The veg growers diary

Sow out now: Beetroot, broad beans, carrots, chard & perpetual spincah, radish, rocket, spring onions, spincach, turnips.

Sow indoors/under glass now: Aubergine, greenhouse tomatoes, parsley, peppers, summer cauliflower.

Plant out now: Asparagus, onions sets & shallots, early seed potatoes, garlic, globe artichokes, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, mint, perennial herbs, spring cabbage, strawberries, summer cabbage, summer cauliflowers.

Eat now: Brussel sprouts, celeriac, celery, chard & perpetual spinach, leeks, winter lettuce, parsnips, radish, forced rhubarb, spring cabbage, spring onions, sprouting broccoli, swede, turnip leaves, winter cabbage, cauliflower, winter spinach.

Jobs to do: Order you seeds and supplies ready for this years planting, plant first early potatoes, give over wintered veg a feed with a general fertiliser or compost, plant fruit trees and soft fruit bushes, use cloches and fleece to protect young seedlings and crops from frosts.

Sow out now: Annual herbs, beetroot, broad beans, summer and autum cabbage, carrots, chard & perpetual spinach, lettuce, spring onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, radish, rocket, swede, turnips.

Sow indoors/under glass now: Aubergine, courgette, squashes & pumpkin, cucumber, french & runner beans, melon, sweetcorn, outdoor tomaoes.

Plant out now: Asparagus, globe and jerusalem artichokes, onion sets & shallots, potatoes. After last frost aubergine, celeriac, celery, french & runner beans, peppers, sweetcorn, outdoor tomatoes

Eat now: Asparagus, broad beans, brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, chard & perpetual spinach, leeks, lettuce, parsley, radish, rhubarb, spring onion, spinach, spring cabbage, sprouting broccoli, turnip leaves, turnips.

Jobs to do: Finish planting the final potatoes and earth up earlies if there is frost. Weed, mulch and hoe. Put straw or strulch around strawberries.

Sow out now: Annual herbs, french & runner beans, beetroot, carrots, chard & perpetual spinach, kohlrabi, lettuce, parsley, peas, radish, spring onions, squashes & pumpkins, swede, sweetcorn, turnips.

Plant out now: winter brassicas, celery, cucumbers, globe artichokes, leeks, lettuce, melons, peppers, squahes, sweetcorn, tomatos.

Eat now: Asparagus, broad beans, cabbage, cauliflower, chard & perpetual spinach, cherries, gooseberries, kohlrabi, lettuce, spring onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips.

Jobs to do: Buy vegetable plug plants. Earth up potatoes when needed. Keep on top of tomato sideshoots. Stop cutting asparagus near the summer solstice and apply fertiliser. Remove the tips of broad beans after 3 clusters of flowers have formed.

Sow out now: Carrots, chard & perpetual spinach, chicory, endive, kholrabi, lettuce, spring onions, oriental greens, radish, turnips.

Plant out now: winter and spring cabbages & cauliflowers, kale, leeks, sprouting broccoli.

Eat now: Apples, aubergines, beetroot, blackberries, blueberries, broad beans, spring onions, calabrese, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard & perpetual spinach, cherries, endive, french beans, garlic, globe artichoke, gooseberries, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, melon, plumbs, potatoes, radish, raspberries, redcurrants, runner beans, spring onions, shallots, spinach, squashes, strawberries, summer cabbages, sweetcorn, tomatoes & turnips.

Jobs to do: Harvest and ripen onions, you may then sow spring onions to overwinter in the same bed. Prune soft fruit bushes. Earth up potatoes and looks for signs of late blight. Make jams, chutneys and pickles from gluts of produce. Weed, mulch and hoe plants.

Sow out now: Broad beans, peas, winter spinach, winter lettuce, spring cabbages & summer cauliflowers.

Sow indoors/under glass now: Carrots, lettuces, radishes.

Plant out now: Autumn onion sets, garlic and spring cabbages.

Eat now: Apples, aubergines, autumn cabbages, beetroot, brussel sprouts, onions, calabrese, cardoons, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard & perpetual spinach, cucumbers, endive, french beans, grapes, sprouting broccoli, jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuces, melons, oriental greens, parsnip, pears, peas, peppers, plums, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, runner beans, spinach, squashes, strawberries, swede, sweetcorn, sweet fennel, tomatoes, turnips.

Jobs to do: Harvest and store squashes, beetroot and other root crops. Cut down outdoor tomatoes and ripen by hanging upside down in a greenhouse or indoors. Protect late crops and over wintering crops with fleece, cloches or mini-tunnels. Clear away plant supports storing them in a shed for the coming winter. Clear ground ready for autumn digging. Dig up and pot herbs to keep in a warmer spot for use over winter.

Sow out now: Broad beans, peas.

Sow indoors/under glass now: Lettuces, radishes.

Plant out now: Autumn onion sets, garlic and spring cabbages. Fruit trees and soft fruit bushes are best planted now while dormant.

Eat now: Apples, brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chard & perpetual spinach, endive, grapes, kohlrabi, jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, lettuces, oriental greens, parsnip, pears, potatoes, spinach, swede, sweetcorn, sweet fennel, turnips, winter cabbages, radishes.

Jobs to do: Cut down asparagus foliage and jerusalem artichoke stems and mulch. Dig over heavy soil to allow frosts to breakdown clods over winter.

Sow indoors/under glass now: Asparagus, broad beans, carrots, celeriac, celery, chives, cucumbers, leeks, lettuces, onions, parsley, radishes, spring onions, spinach, strawberries, summer cabbages, summer cauliflower.

Plant out now: Globe artichoke, garlic, rhubarb & shallots. Fruit trees and soft fruit bushes are best planted now while dormant.

Eat now: Brussel sprouts, carrots, celeriac, celery, endive, jerusalem artichoke, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuces, oriental greens, parsnips, forced rhubarb, seakale, spinach, sprouting broccoli, swede, sweet fennel, winter cabbage, winter cauliflower, radishes.

Jobs to do: Order your seed potatoes. Lighter soils can be dug over longer in to winter. Monitor stores crops for mould or pest damage. Turn composts to maintain activity. Ventilate cold frames and greenhouses on mild days.