Is February Too Early To Sow Veg Seeds?

Isn’t it freezing outside? Well, if it’s February, it is meant to be. In many parts of the world this is actually the coldest month of the year, so, no doubt you cannot sow vegetables in this weather! Or maybe you can? No, I haven’t gone off my rocker – just hear me out… There are many seeds that actually like to spend some time in the cold to germinate, some even need it. So, if your backyard looks forlorn and empty, and you are eager to start the season early, maybe there’s still hope!

Ok, this is not for everybody… If you live in super cold regions, like in Alaska, and your garden is under a mantle of snow now (or a sheet of ice!), there’s no way you can sow seeds in February – at least not directly in your veggie beds; but you can still do it indoors in most places.

But there is more… As long as the soil is workable – you will be surprised to know – some vegetables are best sown when temperatures are still cold, below zero in fact!

So, if on the one hand you may think that February is too early to sow vegetables, on the other, you may actually be too late!

… And I have a few myths to debunk. Do you wish to know more?

The Amazing Strength of Seeds

Think about it… Most seeds fall onto the ground in fall, but they only germinate in spring. So, winter with its freezing temperatures doesn’t seem to be a problem for them. They are very cold hardy indeed, even if the veggies you get from them would die in such conditions…

Not every vegetable can be sown as early as February, not outdoors, at least. If you sow tomatoes in your backyard in February, you won’t get much out of them. But how about spinach, for example? In many regions, this is harvest time for them!

Then again, whatever you learn about gardening needs adapting to your climate. When we say “early spring” for example, it may even mean February in Florida, but it is June in Alaska. But using the middle range as a yardstick, we can anticipate or delay a bit, and get the optimal results for our garden’s exact location…

But there’s even more; let me tell you a trade secret…

Some Seeds Actually Need Freezing Temperatures to Germinate – Or They Won’t!

As I said, you may already be running short of time to sow some of your veggies… Some seeds actually need frost in order to germinate, or they will not, or at least, expect them to underperform. This is called “cold stratification”, and it is much more common than you would think…

This is a result of natural adaptation to the seasons. Now, imagine being the seed of a plant that needs to germinate in spring, but you fall to the ground in fall. How can you make sure you don’t “grow up too early” and then get frozen to death?

You produce chemicals that prevent germination in the seed coat, and they only break down with freezing or very low temperatures! You see how intelligent is Nature?

Now, before we go outside in the cold…

What Conditions Do You Need to Sow Veggies in Your Garden Outdoors?

As we said, you can’t sow outdoors everywhere in your garden. You need some conditions, so, before you hurry outside, make sure that:

• The soil is not frozen.
• The soil is not wet, but humid.
• The soil is not compacted.
• Preferably wait until soil temperatures are above 40°F (4.0°C).

You Must Sow these Seeds in February

And now, let’s see which veggies you can sow and plant in your garden in the cold month of February!

1.    Broad Beans (Vicia faba)

Sow your broad beans in February and you will have an early crop, maybe by the end of spring, but they will still continue to fill your table till the end of summer. Sweet and crunchy, they are quick and easy to cook, and you can even eat them raw, to add a special twist to your salads, especially the baby ones… On top of this they are nitrogen fixing plants, so they will fertilize your veggie garden as well. Do provide support for the taller varieties.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 3 to 10.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm).
• Sowing depth: 2 inches (5.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 80 to 100 days.

2.    Potato (Solanum tuberosum)

It may be a surprise to you to find out that you can start growing potatoes as early as February. And I am talking about seed potatoes in most zones, which are tubers that you plant to get the buds, but what we call “chitting” potatoes, which have already sprouted and will start growing soon.  This gives you an early start of the season, and because they can take a long time to be ready for harvest, as long as the soil is above 40°F (4.0°C), start early!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 3 to 10.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 12 to 16 inches apart (35 to 45 cm); rows 30 inches apart (90 cm).
• Sowing depth: 4 inches (10 cm).
• Time to harvest: 80 to 120 days.

