It might feel too early to mention the holidays, but getting ahead for Christmas is always a good idea. Especially when so much of your Christmas dinner relies on you getting out into the garden and planting.
Whether or not you're vegetable gardening for beginners, knowing when it's the right time to plant your veggies can be hard to keep up with. With holidays like Christmas fast approaching, you might want to plan your seed sowing in advance to avoid being left without enough veg and spuds on the day.
Three vegetables in particular need to be planted now before their sowing season ends. You don't want your dinner table to be missing some of the most crucial elements, do you?
Christmas veggies you need to plant now
Whilst we would definitely recommend succession planting to keep your vegetable patch thriving all year round, it easily can get overwhelming.
So, simply getting ahead and scheduling your vegetable planting to match up to when you'll need them is a less demanding way.
1. Potatoes
What is Christmas without roast potatoes? A rather sad day, that's what it is. But not to panic, if you and your family prefer the homegrown kind then you still have time to get them planted.
"Surprisingly, a couple of potato varieties can still be planted now and harvested just in time for Christmas," says Craig Wilson, gardening expert and founder of gardening retailer Gardener's Dream. "Varieties such as ‘Charlotte’ and ‘Maris Piper’ potatoes can withstand the cooler months which makes them the perfect choice for a Christmas dinner for their buttery and nutty flavours."
Potatoes are some of the easiest vegetables to plant and are a great start for beginners needing easy gardening tips.
Craig says, "For the best harvest, keep soil temperatures cold. Anything below 9 degrees Celsius is best to keep up a healthy and consistent crop and be sure to plant your potato seeds at least 20cm deep for the best results."
Craig has established himself as a key figure in the online gardening industry. With over two decades of plant knowledge and gardening experience, he takes pride in sharing his top tips and tricks for the garden.
2. Radishes
Now radishes aren't exactly going to be part of your Christmas centrepiece but they're an amazing underrated addition to go with dinner.
"As a festive dish, Radishes are great when roasted alongside garlic and parsley. Radishes are a quick-growing vegetable that you can harvest right before Christmas," explains Craig. "Varieties such as ‘Mooli’ or ‘Black Spanish’ are notably winter hardy and can be sown in October for an early harvest in December."
They're a vegetable that loves cooler temperatures in the winter months and will happily grow in a sunny spot in your garden. Craig only stresses that you make sure the soil stays moist or you'll get a bitter harvest of radishes.
3. Rocket
Salad growing no matter the occasion is a great small garden idea as you don't need much room for an impressive harvest.
And while you might not think of salad when you imagine your Christmas dinner, a smokey and delicious side salad will go down a treat when serving cold meats on Boxing Day.
"Rocket seeds can be sown directly into pre-prepped rich soil," says Craig. "Rocket thrives in moist but well-drained soil and in partial sunlight, which is perfect for October. If planting outside, it’s probably best to cover over to protect from winter frosts."
It can actually be harvested in as little as 4-6 weeks which gives you plenty of time to get it ready for its introduction as your new favourite Christmas side dish.
Shop Christmas vegetable gardening
RRP: £9.99 | These are some of the easiest vegetables to grow and the most rewarding too. Maris Pipers will grow to have golden skin and a fluffy texture inside when cooked.
RRP: £2.50 | This another really easy crop to grow and can be done so in a container or in your garden beds. You might want to protect your seedlings for a while whilst the weather is cold and their young plants.
RRP: £1.75 | This pack has around 1000 seeds which are easy to grow in well watered containers. You can keep growing this plant as you harvest it depending on how strong you like the taste of your rocket.
It's not just vegetables you need to start preparing for, why not get ahead and decide which Christmas tree theme you're going with this year? Decorating your home for Christmas is one of the best parts of the season so it's always a good idea to know what aesthetic you're going for.
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