French Gardening and Planting Calendar

JANUARYApple  Plant trees
 Apple  Prune trees
 Blackcurrants  Prune
 Gooseberries  Prune
 Pear  Plant trees
 Pear  Prune trees
 Red & white currant  Prune
 Shallot  Plant sets in 8cm pots in protected position
   
FEBRUARYApple  Plant trees
 Apple  Prune trees
 Asparagus  Prepare ground for crowns
 Broad Beans  Sow seeds in pots for spring planting
 Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties  Begin harvest
 Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties  Begin harvest
 Cauliflower (autumn)  Prepare ground
 Cauliflower (early summer)  Sow seed indoors
 Cauliflower (summer)  Prepare ground
 Celery  Sow seeds indoors
 Leek  Sow seed under glass / indoors
 Onions Seeds  Sow under glass / indoors
 Pear  Plant trees
 Pear  Prune trees
 Peas & mangetout  Sow early types under cloches
 Potatoes Chit / sprout seed potatoes
 Sweet pepper  Sow seeds
   
MARCHApple  Plant trees
 Apple  Prune trees
 Asparagus  Apply spring fertilizer
 Asparagus  Sow seeds inside
 Beetroot  Sow seeds under cloches
 Broad Beans  Sow seeds outside in spring
 Broad Beans  Transplant pot grown plants to open ground
 Brussels Sprouts  Sow seed of early varieties
 Brussels Sprouts  Thin seedlings as they appear
 Carrot  Sow seed of early varieties under cloches
 Cauliflower (early summer)  Harden off and plant out
 Garlic  Plant in late winter / spring
 Jerusalem Artichoke  Plant tubers
 Kohlrabi  Sow seeds indoors
 Leek  Thin seedlings sown in containers
 Lettuce  Start sowing seed outside every two weeks
 Onions  Sow seed outdoors
 Pear  Plant trees
 Pear  Prune trees
 Peas & mangetout  Sow maincrop seeds outdoors
 Peas & mangetout  Start to sow seeds of early types outdoors
 Potatoes  Plant out sprouted sets
 Rhubarb  Start to harvest
 Spinach  Sow seed outside
 Spring Onions  Start to sow fortnightly
 Squash / pumpkins  Prepare soil
 Sweet Peppers  Pot up
 Tomatoes  Sow seed inside
   
APRILAsparagus  Harvest when 15cm high
 Asparagus Crowns  Plant outside
 Beetroot  Sow seed in pots indoors
 Beetroot  Sow seed outside
 Blackcurrants  Mulch
 Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties  Sow seed bed
 Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties  Sow under cover
 Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties  Sow under cover
 Brussels Sprouts  Sow seed of mid to late varieties
 Cabbage (summer)  Sow outdoors
 Cabbage (summer)  Sow seeds indoors
 Calabrese (sometimes called broccoli)  Sow seed
 Carrot  Remove cloches from early sown varieties
 Carrot  Sow early seed varieties in open
 Cauliflower (summer)  Weekly feed
 Courgette  Sow seeds indoors
 Cucumber (ridge)  Sow seeds indoors
 French Beans  Sow seeds in pots indoors
 French Beans  Sow seeds under cloches
 Gooseberries  Mulch
 Kohlrabi  Harden off seedlings
 Kohlrabi  Plant out in final position
 Kohlrabi  Sow seeds outside
 Leek  Harden off container grown seedlings
 Leek  Sow seed outside in a temporary seed bed
 Lettuce  Begin to thin seedlings, distance by variety
 Mustard  Sow seed outdoors for seeds
 Onion seeds  Harden off seedlings
 Onion Sets  Plant
 Onion Sets  Protect from birds for 5 weeks
 Parsnip  Sow seed outside
 Peach  Protect blossom from frost
 Peach  Spring prune after blossoms fade
 Radish  Sow seed outside
 Radish  Sow seed under cloches
 Red & white currant  Mulch
 Salsify  Sow seeds
 Shallot  Plant sets outside (18cm)
 Shallot  Protect from birds for 5 weeks
 Spinach  Plant out seed sown indoors
 Spinach  Sow seed inside
 Spinach  Thin out previously sown seedlings
 Squash & pumpkins  Sow seed indoors
 Strawberries  Buy and plant potted plants
 Sweetcorn  Sow seed indoors / greenhouse
 Sweetcorn  Sow seed under cloches
 Swiss Chard  Sow outdoors with cloche protection
 Swiss Chard  Sow seed outdoors no protection
 Tomatoes  Pot-up young plants
 Turnip  Start to sow seed outdoors
 Turnip  Thin seedlings 15 cm earlies, 25cm maincrops
   
