Sowing starts here.
Discover what you can sow and plant now. Or find a vegetable and see how to give it a good start.
What can you sow now?
Ideas for the rest of november still to sow or plant.
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Guide periods for the Netherlands and Flanders. Check the variety, sufficient light and measured soil and air temperatures.What would you like to grow?
Find a vegetable or browse the species. See when you can start and which approach suits your propagation space.
A good start: warmth and light
Warm sowing can be done indoors or in a heated greenhouse. After germination, every seedling needs enough light. A dark attic needs grow lights. An unheated greenhouse can become very cold at night: measure the temperature and check the advice for your crop.
1 of 108 species and crop groups
Lima beansStart briefly under cover or sow directlyLate April–May
Late April–MayStart briefly under cover in individual pots. Ensure you can plant out into warmth after a few weeks.
- Germination and temperature
- Sow in warmth; cold, persistently wet soil increases the risk of failure.
- After emergence
- Give seedlings light immediately after emergence. A dark loft needs suitable grow lights; warmth alone is insufficient. Ventilate and keep the compost moist without saturating it.
- Pricking out and potting on
- Sow in individual pots or deep modules. Do not prick out bare-rooted; move the whole root ball before the roots become restricted.
- Hardening off and planting out
- Gradually acclimatise indoor-raised plants to sun, wind and outdoor temperatures; shelter them again on cold nights. Plant out after the last frost with the whole root ball; install supports beforehand for climbing types.
Choose a cultivar suited to the short Dutch season. Lima beans need plenty of warmth; a cool summer can limit ripening.
Sources and use
RHS · bonen ↗Britse teeltrichtlijn voor een gematigd klimaat; de genoemde perioden zijn richtlijnen voor Nederland en Vlaanderen.
Feggies · Klimmende Limabonen - Christmas Biologisch ↗Nederlandse producent of teeltbron; de rasinstructie blijft leidend.
University of Minnesota Extension · Growing beans in home gardens ↗Soort- of productgebonden bron; buitenlandse perioden zijn geen vaste Nederlandse zaaidatum.
Guideline periods for the Netherlands and Flanders. Check the variety, available light, soil and measured temperatures. Greenhouse heating does not guarantee enough winter light.