South East England Vegetable Planting Calendar

Sowing and planting dates for vegetables in South East England, worked out from the region's average frost dates. Last spring frost: early to mid May. First autumn frost: late October to November.

Hardy vegetables

These tolerate cold and can be sown from a few weeks before the last frost, as soon as the soil is workable. Some are also worth starting under cover for an earlier crop.

Tender vegetables

These are damaged by frost. Start them under cover and plant out only once the risk of frost has passed in your own garden. Harden plants off over a week or so before they go outside.

"Sow / plant outdoors" is the transplant-out date where a crop is started indoors, otherwise the direct-sowing date. "Last sow for autumn" is the latest sensible sowing for a crop to mature before the first autumn frost.

Reading these dates

These are guides based on South East England's approximate average frost dates, not a forecast. Aspect, altitude, shelter and the weather in any given year can shift them by two weeks or more, so treat them as a starting point and adjust to your own plot. Sow a little later in a cold spring and keep horticultural fleece ready for a late frost.