Growing your own vegetables from seed is a great way to give a supply of fresh organic produce as part of a healthy diet, but it is also highly rewarding and good for wellbeing.Throughout the gardening year it's a good idea to note down key information on weather conditions to help build your own personal vegetable planting calendar.Different varieties of the same type of vegetable can have different sowing and planting times, so always refer to the instructions on the seed packet.With the ground still very cold, January is a quiet time for sowing and planting vegetables, so this is the perfect opportunity to plan for the year ahead.Lay seed potatoes in a tray – egg boxes are often used – with their eyes point up and leave in a light, cool, frost-free place.'In February, you can start sowing choices such as broad beans, peas, carrots, onions, the first potatoes and salad crops under cloches,' explains gardening expert Leigh Clapp.Edibles that need warmth and are suited to growing in a greenhouse can also be planted under cover in February including tomatoes, peppers, cucumber and eggplant.With spring around the corner, February is a good time to prepare your beds for the growing season.Alternatively sow directly from March to May or in October to November for an early spring crop.If transplanting outside, sow seeds undercover in March and plant out once the risk of frost has past in later May.Radish – sow seeds direct where they are to grow in short drills 12 inches (30cm) apart from February until August.In milder regions and areas with light, sandy soil, March is the time when you can begin to sow some vegetable seeds outside.Sandy beds will benefit from the addition of organic matter to help the soil retain moisture.In cooler regions, and areas with heavy clay soil, outdoor sowing may be a little later, explains gardening expert Leigh Clapp.The ideal is loose, crumbly loam, which absorbs and holds water and nutrients, is well aerated and drains freely.'.If you live in a cooler region you may want to wait until April to begin direct sowing some of the vegetables on this list, however there are vegetable varieties that can be started off in the greenhouse in March, too, including: sweetcorn, spinach, parsnips, leek, kale, cauliflower, beetroot.Beetroot – direct sow in rows 12 inches (30cm) apart from March to July for harvesting in as little as 7 weeks.Broad beans – sow seeds direct outside into rich fertile soil enriched with manure or organic matter.Alternatively they can be sown under cover from January to March in modules and placed in a propagator ready for planting out later.April is a busy month in the vegetable garden as it is when the outdoor sowing season gets into full swing.If sowing direct avoid treading on freshly dug soil, instead use boards to stand on.Ensure the soil is well dug over and raked to a fine tilth – it needs to be free from stones as this can result in forked carrots.‘For sweet, small carrots, sow every few weeks from early spring to late summer for a successional harvest from June to November,’ says gardening expert Leigh Clapp.Alternatively, for an early crop, sow varieties such as 'Nantes' under cloches or in the greenhouse in February and March.Transplant seedlings to their final position in late June to July and when the plants have 5-6 true leaves.'For great-value yielders you can’t beat Swiss chard and perpetual spinach that will crop for a whole year and throughout winter,' says gardening expert Leigh Clapp.From mid-May the risk of frost in the UK has usually passed, meaning you can begin to direct sow half-hardy annuals and begin to harden off tender vegetables grown under cover ready for planting outside including courgettes, pumpkin and French beans.If you do not have a greenhouse or cold frame then move the plants outside into the sun for a couple of hours a during the day and slowly increase the time period.You can continue to direct sow broccoli, cabbage, carrot, parsnip, peas and spinach.Fennel – Sow seeds direct in late June in fertile, moist soil.July is the last chance to sow French beans and you can also plant out winter winer leeks into their final position.There is plenty of harvesting to be done in July which will keep you busy including, carrots, radish, beetroot, chard, peas, salad leaves, broad beans, tomatoes, cucumbers and more!Pak choi – great in soups and salads and easy to grow from seed, pak choi can be harvested in as early as 30 days in baby leaf form or in 45-70 days as semi-mature to full size heads.Garlic is often grown from sets rather than seed and is best planted in autumn as it needs a cold spell to stimulate growth.Sets should be purchased from garden centres or specialist mail order supplier and not from the supermarket.As the temperature drops there are little sowings that can be made in November, but there is still plenty of edibles to harvest including brassicas such as kale, cabbage, Brussel sprouts and kalettes.Root vegetables can be lifted including the last of the carrots, parsnip, beetroot and celeriac, plus hardy salad leaves can be picked.If you live in a mild area you can grow them in the ground and use cloches to protect them if temperatures dip dramatically.From March, frost-tender, half-hardy vegetables can be started off under cover ready for transplanting once the risk of frost has passed including zucchini, pumpkin, sweetcorn and aubergine.After this time, generally from late May and June, frost tender half-hardy annual vegetables can then be planted out into their final position or sown directly outside.Successive sowings of many fast maturing vegetables can be sown from March up until July including radish, beetroot and spring onions.The growing season slows from October when temperatures begin to dip but this is the prime time to plant garlic.winter salads can continue to be planted and broad beans can be sown for an early spring crop
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