7 Vegetables to Plant in February for Early Homegrown Harvests

Saving money on vegetables plant february early does not need to be complicated. Here is a clear, no nonsense rundown of what works and how to make the most of it.

Key Takeaways

• Beginning vegetables in a cold frame or under a cloche is a proven method to enjoy earlier homegrown harvests.
• There are excellent candidates for this, including peas, beans, lettuce, carrots, spinach, and more.
• The crops here are all straightforward to grow, reliable, and quick to mature.
• Worth noting: it means you can enjoy spring harvests without massive effort.

Where the Real Savings Hide

So, as a gardener who has grown numerous crops under cover, here are my picks of seven ideal vegetables to plant in February for delicious spring harvests. I consistently advocate for getting ahead and enjoying earlier harvests, which is why planting in February, when the opportunity arises, checks all the right boxes for me.

• This is where cold frames and cloches come to the fore.
• They offer an ideal method to warm the soil in late winter, which opens opportunities to sow seeds outdoors earlier.
• More importantly, they provide an ideal protected environment for early crops that thrive in cooler temperatures, and free up space by giving an alternative place to begin plants rather than doing it all in a greenhouse.
• Lettuce (Image credit: nikamata / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images)Lettuce is available in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and tastes.

A Closer Look at Vegetables Plant February Early

For the earliest lettuce harvests, it is best to sow butterhead or loose-leaf types of lettuce in late winter under cold frames (such as this wooden portable cold frame from Wayfair) or cloches. To grow lettuce in this early method, prepare the soil before sowing by weeding thoroughly and placing the cold frame or cloche in place two weeks before to warm the soil ready for the seeds.

• Remember that thinly sow the seeds near a half-inch deep into drills or individual holes and keep the soil moist.
• You should thin the seedlings in early or mid-spring to provide the plants sufficient space to develop, and remove the cloche or lift the cold frame lid on warm days to provide air circulation.
• As the weather warms, you can remove the cover, though you may require to take precautions against slugs and snails.
• Harvest the cut-and-come-again lettuce by removing the outer leaves first and allowing the inner ones to continue to develop.

What to Know About Vegetables Plant February Early

As a rule, 'Salad bowl' is a perfect loose-leaf lettuce variety to plant in February, and you can get packs of 'Salad Bowl' lettuce seeds at Burpee. Arugula (Image credit: Alamy)This spicy salad leaf grows fast and thrives in cooler conditions.

• If you wish a reliable vitamin-rich crop that adds peppery notes to winter and spring salads, then arugula is a top contender.
• Going from sowing to picking in little over four weeks, you can enjoy fresh harvests as early as March.
• In short, growing arugula under the protection of a cold frame or a cloche (or something like this portable mini greenhouse from Amazon as a cloche alternative) lessens the risk of slugs and snails nibbling on seedlings as they develop.
• Plus, as arugula doesn’t respond well to being transplanted, directly sowing seeds outdoors guarantees the best results.

How Vegetables Plant February Early Really Works

So sow the seeds into shallow drills and cover lightly. Keep the plant moist and remove the cover on warm days to allow air to circulate and keep the leaves healthy.

• Worth noting: harvest arugula as a cut-and-come-again vegetable once the leaves are large enough to apply.
• Simply snip off the largest, outer leaves with clean scissors or pruning snips.
• You can get packs of arugula seeds at Botanical Interests that can produce tender leaves to pick in 20-28 days.
• Carrots (Image credit: Future)Homegrown carrots simply taste much sweeter than store-bought ones.

Getting the Most From Vegetables Plant February Early

More importantly, if, like me, you apply plenty of carrots throughout the year, then don’t just grow them in summer; begin early and enjoy a longer season. The earliest crop of carrots can be enjoyed by sowing them in February under a cloche or in a cold frame.

• Warm the soil for a few weeks before sowing the seeds, and then remove any stones to ensure straight roots and rake the ground level.
• The best types of carrots for early sowings are fast-maturing varieties, like 'Nantes' (you can get Nantes carrot seeds at Burpee) or 'Amsterdam', or circular carrots, such as 'Paris Market' (you can get Paris Market carrot seeds at Amazon).
• Remember that for any of these, sow the seeds in rows four inches apart, and leave an inch between each seed.
• You can add compost to the soil before sowing, but not manure or any high-nitrogen fertilizer.

Tips That Make a Difference

This will encourage plenty of green growth, rather than the roots, which is what you require when growing carrots. If you do wish to fertilize carrots, apply a low-nitrogen, greater-phosphorus and potassium fertilizer (such as this 5-10-10 vegetable fertilizer at Amazon) or bone meal, applied just before sowing or as the seeds germinate.

• As a rule, radish (Image credit: bhofack2/Getty Images)A super-early harvest of radishes can be the reward for being bold and sowing early.
• The first sowings of radishes can be made in late winter under the protection of a cloche or cold frame, and this can be the first of numerous successive plantings of radishes for a long, productive season.
• Plant radish seeds directly into the soil, spacing them about an inch apart and half an inch deep.
• You may require to thin seedlings as they develop to the right spacing for the best roots.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

In short, radishes are among the fastest-growing vegetables; they germinate in under a week and can go from sowing to harvesting fast. While early sowings do take a bit longer than those done later in the season, you should still expect to be harvesting in near six weeks from a February sowing.

• You can get 'French Breakfast' radish seeds at True Leaf Market, which are renowned for their speedy growth and tender roots 5.
• Fava beans (Image credit: Getty Images/ Yaorusheng)You can begin growing fava beans in a cold frame in February.
• Worth noting: as fava beans germinate at reduce temperatures than numerous other crops, you can plant them into deep pots in a cold frame to begin them off, and then plant them outside after near six weeks.
• I have sown indoors in February and found it a more reliable method to plant fava beans than doing it in the fall.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I save money on vegetables plant february early?

Compare prices across a few retailers, look for active coupon codes, and time bigger buys around sales events. I consistently advocate for getting ahead and enjoying earlier harvests, which is why planting in February, when the opportunity arises, checks all the right boxes for me.

Is it worth shopping around for vegetables plant february early?

Usually yes. This is where cold frames and cloches come to the fore.

Smart Ways to Save More on Vegetables Plant February Early

• Time non urgent purchases around major sale events for the deepest cuts.
• Leave items in your cart for a day; some stores send a follow up discount.
• Pair cashback with a coupon so you save twice on the same order.
• Stack a coupon code with an existing sale whenever the store allows it.
• Sign up for the retailer newsletter to catch first time and seasonal discounts.

Final Thoughts

Before you check out, line up vegetables plant february early against current promotions and any codes you can stack. Small habits like these add up to real savings over a year.

Originally published at savingswitch.com.