Vegetables That Grow All Year Round (UK Guide)
It's easy to think of vegetable growing as a summer hobby, but with a bit of planning you can be picking something fresh in every month of the year, even in the UK. The trick isn't finding one crop that grows all year. It's choosing a mix of crops that take turns, so as one finishes, the next is ready.
Quick answer
Yes, you can grow vegetables all year round in the UK. No single crop grows year-round, but you can harvest something in every season by combining four kinds of crop:
hardy winter vegetables, such as kale, leeks, parsnips, cabbages and Brussels sprouts
quick crops sown little and often, such as salads and radishes
summer crops
vegetables that store well
Cloches, fleece, a cold frame or a greenhouse stretch the season further.
How year-round growing works
Four simple ideas keep a vegetable garden productive through the year:
Hardy crops that stand through winter. According to the RHS, kale, leeks, parsnips, sprouts, winter cabbages and sprouting broccoli are tough enough to stay in the ground through the cold months, so you can pick them as you need them.
Little and often. Sowing short rows of quick crops every few weeks gives you a steady supply without a glut.
Crops that store. Potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots and winter squash can be harvested in summer and autumn and eaten for months afterwards.
A bit of shelter. Covering crops in autumn and winter keeps leafy vegetables going long after they'd stop in the open.
What you can harvest in each season
Winter (December to February)
Kale, leeks and parsnips, picked or dug straight from the ground
Brussels sprouts and winter cabbages
Swiss chard and hardy salad leaves under cover
Stored potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots and squash
Spring (March to May)
Purple sprouting broccoli and spring cabbage
The last of the leeks and kale
Early radishes, spinach and salad leaves, especially under cover
Summer (June to August)
Broad beans, peas and new potatoes
Lettuce and other salads
Autumn (September to November)
Planting for winter harvests
The secret to eating well in winter is sowing in summer. Crops that stand through the cold months take a long time to grow, so they need to go in well before winter arrives.
Late spring to early summer: sow kale, Brussels sprouts, winter cabbages, purple sprouting broccoli and leeks, and plant them out once they're big enough. The RHS notes that these crops take several months to mature.
Spring: sow parsnips directly into the ground, where they'll stay until you dig them up in winter.
Early summer: sow Swiss chard for leaves from autumn into winter.
Late summer: sow hardy salad crops, such as lamb's lettuce (corn salad), land cress and oriental leaves like mizuna. You can pick them through autumn, and into winter if they're under a cloche.
Mid to late summer: plant specially prepared seed potatoes in pots for a crop of new potatoes around Christmas.
Sowing little and often
Some crops are best sown in small amounts every two to four weeks through the growing season. Lettuce, radishes, spinach, spring onions, beetroot and carrots all work well this way. A short row every few weeks gives you a steady supply for months, rather than a big crop that all needs eating at once.
The hungry gap
Even well-planned gardens have a quiet spell in April and May, known as the hungry gap. Most winter crops have finished or run to seed, and the spring sowings aren't ready yet. You can fill it with:
purple sprouting broccoli and spring cabbage, which crop in spring
overwintered broad beans and onions, which start growing early
quick salads, radishes and spinach sown under cover in late winter
Extending the season with cover
A little protection makes a big difference to what you can harvest in the colder months:
Fleece and cloches keep off frost and cold winds, and warm the soil for early sowings.
A cold frame is ideal for hardy salads in winter and for hardening off plants in spring.
A greenhouse or polytunnel lets you grow winter salads, start summer crops early and keep tomatoes and chillies going into autumn. See what vegetables you can grow in a greenhouse
Growing all year in containers
Pots and troughs are handy for year-round growing, as you can move them into a sheltered spot, against a house wall or under cover when the weather turns cold. Salad leaves, spring onions, chard and herbs keep going well in pots, and garlic and broad beans can be planted in containers in autumn. See growing vegetables in containers
What to plant right now
It's never the wrong time to start. Our monthly guides show exactly what to sow, plant and harvest each month:
For the whole year at a glance, see the vegetable growing calendar and when to plant vegetables in the UK. If you're just starting out, try the easiest vegetables to grow and how to start a vegetable garden
Common questions
Can you grow vegetables all year round in the UK?
Yes. By mixing hardy winter crops, quick crops sown little and often, summer vegetables and crops that store, you can harvest something in every season.
What vegetables can you grow in winter in the UK?
Kale, leeks, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, winter cabbages and purple sprouting broccoli all stand through winter. Chard and hardy salad leaves keep going with some protection.
When should I plant vegetables for winter?
Surprisingly early. Kale, leeks, sprouts and winter cabbages grow slowly, so they're sown in late spring or early summer to be ready by the time the cold arrives.
What is the hungry gap?
It's the spell in April and May when winter crops have finished but spring sowings aren't ready yet. Purple sprouting broccoli, spring cabbage and quick salads under cover help fill it.
Winter crops and timings based on RHS guidance.