Very interesting and well written but didn’t realise everything is germinated under cover, and that the main use of the calendar is for this, rather than dates to sow in the earth.
Thank you for your review - great to hear that you found the calendar interesting but sorry it was not what you were expecting.
Charles does recommend sowing the majority of seeds under cover as he finds this to be the most reliable way to raise transplants. The only seeds he sows directly into the ground are carrots and parsnips, also potatoes and garlic.
Great book look forward to using the ideas in our community garden with the kids on our street this season.
Thanks for signing it with encouragement
Charles Dowding's Calendar of Vegetable Sowing Dates is the main tool for my garden year and this already fo many years. I'm so glad it exists!!!
The best calendar that integrates the rhythms of nature, productivity, and the flexibility everyone can put. Thank you!
I have just received the calender with sowing dates for 2026. My objective is to make greater use of the winterseison and I hope to profit from your experience for the right moment to sow my next wintercrop.
Absolutely fantastic, with concise dates when to sow and plant.
An absolute must for every gardener.
I have been relying on the No Dig Calendar for over 5yrs to great success
I post this calendar on my family bulletin board making notes of what’s planted, when and where to keep track of the gardens all year. It’s beautiful, reminder of what to sow and inspires me to expand my gardening skills.
Superb calendar. All the "extras" such as first and last sowing dates are extremely useful. Mintie of course is worth the price of admission on her own, plus there's more good advice in just a view pages than in many a gardening book! Looking forward to spreading my home-made compost very soon and having another very successful year of no-dig vegetable growing.
I can't recommend this course highly enough. We are just starting our new allotment plot and building it entirely around the no dig method. Charles Dowding's online course has been absolutely amazing. It provides clear, step-by-step explanations for everything, which has been perfect for us. It has given us both the practical skills and, just as importantly, the confidence we needed to progress with our project. It's an invaluable resource for anyone looking to start their own no dig journey.
As a relatively newbie to the vegetable garden I found myself mega motivated to make the most of my small garden. Amazed at the wealth of knowledge laid down in this book and I for one will be glued to it. First job a small greenhouse, then we’re off!!
This is the 3rd time of buying Charles’ no dig calendar and, as always, I can’t wait for February to start sowing. That’s how good it is! The photos are so inspiring and the information gives you complete confidence to not only give it a go, but succeed! The layout means you’re unlikely to miss anything and I especially value the overview at the back which allows you to go straight to the vegetable you’re interested in and see which months you can sow and how many times during the year you can sow. In this way there is always something ready to plant. There is a wealth of other really useful information besides when to sow. I would highly recommend the calendar for anyone who wants to grow no dig veg on any scale.
Love all the information,dates and times already printed and the illustrations are lovely
Having watched so many of the online videos and having tried many of them, it was very useful to have them tied together with Charles clear and instructive narrative. It builds on all of that content and makes learning and refining his techniques, so they are easier to remember and to become fluent in implementing these further. Highly recommended.
together with the course from seed to harvest I am looking forward to applying what I’ve learnt next year on auspicious days highlighted in the calendar!
I’ve been making my own compost in my small garden since lockdown following Charles’ great advice on his videos and on his blog. This book answers and lot of my issues. Love it! Will buy it for my niece in France. They can use the scanning on any translating app to translate it! I tried and it works!
5 stars from me! Absolutely love the design and its good quality as well.
More tea towels with fabulous designs please!! Perhaps one of Minty as she is so popular 😄
Beautiful tea towel, so decorative and a generous size. A lovely gift for friends.
I ordered both these books and I'm currently halfway through the compost book. I have had a quick flick through the no dig book and I think they are informative and excellent reference material.I had to completely turn my father's overgrown garden into a clear space and the no dig approach was what spurred me on.
This course 'filled' my inner well of delight.. and I have incorporated this knowledge into my New No Dig bed.. Highly recommend.
This combined with the calendar is brilliant. You get so many seeds you could feed an army. I have a 0.6acre plot and I think I will fill it. If only I could calculate how many containers were required as I keep running out. Found that pumpkins were not in the April box but in the calendar. Just not sure if you plant the entire box or save some for other monthly entries in the calendar. If this was aligned there could be an allotment pack or family of 4 pack etc. Include the containers and you would never buy another vegetable. Just need a greenhouse now to propagate everything
Hi Dan. Many thanks for your feedback :)
I have emailed you with some info on how the dates Charles gives in his sowing calendar relate to the seeds given in his monthly collections.
In summary, the dates given in the calendar are specific to Charles's climate (although they can be adapted to suit different climates) and include several additional factors. Whereas the Planner gives the range of sowing and planting dates which are most suitable for beginners, and the date ranges are calculated using climate data from the nearest weather station, so it's more specific to the local climate.
However, you can add the sowing dates give in the calendar to the Planner, info on how to do this here:
https://intercom-help.eu/garden-planner/en/articles/12879-custom-sow-plant-and-harvest-times