A seasonal calendar for vegetables gives you a good overview of when which vegetables are ready to be harvested. Everything about the vegetable season in the field, in the greenhouse and from storage can be found here.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are not only delicious, they are also extremely he althy. At the same time, you protect the environment with seasonal purchases or growing your own vegetables, because long transport routes from warmer countries from harvest to sale in the supermarket are no longer necessary - no wonder that more and more people prefer to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the current season . But what is actually ready for harvest at what time or available from storage? This can be remedied by a vegetable seasonal calendar, in which one can see at a glance which species from which cultivation - whether from the open field, from protected cultivation, from controlled conditions in the greenhouse or from storage - are currently in season in our latitudes.
Tip: In addition to the ripening time of seasonal vegetables, it is also important to know when which types of fruit are available in our latitudes. In our article Seasonal calendar for fruit you will find a list of the months in which certain types of fruit ripen.
Seasonal calendar for vegetables in January
Although January with snow and cold does not necessarily offer the best growing conditions - some frost tolerant vegetables such as kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica ), leeks (Allium porrum), Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera), savoy cabbage ( Brassica oleracea convar. capitata var. sabauda) and sugar loaf (Cichorium intybusvar. foliosum f. cylindricum) can still be harvested outdoors. When the weather is frost-free, the thick storage tubers of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) are also ready for harvest, because they survive the winter in the ground and can be dug up fresh until March. Lamb’s lettuce (Valerianella locusta), rocket (Eruca sativa), winter possum ( Claytonia perfoliata) andWinter cress (Barbarea vulgaris) slowly but easily. Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) and Brussels sprouts are also grown under sheltered conditions in winter.
Most seasonal vegetables in January come from storage. Root and tuber vegetables in particular can be kept fresh for many months at cool temperatures and are available to us almost indefinitely until spring. Carrots (Daucus carota), parsnips (Pastinaca sativa), parsley root (Petroselinum crispum) come out of storage in Januarysubsp. tuberosum), radish (Raphanus sativus var. niger), celery ( Apium graveolens), black salsify (Scorzonera hispanica), sugar loaf and various types of cabbage such as red cabbage (Brassica oleracea convar.capitata var. rubra), pointed cabbage (Brassica oleracea convar. capitatavar. alba) and Savoy. Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are also seasonal vegetables in January thanks to their good storage properties, as are pumpkin (Cucurbita), rutabagas ( Brassica napus subsp. rapifera), beetroot (Beta vulgaris), Jerusalem artichoke, onion (Allium cepa ) or garlic (Allium sativum).
All year round chicory (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) and mushrooms (Agaricus) cultivated in darkened, warm and humid rooms until ready for harvest. Also the garden cress (Lepidium sativum) and other herbs such as chives (Allium schoenoprasum), dill (Anethum graveolens ) or parsley (Petroselinum crispum) are cultivated all year round in the greenhouse as pots or as cut and bundled herbs.
Summary Seasonal Vegetables January:
- Outdoor: kale, leek, Brussels sprouts, Jerusalem artichoke, savoy cabbage, sugar loaf
- Protected cultivation: Chinese cabbage, lamb's lettuce, Brussels sprouts, rocket, winter cress, winter postle, sugar loaf
- Greenhouse/climate controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, dill, garden cress, parsley, chives
- Storage: Chinese cabbage, carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, pumpkin, parsnip, parsley root, radish, beetroot, red cabbage, black salsify, pointed cabbage, swede, Jerusalem artichoke, white cabbage, savoy cabbage, sugar loaf, onion
Seasonal vegetables in February
February slowly heralds the end of winter with often frosty temperatures and changeable weather between plus and minus degrees. However, there are numerous, hardy vegetables that are harvested fresh from the field, from sheltered cultivation or in the greenhouse at this time. Seasonal vegetables grown outdoors in February continue to be kale and Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage, sugar loaf, leeks and Jerusalem artichokes. Similar to January, cabbage types (Brassica) dominate from the storage - but root and tuber vegetables as well as onions and garlic remain available. Sugar loaf, Chinese cabbage, rocket, lamb's lettuce, winter eweed and bittercress from protected cultivation still ensure fresh greenery on the table.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables February:
- Outdoor: kale, leek, Brussels sprouts, Jerusalem artichoke, savoy cabbage, sugar loaf
- Protected cultivation: Chinese cabbage, lamb's lettuce, Brussels sprouts, rocket, winter cress, winter postle, sugar loaf
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, garden cress
- Storage: Chinese cabbage, carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, pumpkin, parsnip, parsley root, radish, beetroot, red cabbage, black salsify, pointed cabbage, swede, Jerusalem artichoke, white cabbage, savoy cabbage, sugar loaf, onion
Seasonal Vegetables in March
The first new types of vegetables start in March and bring spring to your plate. A typical seasonal vegetable in March is wild garlic (Allium ursinum), and watercress (Nasturtium) and leeks can also be harvested outdoors. In protected cultivation, other leafy vegetables such as lamb's lettuce, rocket, winter cress and winter purslane thrive. New additions are radishes (Raphanus sativus var. sativus), radishes, the first lettuce (Lactuca sativa ) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea). Mushrooms, chicory and garden herbs are in season all year round. Various types of cabbage, root and tuber vegetables, onions and garlic are still available from stock.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables March:
- Outdoor: wild garlic, watercress, leek
- Protected cultivation: lamb's lettuce, radishes, radish, rocket, lettuce, spinach, winter cress, winter postle
- Greenhouse/climate controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, lettuce, garden cress,Herbs
- Storage: carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, pumpkin, parsnip, parsley root, beetroot, red cabbage, black salsify, pointed cabbage, swede, white cabbage, savoy cabbage, onion
April: Which vegetables are in season now?