MAYBeetroot  Plant out seedlings sown in pots indoors
 Beetroot  Thin out seedlings
 Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties  Sow seed bed
 Brussels Sprouts  Transplant
 Cabbage (spring)  Harvest
 Cabbage (summer)  Plant out indoor sown plants
 Carrot  Sow maincrop seed
 Cauliflower (autumn)  Sow seed in pots
 Celery  Plant out
 Courgette  Harden off indoor grown plants
 Courgettes  Plant out
 Cucumber (ridge)  Harden off indoor grown plants
 Cucumber (ridge)  Sow seed under cloches outside
 French Beans  Harden off seedlings
 French Beans  Plant out seedlings sown in pots indoors
 French Beans  Sow seed outside
 Jerusalem Artichoke  Erect supports
 Kale (curly)  Sow in pots or seed bed
 Leek  Buy seedlings and plant outside
 Leek  Thin seedlings from seeds sown outdoors
 Leek  Transplant container grown seedlings to final position
 Onion  Plant out seedlings
 Onions  Water in dry conditions
 Parsnip  Thin seedlings to 15cm / 6in apart
 Peas & mangetout  Harvest early types started off under cloches
 Potatoes  Nitrogen feed fortnightly
 Radish  Begin to harvest
 Rhubarb  Supply mulch
 Shallot  Water in dry conditions
 Squash & pumpkins  Harden off
 Squash & pumpkins  Plant out
 Strawberries  Mulch around plants
 Swede  Sow seed outdoors
 Sweetcorn  Plant out seedlings sown in pots indoors
 Swiss Chard  Thin out seedlings
 Tomatoes  Begin to harden off
 Tomatoes  Plant out
   
JUNEAsparagus  Stop harvesting
 Blackcurrants  Water
 Broad Beans  Begin to harvest
 Carrot  Harvest as they become ready
 Carrot (early)  Harvest those sown under cloches
 Cauliflower (autumn)  Begin weekly feed
 Cauliflower (autumn)  Plant outside
 Cauliflower (summer)  Begin to harvest
 Cucumber (ridge)  Plant out (grown indoors / shop bought)
 Cucumber (ridge)  Prune main stem
 Gooseberries  Water
 Kale (curly)  Transplant to final position
 Lettuce  Begin to harvest
 Peas & mangetout  Harvest early types sown outdoors
 Plum  Prune from now to mid July
 Potatoes  Potash feed fortnightly
 Red & white currant  Water
 Spinach  Havest spring grown leaves
 Swede  Thin seedlings in stages to 25cm apart
 Sweet Peppers  Move to final position
 Sweet Peppers  Harden off
 Turnip  Begin to harvest
   
JULYBeetroot  Begin to harvest
 Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties from cover  Plant final position
 Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties from seed bed  Plant final position
 Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties from cover  Plant final position
 Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties from seed bed  Plant final position
 Cabbage (spring)  Sow (pots / temporary bed)
 Courgettes  Begin to harvest
 Cucumber (ridge)  Begin to harvest
 French Beans (dwarf)  Begin to harvest
 Jerusalem Artichoke  Cut stem to 1,5m high
 Kale (rape)  Sow in final position
 Kohlrabi  Sow seed for autumn crop
 Mustard  Harvest seeds
 Onions  Stop watering
 Peas / mangetout (maincrop)  Harvest
 Potatoes  Plant sets for autumn harvest
 Shallot  Harvest / dry out for storage
 Shallot  Harvest some for immediate use
 Shallot  Stop watering
 Sweetcorn  Begin to harvest
 Swiss Chard  Begin to harvest
   
AUGUSTBroccoli Harvest
 Celery  Begin to harvest
 French Beans  Begin to harvest climbing / pole
 Garlic  Begin to harvest
 Leek  Begin to earth up
 Leek  Continue earthing up
 Onions  Begin to harvest
 Raspberries (summer fruiting)  Prune
   
SEPTEMBERAutumn Onion Sets  Plant
 Blackcurrants  Take cuttings
 Cabbage (spring)  Transplant
 Cabbage (summer)  Begin to harvest
 Gooseberries  Take cuttings
 Jerusalem Artichoke  Cut stem to 15cm high
 Parsnips  Begin to harvest
 Peach  Autumn prune after harvest
 Red & white currant  Take cuttings
 Spinach  Sow in autumn
 Swede  Begin to harvest (through to early Jan)
   
OCTOBERAsparagus  Cut down when foliage yellows
 Blackberries  Prune when fruiting is complete
 Broad Beans  Sow seeds outside for an early crop
 Cauliflower (autumn)  Begin to harvest
 Kale  Begin to harvest
 Leek  Begin to harvest
 Rhubarb  Plant crowns up to end of February
 Salsify  Begin to harvest
 Spinach (autumn sown)  Begin to harvest
 Squash & pumpkins  Take indoors to cure
 Strawberries  Buy runners
   
NOVEMBERBlackberries  Buy and plant (up to end February)
 Brussels Sprouts  Begin to harvest
 Garlic  Autumn planting
 Jerusalem Artichoke  Harvest into late winter
 Peach  Plant bare-rooted trees
 Plum  Plant trees from now to early March
 Squash & pumpkins  Start to use
   
DECEMBERApple  Plant trees
 Apple  Prune trees
 Blackcurrants  Buy and plant (up to end February)
 Gooseberries  Buy and plant (up to end February)
 Pear  Plant trees
 Pear  Prune trees
 Raspberries  Buy and plant (up to end February)
 Raspberries (autumn fruiting)  Prune
 Red & whitecurrant  Buy and plant