When can I start sowing vegetables outside? I asked experts what the perfect timing is for seeds to sprout quickly

A tabby cat standing near raised beds in an autumn vegetable garden.

It’s the question asked by millions of gardeners as we approach spring: When can I start sowing vegetables outside?

There’s plenty you can plant in February, but many of the options are better suited to indoor sowing. Not all of them, though – in fact, there are a fair few vegetables that can be sown outdoors round about now, give or take a few pieces of gardening kit.