🌱 Get Ready for Spring!

How to Grow Vegetables Quickly for a Successful Early Season

Spring planting season is almost here, which is an exciting prospect for gardeners all around the UK as the days become longer and the first signs of warmth return to the air. When it comes to cultivating crops that mature quickly and flourish in chilly spring weather, Yorkshire Seeds is aware that the earliest sowings can yield the biggest smiles. The time to plan—and plant—is now, whether of whether you're using a sunny windowsill, patio containers, raised beds, or an allotment.

Why Start Your Garden Early?

Early sowing means you’ll be harvesting fresh food weeks ahead of summer. It also:

Makes use of winter sun and warming soil

Stretches your growing season

Frees up space for later plantings

Helps beat early-season pests

Boosts your mood after a long winter!

Even if you’re limited on space or light, many fast-growing crops are ideal for indoor starts or container growing.

🥕 Fast-Growing Vegetables to Sow This Spring

Here’s our hand-picked list of fast-maturing vegetables perfect for early spring sowing in the UK climate:

1. 🥬 Lettuce – ‘Little Gem’ or Cut-and-Come-Again Mix

Time to Harvest: 4–6 weeks

Sow: Indoors in trays now, outdoors from March under cloche

Tips: Keep moist and harvest leaves as they mature. Ideal for salads and sandwiches!

2. 🧅 Spring Onion – ‘White Lisbon’

Time to Harvest: 8–10 weeks

Sow: Indoors from January; direct sow outdoors from March

Tips: Sow thinly in rows or modules. Perfect for salads, stir-fries, and garnish.

3. 🌱 Spinach – ‘Perpetual’ or ‘Giant Winter’

Time to Harvest: 6–8 weeks

Sow: Indoors or outdoors from February

Tips: Cold-tolerant and nutrient-dense. Keep well watered to prevent bolting.

4. 🥕 Carrot – ‘Early Nantes’

Time to Harvest: 10–12 weeks

Sow: Under fleece in late February or early March

Tips: Loosen soil, sow thinly, and cover to protect from frost and carrot fly.

5. 🌸 Radish – ‘French Breakfast’

Time to Harvest: 25–30 days

Sow: Directly outdoors or in pots

Tips: Water evenly for best flavour. Great for kids and quick wins!

🪴 Where to Sow Early Crops

You don’t need a massive garden to get started. These crops grow well:

🌿 In seed trays or modules on windowsills

🪟 Under cold frames or cloches

🏡 In containers or patio pots

🌱 Directly into raised beds with fleece for protection