Grow your own Christmas – month by month countdown

To grow as much as possible yourself takes a fair bit of planning. Much of the veg we eat at Christmas has a long

The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.

• As well as hyacinths, paperwhite daffodils and Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) can also bloom over Christmas. They are the ideal present to take when visiting friends and family over the festive season.
• Make sure to keep an eye on your carrots and keep
  Mounding soil up around plants, usually specific vegetable crops. With potato plants, it protects early shoots from frost and ensures new tubers aren’t exposed to light, which can make them green and poisonous. With tall or top-heavy plants such as brassicas, it helps to prevent windrock, which can loosen the roots. Leeks and celery are earthed up to blanch the stems.

  earthing up potatoes.
• For a real burst of freshness, grow fresh mint from root cuttings. At a time when plants are getting leggy and tough, propagating from root
  A method of growing new plants from parts of an existing plant, such as sections of root, stem, leaf or bud. When prepared correctly and planted in the right conditions, they can produce roots and eventually become independent plants. There is a wide range of different methods for taking cuttings, depending on the plant and time of year.

  cuttings now will ensure you have fresh shoots for Christmas Day.

November

Check veg in storage

Turn gluts into gifts

Treat wildlife to Christmas dinner

• Many root crops grown earlier in the year can be left in the ground until they are needed, but those that don’t will need to be lifted and stored to keep them fresh for the table in December. Find out the right way to store fruit and veg and make sure to check on them often to make sure they are not damaged or decaying.
• Don’t forget wildlife which may be struggling as the days turn cold and frosts make food and water harder to access. A simple homemade birdfeeder is a treat for feathered friends and a fun project for childern and adults alike.
• As gardens and allotments slow down for the winter, there's work to be done in the kitchen, bottling and preserving produce grown through the year. For a really green Christmas, eliminate food miles by making your own chutneys and chili jams to go with cheese and leftovers. They also make wonderful gifts. Making them now gives the flavours a month to develop before the big day. 

December

Make your own wreath

Try a potted Christmas

Bring the outside in

• Christmas isn’t just about the food – why not extend the grow your own ethos to decorations too? Rather than spending money on a shop bought wreath, use what you find in the garden to create your own bespoke seasonal door hanging that no one else on the street will have.
• If you have a potted Christmas tree, bring it in a few days before Christmas but don’t keep it indoors for more than 12 days. If you usually have a cut tree, maybe it’s time to switch, or find out the best way to dispose of it after the celebrations are over.
• Ditch the tinsel and drop the glitter, instead decorate your house with natural festive foliage for the ultimate in homegrown chic.

January – March

© Pixaby

• Cranberries are a delicious addition to any meal, not just at Christmas. They are nutritious and their ruby red berries look great in decorations. To start growing your own, order bareroot plants in the New Year. They prefer
  The acidity/alkalinity of soil is measured on a pH scale, which runs from 0 to 14. Neutral soil has a pH of 7. Acid (or ericaceous) soil has a pH of less than 7, and the lower the pH, the more acidic the soil. You can measure your soil pH using a simple testing kit. Acid-loving (ericaceous) plants include rhododendrons, camellias, heathers and blueberries. Adding lime to soil will reduce its acidity. A slightly acidic soil of pH 6.5 is the best general-purpose pH for gardens, allowing a wide range of plants to grow.

  acid soil and full sun, and work well in containers. Though they are self-fertile, getting a few different varieties will ensure a good crop.
• While the soil is too wet and cold to work on, use your time to plan your plot. If you haven’t already got an established vegetable garden, design your plot, bearing in mind crop rotation, planting spaces and sowing times based on the seeds you ordered.
• If you want to grow
  Potato varieties that are planted in mid- to late April, for harvesting from late August to October. These plants are grown to maturity, unlike early varieties, so tend to produce larger harvests of bigger potatoes, which usually store well.

  maincrop potatoes and store them for Christmas, now is the time to buy them and start chitting.
• If you are planning to grow onions, seed can be sown now under cover to get a head start on the season. 
• If you don’t have a large garden or allotment, there is still a lot you can grow in containers.

How to make raised beds

Learn about crop rotation

Grow crops in pots

April

Sowing seeds outdoors

Sowing seeds indoors

Seed to sow in April

• Parsnips
• Carrots
• Leeks
• Brussels sprouts

May

Thinning carrot seedlings can attract carrot root fly. Sow thinly and protect early crops with a fleece

Seed to sow in May

• Cabbage
• Kale
• Green beans
• Swede

June

Watch how to plant out leeks

Moving a plant from one growing position to another, often from a pot to its final spot in the garden.

transplanted

Jobs for June

• Keep on top of weeding and watering.
• Feed plants with nettle or comfrey. If you have a wormery or bokashi bin, they make an excellent feed for crops.
• Make supports for climbing plants like beans.
• Keep an eye out for so-called pests eating your crops before you can get to them. Use netting, fleeces, and companion planting, but accept there will always be some losses.

July

Plug plants can fill gaps quickly

Jobs for July

• Buy
  Seedlings or young plants grown singly in small modules, with the advantage that they can be transplanted with minimal root disturbance. Bedding plants and young veg plants are often sold as plug plants of various sizes, with smaller ones requiring more aftercare. They usually need to be potted up and grown on indoors until large enough to plant outside.

  plug plants to fill gaps and make up for any losses. Seeds sown in July may not be ready in time for Christmas.
• Harvest onions and garlic.
• Stake winter brassicas such as Brussles sprouts and broccoli which can get blown about in winter weather.

August

Plant potatoes in containers for Christmas

Sow short-rooted carrots for a quick crop

Take houseplant cuttings for Christmas gifts

• You can still grow Christmas potatoes. Cold-stored potato
  Tubers are swollen, usually underground, parts of a stem or root used to store food by the plant. They have buds that can produce new plants. Examples are tuberous begonia, cyclamen, dahlia and potato.

  tubers are available to buy in August for a Christmas harvest. Plant them into tubs or grow bags in a greenhouse or sheltered spot. 
• If you weren’t able to grow and store carrots earlier in the year, there may still be time to sow a short-root variety such as ‘Parmex’. Grow them in containers for easy harvesting.
• Thoughtful and more sustainable than a bunch of imported flowers, create free Christmas gifts by propagating your houseplants. Chlorophytum (spider plants), Pilea peperomioides (Chinese money plant) and Tradescantias will all root quickly in water, giving you time to grow them.

September

Force hyacinths to flower

Earth up potatoes and thin carrot seedlings

Start planning for next year

• Forcing hyacinths to flower indoors at Christmas fills the house with an incredible scent. When to begin the process depends on the variety, but the earliest need to be started by 24 September.
• Keep an eye on the potatoes and carrots you started last month. If they are being kept under cover, make sure they are getting enough water. Earth up potatoes and thin carrot seedlings.
• It may feel a bit early to start thinking about next year’s Christmas when we haven’t had this one yet, but autumn is when seed catalogues start landing on doorsteps, so take advantage of the longer evenings indoors to start planning for next year.

Storing your crops

Root vegetables

Storing onions for winter

Storing pumpkins and squashes

About the author – Jenny Laville

RHS Digital Editor for Shows, Jenny is RHS Level 3 qualified and has had allotments for over 15 years. She currently looks after a plot in Buckinghamshire.