Emmerdale’s Zoe Henry shows off her home-grown vegetables
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February can be an unpredictable month, but the key to knowing which vegetables to plant this month comes down to two things: keeping a close eye on the weather, and planning for the worst. While there are still several more weeks of winter, the UK can encounter cold snaps and mild spells, plus frozen and soggy ground. So while it is tempting to get cracking outdoors, it is best to start as much as possible under cover, whether that’s a greenhouse or cold frame, a warm propagator or a sunny windowsill. Chillies, kale, aubergines and indoor tomatoes are prime candidates for undercover sowing in a warm propagator or greenhouse – benefiting from extra growing times and steady temperatures.
Gardening experts at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine have shared the best vegetables to sow in February to get a “head start” for spring.
Kale
While very hardy, kale seeds need to be started off indoors during winter.
This is because the weather is too cool outside for the seeds to germinate.
Gardeners should sow seeds indoors in modules or seven centimetre pots, with two to three seeds per module, then thin to leave the healthiest seedling.
The experts said: “Keep on a sunny windowsill.”
Alternatively, they can be kept in greenhouses if gardeners have them.
Tomatoes
The seeds of tomatoes need a minimum temperature of 10ºC to germinate.
For this reason they are best started kept in a heated propagator during the rest of winter.
However, if gardeners wait until the end of the month, a sunny windowsill should be warm enough to encourage germination.
It’s important to make sure the pots or trays with the tomato seeds are covered to stop temperatures falling dramatically at night.
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Chillies
Chillies are a great crop to start growing in February.
However, they tend to thrive best when they are kept in a heated propagator as most varieties need a minimum temperature of 25ºC to germinate.
To grow chillies gardeners are advised to sow two to three seeds thinly per small individual pot using seed compost.
For chillies to grow well, cover depth with vermiculite.
Vermiculite is a plant mineral that helps aerate the soil while retaining water and nutrients.
Aubergines
Like chillies, aubergines need a minimum temperature of 25ºC to germinate.
However, the earlier in the year they are sown, the longer their season of growth and the greater chance they have to fruit.
Gardeners should sow two to three aubergine seeds thinly per small individual pot using seed compost.
One growing aubergines, the soil can also be covered with vermiculite.
Broad beans
Broad beans can surprisingly be sown directly outdoors if the conditions are mild or if gardeners have pre-warmed the soil.
To get pre-warmed soil, gardeners can use cloches or fleece to place over certain patches of soil where they are intending to grow plants.
The gardening experts said: “Sow broad beans in February for a head start on spring sowings.”
In cold conditions, gardeners should sow in multi-celled trays in a greenhouse or cold frame
After they can plant the young plants out when temperatures have increased.
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