Seasonal outdoor vegetables in April include wild garlic, cress, leeks, radishes and lettuce as well as spinach. From mid-April you can look forward to fresh kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) and asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) and sorrel (Rumex) join the numerous leafy greens from protected cultivation. If you have some plant knowledge, you can eat numerous edible wild herbs such as nettle (Urtica), wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) or ground elder ( Aegopodium podagraria). Shelf-stable root, cabbage, and tuber vegetables harvested the previous fall still enrich our menus.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables April:
- Outdoor: wild garlic, watercress, leek, radishes, salads, spinach, wild herbs
- Protected cultivation: cauliflower, lamb's lettuce, kohlrabi, chard, radishes, radish, rocket, sorrel, lettuce, asparagus, spinach, winter cress, winter possum
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushrooms, chicory, garden cress, herbs
- Storage: carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, parsnip, parsley root, beetroot, red cabbage, pointed cabbage, swede, white cabbage, savoy cabbage, onion
Tip: A phenological calendar will also help you to find the right time for certain garden work. You can find out what this is all about and how such a calendar works in our special article.
Seasonal vegetables in May
May is in season for vegetables like asparagus, early cauliflower and broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), kohlrabi, radishes and Swiss chard straight from the field. Various salads, spinach and the last wild garlic come out of the bed or from the field in May. Early peas (Pisum sativum), spring onions (Allium) and first turnips such as May turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa var. majalis)enrich the menu. In addition to various leafy vegetables and kohlrabi, the first early cabbage varieties, as well as garlic, carrots, fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and celery are ripe and will be harvested from protected cultivation from the end of May.
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), peppers (Capsicum annuum) and cucumbers ( Cucumis sativus) and will soon be ready for harvest. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) thrives in the warm greenhouse and soon delights with tangy foliage. In the unheated greenhouse, on the other hand, the planting of the vegetables that need warmth does not take place until May. Wild herbs are now available in many places and enrich the vegetable season in May. Dandelion (Taraxacum) and Chickweed (Stellaria) are still considered weeds by many, but actually make a wonderful addition to fresh salads. Both are readily available in May.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables May:
- Outdoor: wild garlic, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, lamb's lettuce, spring onions, radishes, radishes, rocket, lettuce, asparagus, turnips, spinach, wild herbs
- Protected cultivation: endive, fennel, carrot, garlic, kohlrabi, chard, sorrel, pointed cabbage, celery, white cabbage
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, garden cress, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
- Storage: carrot, potato, celeriac, beetroot, red cabbage, swede, white cabbage, savoy cabbage, onion
Tip: If you prefer a monthly, tabular overview of seasonal fruit and vegetables, you can buy our Plantura seasonal calendar here. Each month contains selected types of fruit and vegetables, lovingly designed by hand, so that the seasonal calendar is also ideal as a gift.
