin to harvest
Week 3              Squash / pumpkins - take indoors to cure
Week 4              Kale - begin to harvest
Week 4              Spinach (autumn sown) - begin to harvest

November 
November         Peach - plant bare-rooted trees
Week 2              Squash / pumpkins - start to use
Week 2              Parsnip – Harvest
Week 3              Brussels Sprouts - begin to harvest
Week 3              Garlic - autumn planting
Week 4              Plum - plant trees from now to early March

December 
December         Apple - plant trees
December         Apple - prune trees
December         Pear - plant trees
December         Pear - prune trees
December         


2 comments:

  1. Nice list Alan, I also like the comments.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the comment Mal, it's nice to get them once in a while - Rather than having spreadsheets and word documents it's all going on here so that it's in front of me. Lots to add and modify as I look back on the last four years.

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