From perfect potatoes to glazed carrots, have you ever considered growing your own Christmas dinner? It might be too late to get planting for Christmas 2021, but there are plenty of glorious veggies you can sow now for next year.
"For many of us, the holiday season is the time of year when we really want to eat like royalty," says Sarah Brown, Presenter of the Organic Gardening Podcast at Garden Organic. "But we also know it can be stressful and expensive, not to mention the huge environmental impact of transporting popular ingredients hundreds and often thousands of miles just to satisfy our tastes for tradition."
If you're looking to help the planet (and save a little money), growing your own is the best thing to do. What's more, it will also give you a reason to head outside throughout the year.
To help you grow your own Christmas dinner, Sarah has revealed exactly what you need to do to make your own festive feast from scratch. Soil at the ready...
PARSNIPS
When to grow: Early March, outside.
Where to grow: Rich but light soil.
When to harvest and how to store: Harvest after first frosts to get maximum sweetness.
LEEKS
When to sow and where: Late March in deep seed tray. Transplant in June/July.
Where to grow, and care: Rich but well drained soil. Individual plants should be 30 cm apart.
When to harvest and how to store: Christmas week.
CAULIFLOWER
When to sow and where: March/April indoors. Pot on outside in May/June.
Where to grow and care: Rich, well composted soil. Plant deep to support stems, and keep netted to prevent pest attack.
When to harvest and how to store: End of November. Curds (heads) will keep up to three weeks if kept cool.
SPROUTS
When to sow and where: April, sow in seed tray. Transplant in early June.
Where to grow and care: Rich, well composted soil. Plant deep to support long stems, and keep netted to prevent pest attack.
When to harvest and how to store: Christmas
SQUASH
When to sow and where: April/May in pots. Transplant in June.
Where to grow and care: Rich soil. Keep watered well throughout the summer.
When to harvest and how to store: Before the first frost. Store in dry garden shed.
PEAS
When to sow and where: Sow in May outside.
Where to grow and care: Rich soil. Be sure to put up supports of twigs or string to support bushy growth.
When to harvest and how to store: When pods are bulging and still green. Freeze instantly.
CARROTS
When to sow and where: August, outdoors.
Where to grow and care: Light soil, not rich. Thin out small plants to leave one carrot every 20cm.
When to harvest and how to store: November. Store in cool box, covered in moist sandy soil.
POTATOES
Where to sow and where: August in a deep container such as a dustbin or recycling box.
Where to grow and care: Rich and well composted soil. Top up to keep covering leaves as soon as they emerge to protect from frost.
When to harvest and how to store: Christmas week
CHARD
Where to sow and where: Late sowing in August.
Where to grow and care: Rich soil and keep well watered through a dry autumn.
When to harvest and how to store: Christmas Eve
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16 beautiful Christmas ornaments to buy for the festive season
Bring the outdoors in with this charming felt deer tree decoration. Sporting a blue scarf, he has a smart jacket and hangs from jute string.
Hung from velvet ribbon, this beautiful glass bell bauble crafted from swirled glass will add an elegant feel to any branch.
This sweet hanging decoration from the Country Living Marketplace is something a little different for your tree.
Every tree needs a personalised touch. This beautiful decoration from Fortnum and Mason is finished with a decorative gold trim and logo hanging ribbon.
Santa Robin Personalised Ceramic Christmas Ornament
A hallmark of winter is the traditional robin redbreast. This ceramic ornament features the bird in a little Santa hat and has space on the back for it to be personalised to commemorate the special occasion.
Place this charming ceramic house on your windowsill for a decorative glow. With space for one tealight, it casts a warm light through its lovely cut-outs.
Bows continue to be one of the biggest interior trends this year, and this one combines the colours that we always associate with Christmas to make it the perfect adornment for a door or mantle.
Nothing says Merry Christmas quite like a string of twinkling lights. Looking for something more unique? Oliver Bonas is here to make your days merry and bright with this unique bell garland, featuring delicate gold-toned bells and 80 warm LED lights.
No Christmas is complete without a nutcracker decoration. Crafted from pinewood, he is a traditional wearing and red and white outfit.
Spruce up your front door with this red berry Christmas wreath. Measuring 50cm and crafted from realistic faux foliage, it is perfect for the festive season.
Pop presents in this gorgeous velvet sack from Nkuku. Available in a rich forest green, a simple light grey and warm mocha brown velvet, it also has a handy drawstring to keep prying little fingers out.
Create a cosy winter feel with this wooden winter scene. Featuring 12 white LED lights, it emits a soft glow that evokes the warmth of a snug holiday home.
As the dark nights and mornings draw in, this enchanting lantern features a wintery rooftop design and is suitable for a traditional tealight, an LED one, or even a string of fairy lights. Place it on a windowsill, mantle or even as part of a festive tablescape to get the most out of it.
After adding one to our own living room last Christmas, this wonderful metal tealight spinner casts a lovely design as it twirls and adds a soft glow of light. It also makes for a great stocking filler or Secret Santa gift.
Shake this snow globe to see the Christmas scene covered in white dusting. It features a village with houses and Christmas trees.
Lisa Joyner is the Deputy Daily Editor at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she's busy writing about home and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration, and the hottest properties on the market. Previously, she has written for Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden and Marie Claire magazine. Lisa studied at University For The Creative Arts, where she completed a BA in Fashion Journalism.
