Sow & Grow in February (UK Guide): What to Start Now & How to Grow On
February is the month that turns plans into plants. With daylight extending and soil slowly warming, you can sow heat‑lovers indoors, start hardy crops under cover, and strengthen overwintered seedlings. Use this guide to choose what to sow now, how to grow on, and which jobs set up a brilliant spring.
What to Sow Now (Indoors & Under Cover)
Indoors / heated propagator: Tomatoes, chillies, peppers, aubergines; celery/celeriac; leeks; onions from seed. Strong light prevents legginess; bottom heat speeds germination.
Under cover (greenhouse/cold frame): Broad beans, early peas, winter‑hardy lettuce, spinach; parsley, chives, coriander; sweet peas and hardy annuals for early flowers.
Tip: Your own Dartana February guide also recommends early starts for heat‑lovers and hardy greens under cover — align lists and cross‑link for topical depth.
How to Grow On (Potting Up, Light & Hardening)
- Pot on tomatoes/peppers/aubergines when roots reach pot edges; increase light to avoid stretching.
- Hardening: Move hardy seedlings to a cold frame on mild days to toughen growth; ventilate to prevent damping off. “Winter gardening strategies for staying productive”
Outdoor Sowing (If Conditions Allow)
In light, free‑draining soil and mild parts of the UK, late‑month sowings outdoors may include broad beans, carrots, parsnips, early beetroot, salad onions, lettuces, spinach and summer cabbages; otherwise wait for warmer soil. [rhs.org.uk]
Jobs to Do in February
Chit early potatoes; finish winter pruning of apples/pears; prepare seedbeds; mulch; warm beds with fleece or black plastic; check brassica netting; protect blossom on frosty nights. “Propagate and divide perennials this month”
FAQs
Is February too early to sow tomatoes and chillies in the UK?
Not if you can give consistent warmth and strong light; mid‑to‑late February is a sensible start for greenhouse crops like tomatoes, chillies and aubergines.
What veg can I sow under cover now?
Peas (early types), broad beans, winter‑hardy lettuces and spinach all suit a cold frame/greenhouse this month. [
Can I sow anything outdoors in February?
Only in mild regions and workable soil — early roots and beans may be possible late month; otherwise wait.
Which flowers are good to start now?
Sweet peas and hardy annuals (larkspur, cornflower, calendula, nigella) can be started indoors for early displays.