3.    Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

But maybe you want to plant something to serve early in the season? Then February is a very good time to sow spinach directly in your veggie garden, and you will be eating it in even less than a month (baby leaves) or a bit later. This is a winter leafy crop, and in fact, the cold actually makes it sweeter, so, this is an ideal time to sow it!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 3 to 9.
• Light requirements: full Sun and partial shade.
• Spacing: 6 to 12 inches apart (15 to 30 cm).
• Sowing depth: 0.5 inches (1.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 40 to 50 days.

4.    Carrot (Daucus carota)

Look around you! You will see that shelves are full of carrots in late winter and early spring… And you will see it even better if you eat them. And they will be much cheaper if you grow them! Don’t waste your vegetable beds then, sow them directly in situ in February and you will get two crops, including the very expensive baby version (which is a byproduct of the big ones)!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 3 to 9.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: try to sow them 2 to 3 inches apart (5.0 to 7.5 cm) or even better, scatter the seeds and then thin them out – you will get baby carrots too!
• Sowing depth: 0.25 to 0.5 inches (0.5 to 1.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 50 to 80 days for adult carrots, baby carrots before…

5.    Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)

Do you remember Edward Thomas’s famous poem, ‘Slough’, that ends with “the cabbages are coming”? Well, they will be coming soon if you sow them in your garden in spring. And as you know they can also come in many colors and shapes. This brassica actually likes cold temperatures, that’s why it forms its juicy heads, to protect its leaves…

As you know, cabbage is very eclectic in the kitchen and super healthy, and despite (or because of) its wintry preferences, it warms up soups, stews and rainy days!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 2 to 9.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 12 to 24 inches apart (30 to 60 cm), depending on the variety.
• Sowing depth: 0.5 inches (1.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 70 to 120 days, depending on the variety.

6.    Onion (Allium cepa)

The queen of the kitchen doesn’t mind cold temperatures! You can safely sow it in your garden as long as the soil temperature is above 40°F (4.0°C). It is not ideal (that would be 50°F, or 10°C), but the seeds can stand very cold conditions (down to 35°F, or 1.5°C), so, they will lie there and wait until the weather warms up a bit.

The advantage? If days get warm early (as they do these days) you will jump start your crop and be the envy of the neighborhood!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 5 to 10.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 4 to 6 inches apart (10 to 15 cm) for most varieties, not giant ones.
• Sowing depth: 0.5 inches (1.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 100 to 120 days.

7.    Peas (Pisum sativum)

The main mistake you can make with peas is actually to sow them too late, not too early. This nitrogen fixing legume needs fresh conditions when it is young in order to grow strong and healthy! In fact, it retains its natural freshness with its abundant crops.

So, you can sow your peas in February, and they will germinate as soon as they know Mother Nature has provided the right conditions. Don’t worry, they are hard enough to withstand the odd late day of frost too if they are underground!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 3 to 11.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 2 to 3 inches apart (5.0 to 7.5 cm); rows 18 to 24 inches apart (45 to 60 cm).
• Sowing depth: 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 60 to 70 days.

8.    Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

Can you do without lettuce? Of course not, and there’s no reason why you should be buying it… In stores, you will find all sorts of varieties through winter and spring, some coming from greenhouses and from abroad – adding to the greenhouse effect…

But as long as you choose a cold season variety like ‘Lollo Rossa’, ‘Winter Gem’, ‘Valdor’, ‘Black Seeded Simpson’, ‘Green Oakleaf’ and ‘Winter Marvel’, you can sow it directly into your garden in February and save money and the environment at the same time!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 4 to 9.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 6 to 12 inches apart (15 to 30 cm), depending on the variety.
• Sowing depth: 0.25 inches (0.5 cm).
• Time to harvest: 30 to 60 days, depending on the variety.

9.    Radish (Raphanus sativus)

Add a peppery flavor to your salads with radishes, and you can enjoy it very soon, in fact, if you sow them directly in your vegetable garden in February, you can enjoy them in March, when spring starts! Super fast growing and low maintenance, these underrated (but fairly expensive vegetables) are some of the best to grow in this season.

