Cold Frame & Greenhouse Crops to Sow in February: Peas, Lettuce, Spinach & Broad Beans
February’s cool light is perfect for hardy crops under cover. Sow early peas, broad beans, winter‑tough lettuces and spinach in a greenhouse or cold frame for resilient spring harvests. Use ventilated protection, steady moisture and gradual hardening to avoid checks in growth.
Sowing Details
- Peas: Sow in modules or clean guttering (drainage holes) for easy transplanting; keep evenly moist.
- Broad beans: Reliable under cover; transplant once roots knit.
- Lettuce (winter‑hardy) & spinach: Succession‑sow small batches; cool, bright conditions stop bolting later.
Environmental Control
Ventilate to reduce mildew; close frames ahead of night frosts; consider a simple heat source only in cold snaps.
Internal links
- Pillar: Sow & Grow in February (UK Guide) (anchor: Under‑cover crops & job list).
- Cross‑link to Cluster 1 (anchor: Start heat‑lovers indoors now for summer harvests).
FAQs
Can I direct‑sow any of these outdoors now?
Only in mild areas with workable, free‑draining soil; otherwise wait until March/April for outdoor sowing.
Is guttering sowing for peas really useful?
Yes — it saves root disturbance and speeds planting into a pre‑cut trench later.
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