Growing a winter garden

[Jeannine]

I have wanted to start this for along time ,It would be very useful to me and I think many other folks out  there too.

There aways seems to be a bit of a mystery about this so hopefully this post will help of anyone is thinking of doing it.

May I invite winter growers  who regularly grow through the winter,  to please post ,and share your experiences so that those of us who want to can learn from you.

Eg, things are started at different times and often it slips our mind till it is too late.

People grow in the ground, in tunnels, greenhouses,in cuke frames etc.

Would someone be kind enough to start us off.

Many of us know that garlic, some onions and broadies start in the darker days.

I do hope we can get this post off the ground and keep it going.

It would be good if we could get a winter gardening section.

XX Jeannine

What should be sowing now and are there any we have already left it too late to do.

 

[goodlife]

Oh..now we talking.. I have just sown some russian kale for winter..I can be sown a bit later too..but I like to start harvesting some late autumn/ early winter..there will be some cabbages still to eat but more colourfull stuff is getting scarse.
I'm just about to sow some winter and spring caulis..
At the moment I already have 4 different lots of sprouting broccoli growing..earliest of those should start putting they first spears out about end of November and during December..and if cold weather really sets in it will wait untill first milder weather and then gives me first crop of the season.
I'm not big brussel eater..so I only grow one sort that will give me Chritsmas crop carrying on until march ..
I'll give other chance now.. ..those only some of the stuff outside..and there is still GH's to do...

[Jeannine]

Ok so is it too late to seed the ones you have  got going alreay, acn you give us a list id dates.

Anything that will  help us  make a strart this year.

Varieties will be usful too.AND WHICH ONES CAN YET BE STILLN STARTED YG

XX jeannie

[pigeonseed]

I think this is a good idea, Jeannine. It's hard to remember to sow for Winter when we're right in the middle of mesmerising lush summer growth.

I've ordered some Purple Sprouting Broccoli seeds, first year I've tried them. I've read you sow them till June, so I hope just in time.

I'll also do kale this week (fingers xed)

plus swiss chard

That's mine. Will it be the same timings for you, as for us in UK?

[antipodes]

A very relevant question for me this year! I am looking into keeping the garden cropping as long as possible.
So this year I am still sowing!
I have just recently sown kale, cauliflower, pak choi late beetroot, and I have swiss chard going already, it will crop till late autumn. I am ready to sow autumn lettuce - scarole and radicchio. I am also trying winter hardy white onions, which I sowed this weekend and will keep sowing for the next few weeks. And of course I have lots of pumpkins that will take me through the dark winter days!
The brussels are in and are now 2 feet tall! They were sown in april, think  now is a bit late for those.
And very daringly i have a packet of spring carrots! You sow in autumn and overwinter them!!!  This is a new concept to me, and probably will be a big flop, but nothing ventured nothing gained.

I don't really have any tunnels, I am unsure as to whether to grow cabbage etc under tunnels. What are thoughts on this? and should lettuce like scarole be grown in a cold frame? or sheltered in some way?

[aquilegia]

Ooh - I shall have to keep my eye on this thread! I really want to keep my garden productive over winter too.

We don't really eat a lot of brassicas and I'm not sure if I have room for it the rest of the time. But I've got some PSB that I started in pots.

I'm doing garlic and broadies as usual.

I'm going to experiment with sowing carrots, beetroot, salads, spring onions (?), oriental greens, lettuces, Really anything that is hardy, under cloches or under fleece for the winter. I figure if it doesn't work, it won't be a loss (other than the seed, but then I have so much!)

[1066]

Great idea Jeannine! And one which made me think a bit. And I realise that I still have quite a few things to sow. I’m trying to get more from the allotment this year so I’m planning on lots of lettuce and pak choi.
The late sowings of cabbages this year didn’t do so well. After the winter they started to heart up but soon bolted when the warmer weather came, so I’m hoping for more success this year. And will try and keep some notes as to what works well, so I can fine tune my seed list!

