Month by month
Gardening Month by Month in the UK
A month-by-month UK gardening calendar — what to sow, plant and harvest from January to December, with a link to the right guide for every job.
11 min read
Getting Started
Getting Started
Brand new to growing your own food? These foundational guides cover soil, compost, sowing seeds, watering and planning your first growing year.
- 62 guides
- 10 topics
- 7 free tools
- about 9 hours of reading
- updated 17 June 2026
10 topics in getting started
Every guide, grouped by what it is about. Pick a topic to see its main guide and everything written around it.
Homesteading
8 guidesMonth by month
13 guides- What to Plant in April (UK)
- What to Plant in August (UK)
- What to Plant in December (UK)
- What to Plant in February (UK)
- What to Plant in January (UK)
- What to Plant in July (UK)
- What to Plant in June (UK)
- What to Plant in March (UK)
- What to Plant in May (UK)
- What to Plant in November (UK)
- What to Plant in October (UK)
- What to Plant in September (UK)
Reuse & recycle
6 guides
Starting a veg garden
2 guides
What to buy
9 guidesWorth reading first
The guides we point people to most in this section.
Self-sufficiency
Grow Your Own: A Beginner's Year Plan
A beginner's year plan for growing your own food in the UK — what to grow, how to plan a productive plot, and a realistic path to a kitchen full of homegrown veg.
15 min read
Organic growing
Organic, No-Spray Growing for Beginners
How to grow food organically with no sprays in the UK — feeding the soil, working with wildlife, and managing pests and weeds naturally for a healthy plot.
14 min read
Latest in this section
What to buy
The Best Compost for Growing Vegetables (UK)
The best compost for growing vegetables in the UK — peat-free multipurpose, seed and potting composts compared, plus when to use John Innes and ericaceous.
8 min read
What to buy
The Best Crops for Small Gardens
The best crops for a small UK garden — the high-value, space-efficient vegetables, fruit and herbs that give the biggest harvest from the least room.
5 min read
What to buy
The Best Herbs to Grow for Cooking
The best herbs to grow for cooking in the UK — the everyday culinary herbs worth a spot by the kitchen, and which are easiest for beginners.
5 min read
What to buy
Choosing a Raised Bed Kit
How to choose a raised bed kit in the UK — timber, recycled plastic or metal, the best size and depth, and what to look for so it lasts for years.
6 min read
What to buy
The Best Garden Tools for Beginners
The best garden tools for beginners in the UK — the handful that earn their keep, what to look for in quality, and the gadgets you can safely skip.
8 min read
What to buy
The Best Vegetables to Grow with Kids
The best vegetables to grow with children in the UK — fast, fun, foolproof crops that keep kids interested and reward them with something to eat.
5 min read
Tools that go with these guides
Free planners and calculators the getting started guides use. No sign-up, nothing to install.