February is an exciting month for us gardeners as the growing season begins in earnest. Valentine’s Day marks a turning point, where the days start to get longer, and from then on, the days start to lengthen quickly. February is peppered with warm days that set the mood for sowing. But temperatures can plummet at night, and the weather can shift dramatically, so make sure to sow hardy plants unless you have a heated growing space. If you’re eager to start your garden, here’s a list of easy seeds to sow in February. These crops are perfect for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.
Easy Veg Seeds to Sow in Febraury
This article was written in association with D.T Brown Seeds.
There are certainly some limitations to sowing in February. Light levels can still be quite low, and plants without sufficient light can get “leggy”. Managing water levels can be tricky in seed trays too. Peat free compost tends to dry out quite quickly, or hold onto water far too efficiently, so make sure that you are watering little and often. Check that your soil actually needs watering before adding more. Using a propagator lid can help to keep temperatures higher, and maintain more constant moisture levels.
Broad Beans
Broad beans are hardy plants that are easy to grow from seed. The beans are versatile to cook with and the roots help to improve your soil with their close association with beneficial bacteria. The seeds germinate easily, even in cool temperatures, and thrive in well-drained soil.
To grow Broad Beans in February, simply sow them directly into the ground about 5-7 cm deep and 20 cm apart. By starting them early, you’ll enjoy an earlier harvest and avoid blackfly infestations later in the season. As soon as the lowest set of flowers has formed small pods, pinch out (cut off) the tender tops (1-2 inches) to speed up the pod development and further avoid Blackfly.
Brussels Sprouts
Brussel sprouts need a long growing season, so starting them off in February will set you up for some delicious and class winter veg. I know it’s the wrong time to be thinking about Christmas, but serving your own home-grown Brussel Sprouts on the big day is bound to impress.
Brussel Sprouts are better off started indoors in seed trays. They are vulnerable to pests when young, so make sure they are somewhere slugs and snails can’t reach them. Sow the thinly into a seed tray and cover with 1/4 inch of compost. Then once they have their first true leaves (second set of leaves, which will be a different shape to the first ones), they are ready to prick out and grow on in a module tray or small pots.
Once they’re a few inches tall, transplant them into pots or beds where they’ll have plenty of space to develop strong roots and sturdy stems. Brussel Sprouts like first soil, so plant them deep and firm up the soil with your heel after planting them.
Radish
Radishes are a perfect choice for the impatient gardeners among us. They can germinate within days and are ready to harvest in as little as four weeks, though it will take longer when sowing early in the year. February sowing works well if you have a cold frame or cloche to protect them and give them a little more warmth.
To sow, scatter seeds thinly in rows and cover lightly with soil. They are ready to harvest when you can see the roots swell up. Don’t forget that radish leaves are also edible, and you can make a fabulous pesto with them. You can eat radishes raw or cooked, and they add a peppery crunch to any dish.
Turnips
Turnips are another cool-season winner. They’re easy to grow from seed and can be sown in Febrary. Choose a fast-growing variety like ‘Purple Top Milan.’
To grow turnips, sow in February directly into the soil around 1cm deep, spacing them about 10 cm apart. Keep the soil moist to encourage quick germination, but ensure it isn’t getting too wet.
Young turnips are tender and sweet. They can be cooked in many different ways. Like Radishes, the leaves are also edible and can be cooked as nutritious greens.
Mizuna
Mizuna is a flavour-filled leafy green that thrives in cool conditions. making it an ideal February crop. Its seeds germinate quickly, and it grows well in containers or directly in the soil. Sow the seeds thinly and lightly cover with soil. Within weeks, you’ll have tender, peppery leaves perfect for salads, stir-fries, or as a garnish.
Celery
Celery seeds are tiny but surprisingly hardy. As they need a long growing season, its best to start them off early. Sprinkle the seeds thinly on the surface of some seed compost in a tray and water them lightly, making sure to keep the compost damp. Once they’ve sprouted, transplant them into larger pots until they are 5-6 inches tall, when they can be planted outside.
Celery loves very moist soils, so try to keep them damp. Remember that the celery you harvest will likely not be as tender as that you buy from a shop. It is excellent for making your own stock and can certainly be eaten as raw stems, too.
Sprouting Broccoli
Purple sprouting broccoli is a winter vegetable patch must-have. February is an excellent time to sow the seeds indoors or under cover. Start them in small pots or seed trays, finely sprinkling the seeds and covering them with a thin layer of compost. Once they’ve developed a few leaves, transplant them into a larger pot. Plant them out when they are around 5-6 inches tall. They are vulnerable to damage from pigeons, slugs and cabbage white butterflies, so offer them protection under nets if you need to.
