25 launch crops

The SowNext
crop library.

Concise UK growing windows, space notes and sensible successor crops—built to support decisions, not overwhelm you.

22profiles checked against two UK sources
beet family

Beetroot

A dependable root crop whose young leaves are edible too, well suited to repeated small sowings.

Sow
Direct sow outdoors from March to July; use protection for the earliest starts.
Harvest
June to October, often 8–12 weeks after sowing.
pea and bean family

Broad beans

A hardy bean that provides an early harvest and can free a bed in time for summer crops.

Sow
October–November for hardy varieties in mild sites, or February–April.
Harvest
May to August, depending on sowing time.
brassica family

Calabrese

The green-headed crop commonly sold as broccoli, producing a main head followed by smaller side shoots.

Sow
Sow under cover or in a seedbed from late winter through spring.
Harvest
Summer to late autumn, before flower buds open.
brassica family

Cabbage

A diverse crop with spring, summer, autumn and winter varieties, so packet timing matters more than a single generic calendar.

Sow
Variety-dependent; broadly February to August.
Harvest
Potentially year-round when seasonal varieties are combined.
carrot family

Carrots

A compact direct-sown root crop, with short-rooted varieties suitable for containers.

Sow
Direct sow from February under protection, then outdoors through July.
Harvest
May to late autumn, depending on type and sowing date.
beet family

Chard

A robust cut-and-come-again leaf crop that can bridge summer, autumn and the following spring.

Sow
Sow outdoors from April to July; baby-leaf batches can start earlier.
Harvest
Repeated pickings from summer into autumn and often again in spring.
squash family

Courgettes

A highly productive summer crop where one or two plants are often enough for a household.

Sow
Sow indoors in April–May or direct outdoors in late May–June.
Harvest
July to October; pick fruits small and frequently.
squash family

Cucumbers

A warm-season climbing crop; greenhouse and outdoor varieties need different treatment.

Sow
Sow indoors from late winter to spring.
Harvest
July to October, depending on protection and variety.
pea and bean family

French beans

Fast summer beans available as compact dwarf or space-efficient climbing varieties.

Sow
Sow under cover in April–May or direct outdoors from late May into July.
Harvest
July to October with regular picking.
onion family

Garlic

A low-maintenance overwintering crop planted as named, disease-free cloves.

Sow
Not normally grown from seed.
Harvest
Late spring to early autumn, according to planting time and type.
brassica family

Kale

One of the hardiest leafy crops, with regular picking possible through winter and into spring.

Sow
Sow from March to June.
Harvest
Autumn through spring; baby leaves can be earlier.
onion family

Leeks

A long-season, cold-hardy allium that provides valuable autumn and winter harvests.

Sow
Sow under cover from January or outdoors in spring.
Harvest
August to April, depending on variety.
lettuce family

Lettuce

A succession-friendly salad crop, especially useful as loose-leaf or cut-and-come-again types.

Sow
Small batches from late winter to early autumn, with protection at the season edges.
Harvest
Spring to autumn outdoors, and longer under protection.
onion family

Onions

A space-efficient staple grown most simply from sets, with autumn and spring planting options.

Sow
Sow seed indoors from January or direct in spring.
Harvest
Early summer to early autumn, depending on planting time.
brassica family

Pak choi

A fast oriental green that performs best in cool, moist spring or late-summer conditions.

Sow
Spring under cover, or direct from late spring with a particularly useful late-summer window.
Harvest
Baby leaves in about 30 days; fuller heads in roughly 45–75 days.
pea and bean family

Peas

A cool-season climbing crop, with early and maincrop varieties and edible-pod options.

Sow
Sow from late winter to early July; hardy varieties may be autumn sown.
Harvest
May to September, often about three months after sowing.
potato and tomato family

Potatoes

A popular crop whose early types are especially valuable because they clear in time for a second crop.

Sow
Chit seed potatoes from late winter if desired.
Harvest
First earlies from June; maincrops into autumn.
brassica family

Radishes

One of the fastest food crops, ideal for gaps and repeated small sowings.

Sow
Direct sow in spring, early summer and late summer; winter types in July–August.
Harvest
Salad types in roughly 4–8 weeks; winter types later.
brassica family

Rocket

A compact peppery leaf crop that can be harvested repeatedly and grows well in containers.

Sow
Direct sow from March to September, extending later with protection.
Harvest
From about four weeks, then pick regularly.
pea and bean family

Runner beans

A tall, productive summer bean that makes excellent use of vertical space.

Sow
Sow under cover in April–May or direct outside in May–June.
Harvest
July to October with frequent picking.
beet family

Spinach

A quick cool-season leaf crop for spring and autumn, with repeat pickings from small sowings.

Sow
Sow in spring and again from August into early autumn.
Harvest
Spring to early summer and again in autumn or winter under protection.
onion family

Spring onions

A slender, quick allium suited to short rows, mixed containers and repeated sowings.

Sow
Direct sow in batches from spring through late summer.
Harvest
Late spring through autumn, depending on sowing.
potato and tomato family

Tomatoes

A high-value warm-season crop, with bush and cordon habits requiring different training.

Sow
Sow indoors from February to April.
Harvest
July to October, earlier under protection.
brassica family

Turnips

A fast root crop sown little and often, with edible tops as well as roots.

Sow
Early varieties March–June; maincrops July to mid-August.
Harvest
May to early winter, often 6–10 weeks after sowing.