Seasonal calendar for vegetables in June
The vegetable season in July really gets going outdoors: various types of cabbage, broad beans (Vicia faba), peas, beans (Phaseolus vulgaris ) thrive and can be harvested soon. Various types of carrots, the first new potatoes, garlic, celeriac, fennel, beetroot and turnips are now finally suitable for consumption. Oak Leaf - (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) and Iceberg Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var.capitata) ensure variety among the leafy vegetables such as Swiss chard, lamb's lettuce and rocket. In the fields and inBeet, outdoor herbs such as parsley and chives are now ready to harvest. In addition to cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers, the greenhouse and sheltered cultivation now also ripen the heat-loving aubergine (Solanum melongena) and courgettes (Cucurbita pepo var. giromontiina). For the asparagus, however, the season ends in June - it is traditionally no longer harvested after St. John's Day on June 24th.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables June:
- Outdoor: Cauliflower, broccoli, broad beans, endive, peas, lamb's lettuce, fennel, spring onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, celeriac, kohlrabi, chard, radishes, radishes, beetroot, red cabbage, rocket, lettuce, asparagus , turnip, spinach, pointed cabbage, celery, onion, wild and kitchen herbs
- Protected cultivation: aubergine, cucumber, pepper, tomato, savoy cabbage, courgettes, basil
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, garden cress, aubergine, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
Seasonal Vegetables in July
What started well in June continues just as well in July: the seasonal vegetables mainly come from the open field. Peas and beans have numerous pods, cauliflower, broccoli and other types of cabbage as well as zucchini provide vitamin-rich supplies of fresh vegetables. Tuber vegetables such as fennel, celery, beetroot, turnips and potatoes ripen. The first onions, garlic and spring onions are ready to be harvested. Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) and radicchio (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum) migrate from the field to the kitchen. From July onwards, cucumbers no longer only come from the greenhouse or from protected cultivation, but from the field or from the bed. So there is twice as much reason to be happy: both lettuce and pickling cucumbers can now be harvested. Outdoor tomatoes, chillies (Capsicum) and peppers also produce bountiful harvests.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables July:
- Outdoor: cauliflower, beans, broccoli, chili, broad beans, endive, peas, lamb's lettuce, fennel, spring onions, cucumber, carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, kohlrabi, chard, paprika, radicchio, radishes, radish, Beetroot, red cabbage, rocket, lettuce, turnip, spinach, pointed cabbage, celery, tomato, onion, zucchini, savoy cabbage, wild and kitchen herbs
- Protected cultivation: aubergine, chili, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, garden cress, aubergine, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
Which vegetables are in season in August?
August is slowly making us think of the end of summer - but a wide variety of vegetables are still coming to us, harvested directly from the field. In addition to the tireless types of cabbage, these also include numerous turnips, onions, tuber vegetables and salads. August even offers space for exotic and almost forgotten vegetables - artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) and Sweetcorn (Zea mays convar. saccharata) is now thriving and complements the variety of vegetables on the grill. The first leeks are ready for harvest, and so is the pak choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) is a typical seasonal vegetable in midsummer in the fields and in beds. From the end of August, delicious wild-collected edible mushrooms will be available, including chanterelle and porcini.
Aubergines, chillies and peppers as well as cucumbers and tomatoes are still being harvested diligently in the greenhouse and in sheltered cultivation.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables August:
- Outdoor: Artichoke, cauliflower, beans, broccoli, chili, broad beans, endive, peas, lamb's lettuce, fennel, spring onions, cucumber, carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, kohlrabi, leek, corn, chard, pak choi , paprika, radicchio, radish, radish, beetroot, red cabbage, rocket, salads, turnip, spinach, pointed cabbage, celery, tomato, onion, courgettes, savoy cabbage, wild and kitchen herbs, mushrooms
- Protected cultivation: aubergine, chili, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, garden cress, aubergine, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
Seasonal vegetables in September
In keeping with the falling temperatures, we can look forward to the number one autumn vegetable in September: finally the variously shaped pumpkins (Cucurbita) are decorating our beds again. Stored vegetables such as the slow-growing parsnip, black salsify and turnips are also ready to be harvested from September and eaten fresh or stored for the cold winter months. A classic seasonal vegetable in September is the beetroot, which is sometimes very colourful. Numerous types of cabbage, lettuce and root vegetables are now harvested outdoorssuch as radishes and carrots, but also onions and garlic, plus spring onions and leeks. While heat-loving vegetables like peppers and aubergines are slowly coming to the end of their lives, many types of vegetables are only sown or planted in the fall to provide us with vitamins and nutrients as winter vegetables late in the year. The mushroom season with porcini and chanterelles, on the other hand, really starts in September.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables September:
- Outdoor: artichoke, cauliflower, beans, broccoli, chili, endive, peas, lamb's lettuce, fennel, spring onion, cucumber, carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, kohlrabi, pumpkin, leek, corn, chard, pak choi, Paprika, parsnip, radicchio, radish, radish, beetroot, red cabbage, rocket, salsify, salads, turnip, spinach, pointed cabbage, celery, rutabaga, tomato, onion, courgettes, savoy cabbage, wild and kitchen herbs, mushrooms
- Protected cultivation: aubergine, chili, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, garden cress, aubergine, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
Seasonal calendar for vegetables in October
Now that the temperatures are dropping again, the first plants are getting too cold again - cucumbers, peppers and aubergines only reliably bear fruit in October in the greenhouse. Seasonal vegetables in October are mainly stored vegetables for long, cold winters: stored carrots, last potatoes, garlic, celeriac, pumpkins, leeks, parsnips and root parsley, as well as black salsify, Jerusalem artichoke and turnips such as the autumn turnip (Brassica rapasubsp. rapa) and numerous types of cabbage. Tatsoi (Brassica rapa convar. narinosa), endive, lamb’s lettuce, spinach, radicchio and rocket are ready to harvest outdoors.
