Gardener’s Calendar for Vegetable Growing: Top Vegetables to grow in Ireland
Before you start this year’s vegetable garden and make an investment in a colourful seed selection, it's important to do some planning! Plan first what and where you want to grow things, think about are you going to reclaim some lawn/flowerbeds or plant vegetables among what’s already in the flowerbed? Raised beds, pots, containers, grow bags and hanging baskets can also be incorporated as a growing space for certain vegetables, salad leaves and herbs.
Remember to keep track of what and where you have sown vegetables, so you can follow a simple crop rotation system. Crops will benefit from a crop rotation plan of at least 3 years, as you are reducing the chance of the soil being infected with pests and diseases common to a particular vegetable, also you give the soil a chance to regain the particular plant foods that were taken out by the last crop.
Example of Crop Rotation Chart
First Year ABC, Second Year CAB, Third Year BCA
A: Beans, Celery, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Pumpkins and Spinach.
B: Beets, Carrots, Potatoes, Radishes.
C: Broccoli, Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Kale, Kohlrabi, Sprouts.
Vegetable Calendar
Asparagus: Plant crowns in mid-April. Harvest a mature crop 6-8 weeks.
Aubergine: Sow seed in March, transplant under bell cloches in April. Harvest in August, September.
Broad Beans: Sow seed in March, April. Harvest July, August, and September.
French beans: Sow seed under glass in April, sow outdoors from Mid-May until end of June. Harvest August, September until October.
Runner Beans: Sow seed in May & June. Harvest July, August, September until mid -October.
Beetroot: Sow seed mid- April, May, & June. Harvest July, August & September.
Broccoli: (Green) Sow seeds Mid – April, May. Harvest August, September. (Purple) Sow July, Harvest December, January.
Brussel Sprouts: Sow seeds under glass in March, plant out in mid -May, Harvest in October & November. Sow seed under glass in md-April, plant out in mid-June, Harvest in December.
Cabbage: (Summer) Sow under glass in February & mid-March, transplant in April & May. Harvest August & September. (Spring) Sow seed in July, August. Harvest April & May. (Winter) Sow seed in April, May. Harvest from November until January.
Carrots: Sow seed under glass/cloche early March for an early crop, sow seed in April, May, June. Harvest July until October.
Chard: Sow seeds in April. Harvest August, September, October.
Cauliflower: Summer varieties Sow seedlings in early April. Harvest August- September. Winter varieties sow in May harvest over winter.
Kale: Sow in May. Harvest in December – March.
Leek: Sow in mid March-mid April. Harvest November- April.
Lettuce: Sow in mid- March until mid July. Harvest in mid June – mid October.
Marrow: Sow seed in mid May- mid June. Harvest mid July – mid October.
Onion & Shallots: Sow mid March – mid April. Harvest in August.
Parsnip: Sow March. Harvest November-February.
Pea: Sow seed in April, May, June. Harvest June- September.
Potato: First Early sow seed in late March, harvest in June or July. Second Early sow seed in mid April, harvest in July/August. Main Crop sow seed in mid-late April, harvest late August-September.
Radish: Sow mid March- mid June, harvest end of May – August.
Spinach: Sow seed in mid March-May, harvest late May- October. Sow in August-September, harvest October-April.
Swede: Sow seed in mid May- June, harvest November- January.
Tomato: Sow in greenhouse February- May, Harvest July –early October.
We stock an extensive seed range from Thompson & Morgan at Powerscourt Garden Pavilion that will supply you with a tasty range of salads and vegetables. For further tips and advice on how to grow vegetables why not ask one of our horticulturists! We also have a ‘Sow and Grow’ kids gardening master class on April 19th at 12pm & 2 pm for those budding young gardeners.
See you soon :)
Claire Hayes, Powerscourt Garden Pavilion Manager
Example of Crop Rotation Chart
First Year ABC, Second Year CAB, Third Year BCA
A: Beans, Celery, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Pumpkins and Spinach.
B: Beets, Carrots, Potatoes, Radishes.
C: Broccoli, Cabbages, Cauliflowers, Kale, Kohlrabi, Sprouts.
Vegetable Calendar
Asparagus: Plant crowns in mid-April. Harvest a mature crop 6-8 weeks.
Aubergine: Sow seed in March, transplant under bell cloches in April. Harvest in August, September.
Broad Beans: Sow seed in March, April. Harvest July, August, and September.
French beans: Sow seed under glass in April, sow outdoors from Mid-May until end of June. Harvest August, September until October.
Runner Beans: Sow seed in May & June. Harvest July, August, September until mid -October.
Beetroot: Sow seed mid- April, May, & June. Harvest July, August & September.
Broccoli: (Green) Sow seeds Mid – April, May. Harvest August, September. (Purple) Sow July, Harvest December, January.
Brussel Sprouts: Sow seeds under glass in March, plant out in mid -May, Harvest in October & November. Sow seed under glass in md-April, plant out in mid-June, Harvest in December.
Cabbage: (Summer) Sow under glass in February & mid-March, transplant in April & May. Harvest August & September. (Spring) Sow seed in July, August. Harvest April & May. (Winter) Sow seed in April, May. Harvest from November until January.
Carrots: Sow seed under glass/cloche early March for an early crop, sow seed in April, May, June. Harvest July until October.
Chard: Sow seeds in April. Harvest August, September, October.
Cauliflower: Summer varieties Sow seedlings in early April. Harvest August- September. Winter varieties sow in May harvest over winter.
Kale: Sow in May. Harvest in December – March.
Leek: Sow in mid March-mid April. Harvest November- April.
Lettuce: Sow in mid- March until mid July. Harvest in mid June – mid October.
Marrow: Sow seed in mid May- mid June. Harvest mid July – mid October.
Onion & Shallots: Sow mid March – mid April. Harvest in August.
Parsnip: Sow March. Harvest November-February.
Pea: Sow seed in April, May, June. Harvest June- September.
Potato: First Early sow seed in late March, harvest in June or July. Second Early sow seed in mid April, harvest in July/August. Main Crop sow seed in mid-late April, harvest late August-September.
Radish: Sow mid March- mid June, harvest end of May – August.
Spinach: Sow seed in mid March-May, harvest late May- October. Sow in August-September, harvest October-April.
Swede: Sow seed in mid May- June, harvest November- January.
Tomato: Sow in greenhouse February- May, Harvest July –early October.
We stock an extensive seed range from Thompson & Morgan at Powerscourt Garden Pavilion that will supply you with a tasty range of salads and vegetables. For further tips and advice on how to grow vegetables why not ask one of our horticulturists! We also have a ‘Sow and Grow’ kids gardening master class on April 19th at 12pm & 2 pm for those budding young gardeners.
See you soon :)
Claire Hayes, Powerscourt Garden Pavilion Manager
