Later February is a brilliant month for gardeners looking to get ahead without spending much.

By sowing early and growing from seed, you can fill your garden and kitchen with fresh produce for a fraction of the price of shop-bought plants. With just a few seed packets and some recycled containers, you can kickstart a productive growing season on a tight budget.

Classic moneysavers like tomatoes, peppers and chillies benefit from an early February start. Bought as young plants in spring, they’re often several pounds each, but a single packet of seed can give you a dozen or more healthy plants ready to crop all summer. A bright windowsill is enough to get them going.

For quick wins, salad leaves, lettuce, and spinach can be sown under cover now. These crops germinate rapidly, tolerate cooler temperatures, and will provide bowl after bowl of fresh greens – far cheaper (and fresher) than supermarket bags.

placeholder image — Basil growing from seed.

February is also the perfect month for sowing herbs, especially the ones that thrive in a single pot without any need for pricking out or potting on later. Basil, chives, and spring onions are ideal ‘one-pot wonders’.

Simply scatter seeds thinly across the surface of a small pot, cover lightly with compost and keep indoors on a windowsill. They’ll grow happily in the same pot as they are sown in and as you cut what you need, more will continue to grow back. This makes them brilliant budget herbs that keep on giving.

If you’re looking for flowers, sweet peas are famously economical when grown from seed.

Starting them now will give you strong plants ready to bloom early. Other hardy annuals such as calendula, cornflowers and larkspur can also be sown in February, providing summer colour at very little cost.

To stay on budget, reuse yoghurt pots, fruit trays or other containers you already have – just add drainage holes. A basic multipurpose compost is all you need.

A small investment in February can grow into months of homegrown produce and beautiful blooms, proving that a thriving garden doesn’t need a big budget – just an early start.

This column has been provided by resident gardener Kate Giffen