The outdoor season is ending for courgettes, celery and tomatoes. In October you harvest dried pods of bean varieties as dry beans and popcorn corn (Zea mays convar. microsperma), which can be kept for years if dried properly. Until the end of October, the last fruits of cucumber, pepper, aubergine and chili are harvested in the protected cultivation before the plants go to the compost.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables October:
- Outdoor: cauliflower, broccoli, chili, endive, lamb's lettuce, fennel, spring onion, carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, kohlrabi, pumpkin, leek, popcorn corn, chard, pak choi,Parsnip, radicchio, radish, beetroot, red cabbage, rocket, black salsify, salads, turnip, spinach, pointed cabbage, celery, rutabagas, tatsoi, tomato, Jerusalem artichoke, onion, courgettes, savoy cabbage, root parsley, wild and kitchen herbs, mushrooms
- Protected cultivation: chili, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, garden cress, aubergine, cucumber, pepper, tomato, basil
November: Which vegetables are in season now?
Slowly, the bed is getting emptier again: In November, many types of vegetables disappear due to the low temperatures. The last spring onions, beets, late cauliflower and broccoli varieties as well as radishes, parsnips, salsify and root parsley are harvested and stored. However, these conditions are just right for kale and savoy because they cannot tolerate the hot summer sun. Spinach and kohlrabi, on the other hand, can often only be harvested if they are protected. The salad bed is still a bit green - typical seasonal vegetables in November are: Chinese cabbage, radicchio and lamb's lettuce as well as spinach, winter eel, winter cress and tatsoi. From the end of November, only the winter vegetables leeks, lamb's lettuce, Brussels sprouts and kale are left in the fields outdoors.
From the storage you can look forward to root and tuber vegetables as well as onions and garlic for many months from now.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables November:
- Outdoor: cauliflower, broccoli, watercress, Chinese cabbage, lamb's lettuce, spring onion, kale, leek, parsnip, radicchio, radish, beetroot, Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, black salsify, turnip, spinach, pointed cabbage, tatsoi, savoy cabbage, winter cress, Winter Postelein, Root Parsley, Sugarloaf, Mushrooms
- Protected cultivation: endive, kohlrabi, radishes, arugula
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, garden cress
- Storage: Chinese cabbage, fennel, carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, pumpkin, parsnip, parsley root, radish, beetroot, red cabbage, salsify, pointed cabbage, swede, Jerusalem artichoke, white cabbage, savoy cabbage, sugar loaf, onion
Seasonal vegetables in December
In time for Christmas, the vegetable patch means little work for us. Some types of cabbage such as kale, Brussels sprouts and savoy cabbage as well as leeks, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes and last turnips can be left inharvest in frost-free soil. Well protected in the cold house, spinach, Chinese cabbage, lamb's lettuce, rocket, winter cress and winter mullet are also ready to harvest.
Cultivations in cool warehouses are the main seasonal vegetables in December. The camp is now full of vitamin-rich vegetables, including camp pumpkins, carrots, various cabbages, radishes and turnips, sugar loaf and Chinese cabbage, but also potatoes and onions.
Summary of Seasonal Vegetables December:
- Outdoor: Chinese cabbage, lamb's lettuce, kale, leek, parsnip, Brussels sprouts, turnip, spinach, pointed cabbage, savoy cabbage, winter cress, winter postle, sugar loaf
- Protected cultivation: Chinese cabbage, lamb's lettuce, rocket, winter cress, winter possum
- Greenhouse/ climatically controlled rooms: mushroom, chicory, garden cress
- Storage: Chinese cabbage, fennel, carrot, potato, garlic, celeriac, pumpkin, parsnip, parsley root, radish, beetroot, red cabbage, salsify, pointed cabbage, swede, Jerusalem artichoke, white cabbage, savoy cabbage, sugar loaf, onion
If you want to go one step further and not only buy seasonal vegetables, but even grow them yourself, you will find all the information and tips on which plants to sow when in the year in our sowing calendar.