Wales Vegetable Planting Calendar
Sowing and planting dates for vegetables in Wales, worked out from the region's average frost dates. Last spring frost: mid to late May. First autumn frost: October.
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.
| Vegetable | Start indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Last sow for autumn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beetroot | - | 20 Apr | 10 Aug |
| Bok Choy | 20 Apr | 4 May | 15 Aug |
| Broad Beans | 18 May | 20 Apr | 11 Jul |
| Broccoli | 6 Apr | 4 May | 31 Jul |
| Brussels Sprouts | 6 Apr | 4 May | 26 Jun |
| Cabbage | 6 Apr | 27 Apr | 26 Jul |
| Carrots | - | 27 Apr | 26 Jul |
| Cauliflower | 6 Apr | 4 May | 26 Jul |
| Celery | 9 Mar | 25 May | - |
| Corn Salad | 18 May | 20 Apr | 5 Aug |
| Endive | 13 Apr | 4 May | 6 Jul |
| Fennel | 20 Apr | 4 May | 16 Jul |
| Kale | 6 Apr | 27 Apr | 10 Aug |
| Kohlrabi | 20 Apr | 4 May | 10 Aug |
| Leeks | 9 Mar | 4 May | 6 Jun |
| Lettuce | 20 Apr | 20 Apr | 15 Aug |
| Mustard Greens | - | 4 May | 20 Aug |
| Onions | 9 Mar | 20 Apr | - |
| Parsnips | - | 4 May | 6 Jun |
| Peas | - | 6 Apr | 5 Aug |
| Potatoes | - | 4 May | - |
| Radicchio | 13 Apr | 4 May | 26 Jul |
| Radishes | - | 20 Apr | 6 Sep |
| Rocket | - | 4 May | 25 Aug |
| Sorrel | 6 Apr | 27 Apr | 5 Aug |
| Spinach | - | 6 Apr | 20 Aug |
| Spring Onions | - | 4 May | 5 Aug |
| Swede | - | 18 May | 1 Jul |
| Swiss Chard | 20 Apr | 4 May | 10 Aug |
| Turnips | - | 4 May | 15 Aug |
| Watercress | 27 Apr | 4 May | 5 Aug |
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.
| Vegetable | Start indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Last sow for autumn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aubergine | 23 Mar | 1 Jun | - |
| Courgette | 27 Apr | 25 May | 15 Aug |
| Cucumbers | 27 Apr | 25 May | 10 Aug |
| Edamame | 18 May | 1 Jun | - |
| French Beans | - | 18 May | 10 Aug |
| Melons | 27 Apr | 1 Jun | - |
| New Zealand Spinach | 20 Apr | 1 Jun | - |
| Peppers | 23 Mar | 1 Jun | - |
| Pumpkins | 27 Apr | 25 May | - |
| Summer Squash | 27 Apr | 25 May | 13 Aug |
| Sweet Corn | - | 25 May | - |
| Sweet Potatoes | - | 8 Jun | - |
| Tomatoes | 6 Apr | 25 May | - |
| Winter Squash | 27 Apr | 25 May | - |
"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 Wales'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.