I sow most of my seeds in seed trays to be transplanted later (pretty much everything except Radish, Carrots, and Parsnip)

And having written this list down, it looks like July and August will be very busy !

Leeks – Musselborough, Blue Solaise & Giant Winter sown in April will be planted where the 1st early potatoes are now
Parsnips – Student sown late April and early May in crates
Cauliflower – Purple Sicily and All Year Round sown throughout summer to hopefully crop in winter
Garlic – early Purple Wight, Albgensian, Ibarian & Provence Wight – Will plant in November to pick next June
Broad Beans – Aquadulce will sow in pots in November. And will try and sow some direct. Plus another variety to compare, yet to be decided
Purple Sprouting Broccoli – Early Purple from Real Seeds sown in April / May to crop in March
(will be planted where the garlic has been growing)
Brussel Sprouts – Long Island Improved and Falstaff sown in April and planted out in May

Lettuce Winter density and Lambs Lettuce – will sow August onwards for picking in autumn and winter
Lettuce Sylvesta – a butterhead lettuce for sowing in late winter or early spring
Endive – Pancalieri and Frenzy– will sow in August and September for a winter crop
Lettuce Lobjoits Green, Pinares and Radiccho  – will sow in September and October for a winter crop
The varieties of lettuce will be added to shortly courtesy of Baker Creek seeds!! They have some lovely French heirloom varieties that sound good for winter. Time will tell

Pak Choi – various, Choy Sum – Puprle Flowering, Mizuna – various and Indian Mustard – Amsoi, will sow again in August for picking in autumn to early winter
Carrots – Autumn King – will be sown in July in crates
Radish – Black Spanish round – sow July onwards, in crates
Kale – Black Tuscany – will sow more in July
Florence Fennel (bulbing) – will sow more in July for cropping until November
Cabbages –
Red Drumhead – will sow again in July / August
Durham early – will sow in July / August (for Spring)
Chinese Cabbage Wong Bok – will sow in July / August for picking through winter
Wintergreen – will sow in July / August for winter / Spring
Savoy (Tarvoy), sown in May for winter eating
Swiss Chard Verde A Costa Bianca  and Leaf Beet – sow in July and August for picking through Winter and Spring depending on severity of winter
Perpetual spinach – Leaf Beet will sow in July and August for Autumn and Winter
Spinach F1 Bella – will sow in July and August for Autumn and Winter


All Brassicas will be under Enviromesh to stop the Cabbage Whites and Whitefly
The biggest pest over winter are Pigeons, so I will net most things – they seemed to really like the Curly Kale last year.
The salads will mostly be under a plastic cloche. A salad bed is currently being built so I will be able to provide a little extra protection, along with fleece etc. I want to try and get some sheets of glass to give some extra light and protection for them – a bit like a coldframe.

I also use the green debris netting to protect some plants as the site is fairly exposed, and may use this as well. I think it’s a case of using everything to hand!!

The only other things I try to keep going are a few herbs which will be on the window cills inside. I’m going to concentrate on herbs I can’t get so easily, such as Chinese Chives, Vietnamese Coriander, Thai Basil and new for this year Vietnamese Mint. But I find keeping herbs going indoors a bit of a struggle – maybe light levels aren’t good enough or temperatures not warm / too warm. It’s a bit of trial and error!

Well you did ask!!
1066 

[goodlife]

Right..it was begining May that I did sow my sprouting broccolies..
Extra early...Rudolph..that may well start cropping end of November (actually I should have sown it in april for that )
Early purple sprouting, White Eye and Late purple sprouting..those should keep me eating broccoli until may..at least..and then is time for summer broccoli..
Few days ago I did sow some russian kale and scarlet kale..those have just come through and will go into ground once I have got garlic up..
I have also sown some parsley..which some will go into ground and some into buckets..those I shall lift into GH for winter and they will give me non stop cropping untill they bolt..hopefully untill next summer..
My brussels are Wellington variety..very long cropping one..this spring I still had edible ones on plants in April..but by then I've had enough..
I've got several sorts of onion, shallots, leek and garlic to last me ages...