These hardy plants will reward you with tender, flavorful shoots during the colder months.
Not-so-Easy veg Seeds to Sow in February
Forgetting the fact that all of these “vegetables” are in fact fruits (they contain seeds!) for a moment, let’s take a look at some less easy veg seeds to sow in February. Don’t forget that you can order “plug plants”, which are small plants, ready for planting straight out. So, if you don’t have the space or equipment needed to grow these plants from seed, it doesn’t mean you can’t grow them at all!
Chillis and Peppers
Chillis and Peppers are grown in much the same way. They both require a long growing season, which we don’t really have here in the UK or at higher latitudes. That said, we can grow them successfully if you have the right equipment. A warm, sunny windowsill might be sufficient, but we can’t always rely on the sun in February, so grow lights will certainly come in handy.
Chillis and peppers both need warmth to germinate, too, so we have to try and maintain a constant soil temperature. The easiest and more sure-fire way to do this is using heat mats or heated propagators. These are relatively inexpensive and will help to protect your tender seedlings once they have germinated, too.
Sow in February into module trays around 1/4 inch deep and water lightly. Well-drained compost works best for these seeds, but they will need watering regularly, especially since they need to be warm. Place them somewhere with a lot of light, or under grow lights once they have germinated, and keep them on the heat mats and covered to protect them from cold temperatures. I grow mine on heat mats, with propagator lids in my greenhouse. Then when the light starts to fade, I switch on the grow lights to give them another couple of hours of growing time.
Once they have a few sets of leaves, you can carefully pot them into a small pot. They should go up in pot sizes gradually as they grow. By late May, as long as the risk of frost has passed, they should be ready to plant out, or you can grow them on in pots. Generally, the more warmth you can give to these plants, the better!
Aubergines
Similarly to chillis and peppers, aubergines need a long growing season and are very slow-growing as seedlings. They also need to be sown on heat mats, and with grow lights and protection from the frost. Don’t forget a frost can easily penetrate into a greenhouse at night.
Sow Aubergines in module trays and lightly cover them with compost. Maintain constant soil moisture. Pot them on when they are a few inches tall and plant them out after the risk of frost has passed. Some varieties can produce huge plants, so make sure that you have the space, preferably indoors, to grow them, and give them some support later in the season if they need it.
Loofahs
These are such a fun crop to grow. You know those sponges you use in the bath for exfoliating? You can grow them! They need a long growing season, so they will need additional heat and light, just like chillis, peppers and aubergines.
Sow in February as they need a long growing season to develop fruits. I like to start loofah seeds on some wet paper towel in a sealed pot. Simply scatter the seeds on the kitchen towel, then cover them with another piece. Wet the whole thing and put it in a sealed plastic pot like a takeaway tub. Once they germinate, gently remove the seeds from the paper, or cut the paper if necessary without damaging the roots and plant them up with the roots facing down. For more information, read my blog on growing Loofahs.
Another Easy Seed to Sow in February
Another easy seed to sow in february for your allotment or garden is Sweet Peas. Whilst not technically a crop, they are often grown on allotments and help to draw in pollinators, whilst also making an excellent cut flower.
Sweet Peas
Sweet peas are an extremely hardy flower that produces an abundance of beautiful blooms. Best of all, the more you cut them, the more flowers they produce. They are best started in winter as they take a while to get going, but they can be planted out when they are around 6 inches tall.
I prefer to germinate the seeds indoors using the same paper towel technique described above for Loofahs. Once they have germinated, put them into root trainers. These are deep pots that can be opened from the side, revealing the roots. This helps them to develop deep roots and minimise disturbance to the roots when planting out. Give them a good mulch when you plant them out to give them a headstart, and make sure to keep them well-watered.
Sow in February and Plan Like a Pro
When the weather forces us indoors, we should spend our time sorting out our seeds, deciding what to sow and ensuring we have the seeds required. If you would like a list of all the allotment jobs you can be doing each month of the year, I have come up with this handy planner.
It has space to write down all the seeds you want to sow for the year, and has monthly lists of what to sow indoors and outdoors, what to plant out and what to harvest. It also has dotted paper to help you plan our allotment or beds. It’s big enough to write in and small enough to tuck into your pocket or bag and take up to the allotment.
