February is a great time to get ahead with your vegetable growing, and there are six seeds which are perfect for the growing year ahead, according to one expert
A gardening expert is telling us that February is prime time for planting certain vegetables, with six seeds in particular set to thrive in the year ahead. Jim Evans, from his Down To Earth With Jim YouTube channel, is just as eager to start sowing as the rest of us green-fingered enthusiasts.
“If your fingers are itching to get sowing just like mine are,” he shares. “And you want a head start on the growing season then you might want to sow some of these in February.”
He’s got a list of six kitchen garden essentials ready for planting this month – and he notes that those with a greenhouse or polytunnel will give their seedlings a fighting chance against any late frosts.
Sweet and spicy peppers
Sweet and spicy peppers are on Jim’s radar: “Whether you’re sowing sweet bell peppers or chilies, you can get them sown in February,” he advises. For the UK’s cooler climate, he recommends varieties like King of the North or Doe Hill for sweet peppers, or Early Jalapeño or Canoncito for those who fancy a bit of heat.
Jim suggests sourcing seeds from local growers or similar climates for best results, as these plants will be pre-adapted to the weather conditions and more likely to flourish, reports the Express.
Jim also points out that peppers love a bit of warmth: “If you have grow-lights or on a bright south-facing windowsill that’s warm.”
He recommends setting your thermostat to a cosy 21oC for optimal growth.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are usually linked with refreshing summer salads or a crisp addition to your favourite cocktail, however, garden maestro Jim is urging green thumbs to get their cucumber seeds started now. He’s bigging up the ‘Mini Munch’ variety and suggests: “Just sow them in 9cm pots of multi-purpose compost on a bright south-facing window sill or under grow lights if you have them.”
According to Jim, cucumbers loathe frost and, much like peppers, need a spot of warmth to kickstart growth.
Onions
Switching his sage advice to onions, February, not Boxing Day, is actually prime time for planting these culinary all-rounders. Jim puts forward ‘Ailsa Craig’, ‘Rijnsburger’, and ‘Red Magnate’ as top-notch picks for seed sowing success.
When outlining his onion planting method, he details: “When it comes to starting onions from seed,” Jim notes, “you can sew them in trays of multi-purpose compost sow them about a centimetre deep, sprinkle some vermiculite on top or you can start them off in modules as well.”
Carrots
Jim is keen to get a jump start on an early crop of carrots, preaching that selection is key. He reveals: “They may take a long time to germinate in February because it is cold but they will eventually germinate. Carrots like a loose, sandy soil that isn’t too rich in nutrients. They don’t need a load of nutrients – you want the soil to be nice and loose with no stones.”
Jim warns that if your soil is too rich, your carrots can start sprouting root hairs, resulting in “very mangled, mutated carrots” instead of the long, straight ones most people prefer. He also recommends growing plenty of brassicas like broccoli, which are a staple in many meals.
Go green
He suggests disease-resistant varieties like Iron Man and Autumn Calabrese, a fast-growing variety known for its large, mild-flavoured green heads that are perfect for freezing. Jim emphasises the importance of sunlight for broccoli: “When you pick the main head of this broccoli it will then send out more broccoli shoots, also known as tenderstem broccoli. Get those sown in February in your greenhouse or on your windowsill at home if you – just bear in mind though that they need plenty of light because if you grow them on the window sill that’s not light enough you can get quite ‘leggy’ plants.”
Spinach
For those with large greenhouses willing to take on more ambitious plantings, such as tomatoes, there’s one last recommendation from Jim for February – spinach.
He describes it as “a very very healthy thing, probably one of the healthiest vegetables out there.”
He added: “It’s a proper superfood, so it makes sense to grow some in your garden. Get some spinach sown in February as well.”
Jim suggests trying Perpetual spinach, also known as spinach beet. Although it’s not technically spinach, it belongs to the beet family and has a similar taste.
Perpetual spinach is a leafy green that can be harvested throughout the year, providing a constant supply of vitamins A, C, and K, along with calcium and iron – beneficial for everyone, not just animated seafarers.