And while you will only find the typical round and purplish red variety on the shelves, you can be more creative and colorful if you grow your own. In fact, you can have them white, yellow, dark purple, orange, round or long! Just have fun with them!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 2 to 10.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 2 to 3 inches apart (5.0 to 7.5 cm), or thin them out as they grow.
• Sowing depth: 0.5 cm (1.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 20 to 30 days.

10. Garlic (Allium sativum)

Garlic can take a very long time to be ready to harvest… If you plant sets in February, unless you live in a warm climate, they will die, but you can start it from seed in this month; it is cheaper, you can get more, and they will simply wait in the soil for the weather to warm up and germinate.

If you choose a fast variety, you may already use it in your dishes as early as late May or early June, otherwise, you will have to be patient. But, as it takes up so little space, why don’t you sow a little row, maybe between other vegetables?

• Hardiness: USDA zones 4 to 9.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 6 inches apart (15 cm).
• Sowing depth: 1 to 2 inches (1.0 to 2.5 cm).
• Time to harvest: 90 to 240 days, depending on the variety.

11. Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)

Here is another root vegetable you can sow safely when it is still cold in February, and you can have an early crop: humble but sweet and delicious, heart-warming parsnip. A favorite in stews and cold-season dishes, it is actually excellent for your health, and a good substitute for potatoes.

Do remember that the leaves are edible too, but it is a fairly slow crop, so, I would suggest you just scatter the seeds and then thin them out, and use its nutritious foliage as a leafy vegetable.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 3 to 9.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 3 to 6 inches apart (7.5 to 15 cm), or better, scatter the seeds and then thin them out.
• Sowing depth: 0.5 inches (1.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 100 to 120 days.

12. Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris)

I love Swiss chard! While many people think it is related to spinach, it is a relative to beets, and it is juicier than Poppey’s favorite leafy green, with its large ribs (which can also be or orange, for extra color in your dishes), and it is sweeter, especially if it gets some cold days, so, February is a very good time to sow it directly in your backyard!

What’s more, it does not have that “chalky” feel on your teeth… Underrated in some countries, it is growing in popularity very fast, and it is very productive indeed. Just cut it when you harvest it, and it will grow back soon and fast!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 3 to 10.
• Light requirements: full Sun or partial shade.
• Spacing: 6 to 12 inches apart (15 to 30 cm).
• Sowing depth: 0.5 inches (1.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 50 to 60 days.

13. Arugula (Eruca vesicaria)

Arugula is not to everyone’s taste: you either love it or hate it. So, if you are in the first group, you will be pleased to know that you can grow this tangy leafy vegetable in your garden in February, otherwise, skip on.

But if you do, being super fast growing, you will start harvesting it in as soon as 20 days (!!!) and you will enjoy its peppery and spicy flavor in your salads or cooked meals as early as May!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 3 to 11.
• Light requirements: full Sun or partial shade.
• Spacing: 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm).
• Sowing depth: 0.25 inches (0.5 cm).
• Time to harvest: 20 to 40 days.

14. Turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa)

Did you know that turnips are brassicas? And what does it mean? That they are fully edible (including the leaves) and that they are super healthy. And, of course, it is a great vegetable to sow in February, directly in your garden.

In fact, it doesn’t like transplanting at all. It will germinate as soon as the weather is warm enough, and while you can space it out, I would personally prefer to scatter the seeds as evenly as possible and then thin it out, before the roots fatten up. This way, you get an extra baby leafy green to bring to your table very soon!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 2 to 9.
• Light requirements: full Sun.
• Spacing: 4 to 6 inches apart (10 to 15 cm), or scatter them as evenly as possible then thin them out.
• Sowing depth: 0.5 inches (1.0 cm).
• Time to harvest: 30 to 60 days.

Contrary to Popular Belief, February Is the Perfect Time to Sow Some Vegetables in Your Garden

We have dispelled a few myths, as I promised. And now you know which, when and how to sow vegetables in your kitchen garden in February, why should you be wasting all that time and space?