The quietest month in the UK garden — but not a wasted one. Harvest winter crops, grow indoors, plan next year, and prepare your soil for the season ahead.
Plan every month with the UK vegetable planting calendar.
Sowing dates and growing advice verified against RHS guidance by the SoilCommander Growing Team.
What to Grow Indoors in December
- Microgreens — ready in 7–14 days; try peas, sunflower, radish, mustard
- Sprouting seeds — lentils, chickpeas, mung beans; ready in 3–5 days; no soil needed
- Forced chicory — pot up roots in compost, exclude light, harvest chicons in 3–4 weeks
- Herbs on the windowsill — pot up chives, parsley, or mint for fresh winter pickings
What to Plant Outdoors in December
- Garlic — absolute last window; mild southern areas only, early December, ground not frozen
- Broad beans (modules only) — sow in deep modules under cover; transplant in late February or March
In most of the UK, December is for planning and preparation rather than planting.
What to Harvest in December
- Parsnips — peak flavour after multiple frosts; leave in ground and lift as needed
- Brussels sprouts — harvest from the bottom of the stem upwards
- Leeks — maincrop varieties holding well through winter
- Kale — keep picking to encourage fresh growth
- Swede and winter cabbage — excellent in the ground through December
Key December Tasks
- Order seeds for next year — popular varieties sell out in January
- Plan crop rotation — rotate brassicas, roots, legumes, and alliums to new beds
- Dig in compost or manure on empty beds; leave surface rough for frost to break down
- Check stored potatoes, onions, and squash — remove any rotting before they spread
- Protect overwintering crops with fleece during hard frosts below −5°C
🌱 Did You Know? After the winter solstice on 21 December, days begin to lengthen again. By late January the increase in light is enough to trigger germination in a heated propagator — the new season is closer than it feels.
Plan Your Whole Year
Month-by-month sowing and planting schedules for every UK crop.
Get the UK Garden Planner →What To Plant In July UK
In July, UK gardeners can sow lettuce, radishes, spring onions, beetroot, carrots, chard, spinach, pak choi and turnips. You can start spring cabbage, winter brassicas, lettuce modules and herbs under cover, plant out leeks, kale, purple sprouting broccoli, cabbages and late courgettes, and harvest early potatoes, peas, broad beans, lettuce, courgettes, beetroot and carrots.
| July task | Good UK options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | Lettuce, radishes, spring onions, beetroot, carrots, chard, spinach, pak choi and turnips. | Check soil moisture and local frost risk before sowing. |
| Seeds to start indoors or under cover | Spring cabbage, winter brassicas, lettuce modules and herbs. | Protected sowings help you control temperature, pests and watering. |
| Vegetables to plant out | Leeks, kale, purple sprouting broccoli, cabbages and late courgettes. | Water transplants well and protect young plants where weather or pests are likely. |
| What to harvest | Early potatoes, peas, broad beans, lettuce, courgettes, beetroot and carrots. | Harvest little and often, then record what clears space for the next crop. |
Vegetables to sow outdoors in July
Sow lettuce, radishes, spring onions, beetroot, carrots, chard, spinach, pak choi and turnips. Use small repeat sowings where possible so the harvest is easier to manage and gaps do not sit empty.
Seeds to start indoors or under cover
Start spring cabbage, winter brassicas, lettuce modules and herbs under cover. This is useful when outdoor conditions are too cold, too dry, too exposed or too pest-prone for reliable germination.
Vegetables to plant out
Plant out leeks, kale, purple sprouting broccoli, cabbages and late courgettes. Match the planting window to your local weather and give new plants enough water while roots establish.
What to harvest in July
Harvest early potatoes, peas, broad beans, lettuce, courgettes, beetroot and carrots. Keep notes on what performed well so next year's plan is based on your own garden rather than memory.
Jobs for the vegetable garden in July
Water deeply, mulch where useful, pick courgettes young, support climbing beans, net brassicas and fill empty spaces with quick crops or autumn seedlings.
Common mistakes in July
Avoid sowing too much at once, letting seed beds dry out, leaving courgettes too long before picking and forgetting follow-on crops for late summer and autumn.
Printable monthly checklist
For July, write down four columns: sow outdoors, start under cover, plant out and harvest. Add one line for weather notes, one for bed space, and one for the next crop so the month turns into a practical plan.
Related UK planting guides
Use the vegetable planting calendar UK, compare what to plant in June UK and what to plant in August UK, then check when to plant potatoes UK, how to grow radishes UK and how to grow spring onions UK.
FAQ section
What vegetables can I plant in July in the UK?
In July, UK gardeners can sow lettuce, radishes, spring onions, beetroot, carrots, chard, spinach, pak choi and turnips. You can start spring cabbage, winter brassicas, lettuce modules and herbs under cover, plant out leeks, kale, purple sprouting broccoli, cabbages and late courgettes, and harvest early potatoes, peas, broad beans, lettuce, courgettes, beetroot and carrots.
What seeds can I sow outdoors in July?
In July, outdoor options include lettuce, radishes, spring onions, beetroot, carrots, chard, spinach, pak choi and turnips. Adjust the list for your local soil, weather, frost risk and available protection.
Is July too late to sow vegetables?
No. July is still useful for quick salads, roots, leafy crops and winter brassica starts. Choose fast crops and keep watering consistent.
Turn This Month's Jobs Into A Plan
Month-by-month advice works best when it becomes a written sowing list, bed plan, and follow-up task list.
Plan the next step
Use the printable UK Vegetable Garden Planner to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts, and weekly garden tasks.