The season has officially begun! We're looking forward to starting sowing all sorts of vegetables and flowers in February.
🌱 What can you sow in February?
A quick tip for success: Sow all the seeds below in individual compartments (module trays) and not directly in the ground. Keep them at room temperature for good germination. Once they emerge, they need plenty of light—a bright windowsill or, ideally, grow lights (our top recommendation to prevent leggy plants and get strong seedlings).
(Bulb and spring) onions, aubergines & peppers Did you miss your January sowing window? Sow these as soon as possible. These crops need time to germinate and grow; starting now will prevent you from having to wait until autumn to harvest. Note: eggplants and peppers should remain indoors until mid-April, until the risk of frost has passed.
Peas & broad beans If you haven't overwintered them, sow them directly in trays. An early start means an early harvest, leaving you with room for a second round of summer vegetables later in the year.
Cabbage crops (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi) + radish & turnip → Sow in early February so they are fully grown before the summer heat sets in.
Spinach & fennel As soon as possible. These are sensitive to day length; sowing now prevents them from bolting (flowering) before harvest.
Lettuce, beetroot & celery The entire month of February is ideal. They can be planted out in March, as they can tolerate the remaining cold well.
Artichoke Sow in February; they need a long growing period to grow large enough for planting out in mid-April.
Dill, parsley & hardy herbs Perfect for spring salads. They thrive in cool weather but will bolt in late spring warmth. Sow now and consider successive sowing in March and April.
Ginger, sweet potato & turmeric → Time to wake them up! Let them sprout indoors by placing them in compost or water. They should only be moved into the greenhouse after the last frost (early May), when there's sufficient warmth—they're true warmth lovers.
Flowers → Give cold-hardy flowering plants such as Ammi majus, liquorice (licorice plant) and Craspedia a head start.
NB: If you can't keep seedlings indoors, wait until March to sow them, or skip the trays and opt for ready-made plants from MOES Tuinen.
🌱 What can you plant in February?
The general rule is to wait until March for most winter-hardy vegetables. However, if the weather is mild in the second half of the month, you can already start planting peas and broad beans.
Pro tip: Young seedlings are more sensitive than well-established plants. If you're already putting them outside, keep a sheet of fleece on hand to protect them if the temperature suddenly drops significantly.
🌱 Chores for this month
Complete your garden design and follow-up planning Have you already drawn up your new garden plan for this year? February is an ideal time to make the final adjustments to your beds and create your follow-up sowing plans, so you can head into the new season full steam ahead in March.
Flush your watering system → Do you have an automatic watering system? Unscrew the end cap and rinse the main hose. Also remove the filter and rinse it under the tap.
Remove plant debris from harvested beds → Keep your vegetable garden tidy by removing old and dead plants.
Apply 2–3 cm of compost to newly created areas → While you are making room, feed the soil with a thin layer of good compost to protect the soil structure.
Keep fleece on hand The days are getting longer, but the nights can still be cold. Consider covering delicate vegetables if there's a risk of severe frost.
Check for snails in hidden places → Don't give them a head start! Check under planks, mushrooms, in wet areas, and in the corners of beds.
Cover paths with wood chips → This is the perfect time to freshen up your garden paths, keep them tidy and suppress weeds.