How to grow basil outdoors in England (and when not to)
How to grow basil in England: sow indoors in spring, plant out in June once nights stay above 10°C, in a warm, sunny, sheltered spot, or keep it under cover.
Guides
Grow guides
Crop-by-crop guides for raised beds in England: when to sow, spacing, care and harvest, with the numbers you need to plan.
How to grow lettuce in a raised bed in England
How to grow lettuce in England: sow a short row every two weeks from late March to late July, space loose-leaf and hearting types well, and stop summer bolting.
How to grow peas in a raised bed
How to grow peas in a raised bed in England: sow March to June in a wide drill, 7.5 cm apart, give them support and pick dwarf peas about 12 weeks after sowing.
How to grow radishes in a raised bed in England
How to grow radishes in England: sow little and often from spring to late summer, 2.5 cm apart in rows 15 cm apart, and what to do if they make only leaves.
How to grow beetroot in a raised bed
How to grow beetroot in a raised bed in England: sow April to July, 10 cm apart in rows 30 cm apart, keep it evenly watered and pull roots at 4–7 cm across.
How to grow broccoli in a raised bed
How to grow broccoli in a raised bed in England: calabrese for summer and autumn heads, sprouting broccoli for spring spears, with spacing, timing and netting.
How to grow carrots in a raised bed
How to grow carrots in a raised bed in England: sow thinly March to July in 1 cm drills, 5 cm apart, keep carrot fly out with mesh and lift in 12 to 16 weeks.
How to grow coriander in a raised bed without it bolting
How to grow coriander in England: sow direct in small batches from late March to June, give summer sowings midday shade and water it so it is slow to bolt.
How to grow cucumbers outdoors in a raised bed in England
How to grow cucumbers outdoors in England: sow ridge types indoors in late April, plant out in early June, train them up canes or netting and pick from July.
How to grow garlic in a raised bed
How to grow garlic in a raised bed in England: plant cloves October to December, pointed end up and 15 cm apart, then lift in summer as the leaves turn yellow.
How to grow onions in a raised bed
How to grow onions in a raised bed in England: plant sets in March or April 10 cm apart, sow seed or spring onions, then lift and dry the bulbs in late summer.
How to grow potatoes in a raised bed
How to grow potatoes in a raised bed in England: when to plant first earlies, second earlies and maincrops, how to chit and earth up, and dealing with blight.
How to grow tomatoes in a raised bed outdoors in England
How to grow tomatoes in England: sow indoors in March or April, plant out in June once nights stay warm, and choose cordon or bush types for a raised bed.
When to plant garlic: autumn or spring in England
When to plant garlic in England: October to December is the main window, because cloves need one to two months of cold. When spring planting works, and why.