Growing a winter garden

[Jeannine]

Just found it, you are in Sussex.

Re your squash, unless you are planning on a heated greenhouse woth additional lighting I am sorry to tell you that our squash cannot make it.

Potatoes will only work with protection and are iffy outside because of the blight, some folks can do it but most of us do spuds in pots at this time..there is a post on her now doing potatoes for Christmas,cabbages and broccoli needs to special kinds for winter.

Can you let is know what varieties you have and does it give aplanting time on the packets.Same with carrottsand salad stuff.

Oh I feel like the prophet of doom here, get back to us and we will hwlp. XX Jeannine

[1066]

Hi Nikita77  I think with the spuds most people use something like Charlottes (you could get some from your veg shop) and then put a few (3 or 4) in a large pot or sack. And as Jeannine said provide a bit of protection. And you'll have some spuds for Xmas day  If you search on this forum for growing spuds in pots you'll come up with a couple of useful threads 

1066 

[Jeannine]

Oh eck. I hope I didn't put Nikita off, she hasn't been back since this post XX Jeannine

[Nikita77]

Nikita, where are you?  I was about to tell you that your squash won't make it, then saw the deer mentioned..

XX Jeannine
I'm in Uckfield, East Sussex.  I'm really pushing my luck with some things but if i don't try i'll never know!

[1066]

Hi Nikita77, I always reckon you learn loads from trying things out for yourself. So good luck!  I'm doing some new stuff this year as well. I'm trying to extend my home grown food to beyond leeks and spinach in winter!!

1066 

[Nikita77]

Hi Nikita77, I always reckon you learn loads from trying things out for yourself. So good luck!  I'm doing some new stuff this year as well. I'm trying to extend my home grown food to beyond leeks and spinach in winter!!

1066 

Well this is what i was thinking this time last year it was vey mild.  Everyone told me that i was planting things too early this year, but kept them protected a little longer so have great pleasure in showing off all the tomato plants and beans etc that were all twice the size of others!

[Jeannine]

I usually start all my squash and tomatoes very early.The squash are potted on and on till they are in 5 gallon buckets, they go out as very large plants with protection. This way I get them outside as soon as the weather is warm enough and they stand a chance of maturing before we lose the light and sun.It works very well for the ones that have a growing season too long for the UK.

I am all for starting early if the plant can grow on as naturally as possible.

Good Luck

XX Jeannine

[Nikita77]

Oh eck. I hope I didn't put Nikita off, she hasn't been back since this post XX Jeannine

Don't worry it would take alot more to scare me off than that.  Work has been manic and obviously little one to contend with and a partner that is recovering from a car accident!  As i am sure you can imagine life gets a little hectic!  That's on top of the allotment and the garden!

Some of the seeds that i have planted just are seeds that have been hanging about and need using so i have just thought s** it i'll stick em in and see what happens.

I have bought some peas that you can sow up until oct so i may have an abundance of peas if nothing else.   

[Jeannine]

Oh good.

I am sorry to hear about your problems, that is enough to topple anyone.

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

Is anyone still planting..just wondered what?

XX Jeannine

[pigeonseed]

I'm going to try some overwintering peas and broadbeans this year. I've done BBs before and they were frankly rubbish, but I thought I'd give them another go.

Well they might not count, they won't be actually edible in winter!

This winter I'm doing kale, PSB, swiss chard, mooli (thanks 1066!) and mizuna. And radish till they get too cold. Apart from that, it will be all quiet and cold and muddy on the plot.

But part of me thinks I quite like to know there is the quiet of a 'dead' season, to break between years and have a rest. It takes the pressure off to keep growing and improving. Do you ever feel like that? 

[theothermarg]

Sprouts,PSB,kale and winter cabbage are doing well and I have just sown spring greens and overwintering onions. Alot of people at my site just clear every thing and leave it bare in the winter (or worse just leave it unattended with the summer crop all dead) but I like to think it's a year round thing
marg

[earlypea]

I'm a year-rounder too, but there aren't too many of us on my allotments.

I get really down in late September as things slow and the summer crops fade, but then the brassicas start to come into their own and I delight in their slow elegance.

I sometimes wonder whether it would be better for me pigeonseed to take a break and renew my batteries.  On the other hand crops don't take a lot of maintenance through the winter, just checking nets, birds, pests and cropping and it's heartening to see things growing albeit slowly and the season's changing. 

[calendula]

I have always harvested all year round, so easy to do it - still sowing pak choi, chinese cabbges, radishes, turnips, soon to be sowing spring cabbages and the garlic and winter onions go in late september and all the greenhouse crops take over when the tomatoes. aubergines, peppers etc have finished - and don't forget green manures folks, if you don't plan to grow to eat you can plan to grow to enrich the soil 

[pigeonseed]

Yes things are quiet overwinter, even with winter crops in. Maybe I'm just feeling tired this week!

theothermarg - I never understand that, I see that atour site as well, people who grow things but don't harvest them  That's the reward for the hard work! It's hard not to run in and eat all their tomatoes before they drop and rot on the ground 

[manicscousers]

transplanted the oriental salads into 3" pots, getting them big enough to go in the ground and not (hopefully), get eaten 
the long red florence and ishikura onions will be transplanted into big, plastic, meat trays when I get back from cornwall 

[antipodes]

I never understand that, I see that atour site as well, people who grow things but don't harvest them  That's the reward for the hard work! It's hard not to run in and eat all their tomatoes before they drop and rot on the ground 

Yeah I never get that one either! I see lots of things practically going to seed, especially things like swiss chard, or lettuces. There is one plot that is loaded with veg (their cherry tomato bush is chockablock, but I saw them there the other day and they just haven't picked any of them  plus some folk seem to leave lots of things for ages before harvesting them? I like the veg young and tender, just the opposite to what you can buy! Some people leave lots of courgettes, cucumbers etc until they are huge! They must taste 'orrible!

Trouble is I never dare to go and beg for someone else's veg. My neighbour kindly gave me a lettuce on Monday as I never can grow them.  I would love to be such a good producer that people beg for mine! Sadly I am crap so that never happens tee hee

[1066]

I like the allotments in winter - quieter in lots of ways, but still beautiful, and still good to get out of the hosue for an hour or two and get a bit of exercise and fresh air.

Anyway I sowed some more Fennel, Chicory and Red Cabbages yesterday, still have some Ishikura Onions, salads and chinese celery to do 

Then it will be time to order the garlic....... 

[grannyjanny]

Ohhhh red cabbage sounds good. Which variety please 1066. I thought I was to late for that one.

[manicscousers]

we need to make a new strawberry bed this year, got the runners in pots, just waiting for the beans to come out