[goodlife]

Normally I sow some spicy salad leaves into unheated GH border..that is about end of September/ October time..once germinated and grown a bit will take quite a bit cold weather..they don't start growing properly untill Feb/March.

In next week...or so..I'm going to sow some more carrots..Berlicum 2, Campestra and Amsterdam forcing 3...those are ready from late autumn onwards..and will keep through winter
And I'm going to sow some winter radish..China rose...they are better covered with cold frame over winter and used straight from ground..

And those lovely Jerusalem artichokes.. ..I've got forest of them..
....more progress/sowing to follow.. Hmm..I think I grow more for winter than for summer..

[goodlife]

Oh..forgot.. I did sow some Scorzonera and Salsify..that was back end of April..those are growing strongly..
In autumn I shall sow some lettuce..winter density and actic king
I will try this autumn to sow some peas for shoots..never tried doing it in late autumn..so that is something to experiment with..
I normally sow some Parmex carrots (short blunt type) in February into buckets in GH for early crops...
Phew..I will remember some more to do..

[goodlife]

Lemons..yes I have those ripening up during winter..in GH... ..can you grow gin,, ??

[plot51A]

I'm also intending to try and grow more over the winter this year. Trouble is my intentions don't always get translated into action! I'll have my usual things - leeks, sprouts, psb, garlic, autumn sown broad beans. I've recently sown swedes, trying modules this year, usually sow direct in July time and get enough to see us through the winter. I'm also planning to sow more seeds - have got 3 types of cabbage to try, kale, will be trying some late beetroot and carrots, lettuce "Rouge d'Hiver", winter spinach, and am trying Realseeds quick heading broccoli and Welsh Bunching onions. Last year I threw a handful of salad leaves mix under my psb about September time, and that gave me a nice early crop of leaves in the spring. Most of it will be under enviromesh or fleece. Also want to try sowing some peas to overwinter. In the past have tried some oriental vegetables but don't really like them much. Might have another try tho if I've enough energy left 

[nilly71]

Great replies everyone

I was planing on sowing some Cauli (all year round), spring cabbage and carrots in July.
 
This a picture that i've shown on here before,

 it was picked April 09 and everyone over the allotment said they found it so hard to grow cauli's, but i think it done so well because it grew over the winter.
I didn't get round to sowing any last so had nothing in April this year. Hopefully i'll be more organised this year.

Neil

[Wilder]

phenominal thread, thanks sooo much for starting it! I have just started some brocolli calabrese but had no idea there was so much I could sow now for winter!
I have also started some carrots from a Spanish friend that I hope survive these hot days.
My 1 garlics when I lift then will provide space for others so again thanks!!!

[manicscousers]

we always throw some winter hardy white lisbon spring onions in with the salad and oriental greens, also some mooli radish to cook in stir fries..we have long red florence onions I have grown from seed over winter (franchi seeds), just coming ready now to use 

[goodlife]

I've just sown some caulis....winter aalsmeer and autumn giant...last one is getting a bit late..but I sure I'll get something out of them..if not..chickens will eat the greenery..

[gwynnethmary]

I'm still in my very first season of gowing veg, but I guess cauli could be sown now to go in the broad bean bed when they come out?

[goodlife]

Yes you can..but don't just pull your broad bean plants up...cut them just above the soil level and leave the roots in..they will release nitrogen and feed your caulis..

[lottie lou]

Drat, my onion and garlic bed will soon be cleared but I will be unable to sow for the winter as I had planned to put my spuds in there next year..........Will have to reorgainise my rotation.  Any ideas on what to put in there that will be ready to come out by next March?

[1066]

Loving the photo Nilly 

Wilder - it's been a real experiemnt finding the right variety of garlic to grow. I found the Spring planted ones really didn't do half as well as the autumn/winter ones. I also found any planted in tubs or pots were a fraction of the size of ones in the ground - but still very tasty 

And Goodlife - bring on the Gin, we'll be needing it with all this planting 

1066