When can I start sowing?

You can sow many vegetables indoors early. Sowing outdoors usually starts in the spring, but it depends on temperature and night frost. On the homepage you can see per month what makes sense to sow now.

Do I need a greenhouse for a kitchen garden?

No. A greenhouse helps heat-loving plants to start earlier, but with pots, a sunny windowsill and smart timing you can also harvest a lot without a greenhouse.

What is the easiest thing to start with?

Start small with fast growers such as lettuce, radish, chard and herbs. This way you learn how to water, harvest and adjust without it immediately becoming complicated.

How do I prevent everything from being ready to harvest at the same time?

Sow in rounds. So not everything in 1 week, but a little every 2 to 3 weeks. This way you spread your harvest and it remains fun instead of stressful.

Raised kitchen garden box with healthy young crops in morning light

HelperHoeve

Kitchen gardening in the Netherlands, without hassle. Sow, care and harvest with clear steps.

Open the sowing calendar View all articles

Quick start

Whether you have a garden, balcony or 2 pots on the terrace, you can start today. Choose your route below and you will have a plan within 2 minutes.

What can I sow now? I want to grow vegetables I want to grow fruit I want smart tips

Practical and feasible, even for beginners

Per season, so you never do it too early

Starting small is okay, seeing results counts

Clear explanation with examples and tools

Kitchen gardening by season

In the Netherlands, the weather determines more than your agenda. That is why HelperHoeve works based on seasons. Click on a season and go straight to what is relevant now.

Spring

Pre-sowing, first rounds outside, preparing beds and starting smart without haste.

Summer

Water without drama, harvest in rounds and recognize pests before they win.

Autumn

Harvest, store, prune where necessary and lay the foundation for a strong next year.

Winter

Planning, choosing seeds, improving the soil and looking ahead with the sowing calendar.

Articles by topic

Gardener tending young fruit plants on a sunny day

Growing fruit

From strawberries to berries and apples. Learn what to do and when, how to keep plants strong, and how to harvest without it becoming a day job.

Growing vegetables

Build your kitchen garden step by step. From sowing and transplanting to planting and harvesting. Practical, clear and focused on the Dutch seasons.

Seeds in paper bags as a basis for smart seasonal planning

Smart gardening

Less work, more fun. Watering, compost, mulch, pests, timing and little hacks that will visibly help your garden progress.

What can you sow now?

This is a handy snapshot. We combine seasonal logic with (if possible) a short weather indication. Click on a plant to go straight to the explanation.

Sow indoors

Greenhouse or conservatory

Sow outdoors

View the complete sowing calendar

Popular starting points

Handy if you want to cheat, which is a logical next step. These are routes that many people look for.

Growing vegetables Start with easy varieties, learn timing, and build up slowly. Growing fruit From strawberry to berry. Prune, feed and harvest in clear steps. Smart gardening Water, soil, mulch, compost and pests. Less work, more results. Sowing calendar What is possible now, what is possible later, and how do you plan that in practice? About HelperHoeve Why this site exists and how to best use it. All articles Browse by topic, grab inspiration and get started right away.

Most recent articles

Ready to get started?

Choose 1 thing for today. That's enough. A few pots, a small bed, or just some planning. HelperHoeve helps you along the way.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to things almost everyone wonders when you're starting out.

What is a good first kitchen garden for beginners?

Start small. A few containers or pots with lettuce, radish, chard and herbs gives quick results. You can then expand to tomatoes, courgette or beans.

When can I sow outdoors without risk?

Sowing outdoors depends on temperature and night frost. Use the sowing calendar as a basis and pay particular attention to the nights. Too early is usually the only real mistake.

How do I maintain the kitchen garden without working every day?

Mulch helps enormously, and watering works better in 1 good turn than a little every day. Sow in rounds so that your harvest and maintenance remain spread out.

I have little sun. Does it make sense then?

Yes. Choose leafy greens, herbs and some berries. Tomatoes and peppers require more sun, but you can still have great success with smart choices.

What is the purpose of HelperHoeve?

Gardener at work in a well-organized kitchen garden

Learning kitchen gardening

Kitchen gardening can seem difficult, but it is a relaxing hobby that also provides you with food.

Targeted watering in a greenhouse for healthy plant growth

Practical tips

You can start small or big, cheap or luxurious. HelperHoeve helps you choose what suits you.

Plants are carefully watered with a garden hose

Share experiences

I share what works for me, so that you see results faster and we make the world greener together.

About HelperHoeve