Gardening on an allotment follows the rhythm of the seasons.
This planner gives a rough guide to what I’m usually sowing, planting and harvesting during the year at the Lauriston Agroecology Farm allotment.
Weather and soil conditions vary each year, so treat it as a guide rather than a strict schedule.
These timings are based on gardening in eastern Scotland, where spring can be later and autumn frosts arrive earlier than in southern England.
Tip: Click the arrow beside each season to see what’s worth sowing, planting and harvesting.
Spring (March – May)
March
Sow
• Broad beans
• Peas
• Spinach
• Radish
• Early carrots
Plant
• Onion sets
• Shallots
• Early potatoes
Jobs
• Prepare beds
• Start tomatoes indoors
• Repair netting and supports
April
Sow
• Beetroot
• Lettuce
• Chard
• Spring onions
Plant
• Brassica seedlings
Jobs
• Protect seedlings from pigeons
• Mulch beds
May
Sow
• French beans
• Courgettes
• Sweetcorn
Plant
• Tomatoes
Jobs
• Watch for late frosts
• Start regular watering
Summer(June -August)
June
Sow
• Lettuce (succession crops)
• Beetroot
• Kale
• Spring onions
Plant
• Courgettes
• Sweetcorn
• Outdoor tomatoes (if not already planted)
Harvest
• Radish
• Early potatoes
• Lettuce
Jobs
• Net brassicas against cabbage white butterflies
• Water regularly in dry spells
• Support peas and beans
July
Sow
• Turnips
• Lettuce
• Spring cabbage
• Oriental greens
Plant
• Leeks
• Late brassicas
Harvest
• Peas
• Broad beans
• Courgettes
• Early carrots
Jobs
• Tie in tomatoes and remove side shoots
• Keep watering during hot weather
• Watch for pests such as aphids
August
Sow
• Spinach
• Oriental greens
• Winter lettuce
Plant
• Spring cabbage
• Autumn salads
Harvest
• Tomatoes
• Beans
• Beetroot
• Courgettes
Jobs
• Remove finished crops
• Add compost to cleared beds
• Start planning autumn planting
Autumn (September – November)
September
Sow
• Winter salads
• Spinach
Plant
• Spring cabbage
• Overwintering onions
Harvest
• Potatoes
• Squash and pumpkins
• Apples
Jobs
• Save seeds from healthy plants
• Clear spent crops
• Start preparing beds for winter
October
Sow
• Broad beans (for overwintering)
Plant
• Garlic
• Onion sets
Harvest
• Pumpkins
• Brassicas
• Late carrots
Jobs
• Mulch beds with compost or leaves
• Protect tender crops from frost
• Tidy and store tools
November
Sow
• Broad beans (in mild areas)
Plant
• Fruit bushes
• Bare-root trees
Harvest
• Kale
• Leeks
• Brussels sprouts
Jobs
• Protect crops from frost and wind
• Add compost to empty beds
• Clean and store garden tools
Winter (December – February)
December
Harvest
• Kale
• Brussels sprouts
• Leeks
Jobs
• Plan next year’s crop rotation
• Order seeds
• Check stored potatoes and onions
January
Sow indoors
• Early onions
• Chillies
Jobs
• Plan the year’s planting
• Repair tools and structures
• Check stored crops regularly
February
Sow indoors
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Early brassicas
Sow outdoors (under cover)
• Broad beans
• Peas
Jobs
• Prepare beds with compost
• Start chitting potatoes
• Clean seed trays and pots