Growing a winter garden

[1066]

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

it's a Red Drumhead, I got the seeds from a friend and I'd scribbled on the packet that I could sow it March / April or July, and as I didn't get round to it in Spring I'm doing it now. Also realise I'm a bit late, but nothing tried nothing gained 

[Jeannine]

You just reminded me,, strawberry seeds which I have,,I think they get started this month XX Jeannine

[mbtshoes]

You just reminded me,, strawberry seeds which I have,,I think they get started this month XX Jeannine

Maybe you are right.

[1066]

Well today I planted out a batch of Pay Choi, Choy Sum, Chinese Cabbage (I netted these), plus some Scarole, Endive and Mache.
Earlier in the week I planted up most of the winter lettuce, which will be covered with a plastic thingy and then probably a bit of fleece later on in Autumn.
Will be doing another sowing in the next week or so of lettuce Valdor. 
And tomorrow I'm going to sow some more Mizuna and Rocket and plant the rest of the Spinach and Chard out, and if I can find room some more Carrots (found a freebie packet that says good for autumn sowing)

1066 "Fingers crossed emoticon"

[GrannieAnnie]

Well today I planted out a batch of Pay Choi, Choy Sum, Chinese Cabbage (I netted these), plus some Scarole, Endive and Mache.
Earlier in the week I planted up most of the winter lettuce, which will be covered with a plastic thingy and then probably a bit of fleece later on in Autumn.
Will be doing another sowing in the next week or so of lettuce Valdor. 
And tomorrow I'm going to sow some more Mizuna and Rocket and plant the rest of the Spinach and Chard out, and if I can find room some more Carrots (found a freebie packet that says good for autumn sowing)

1066 "Fingers crossed emoticon"

Now you've prodded me and probably others to clean out an area and get to replanting. It shouldn't be too hard to find plants to sacrifice since some do-nothings just twiddled their stems all season.

[manicscousers]

just ordered some alfalfa seed to use as a green manure on 3 of the beds, can also eat the seeds 

[1066]

I sowed some more lettuce (Arctic, Winter density and Valdor) plus some more pak choy and some purple choy sum this weekend - here's hoping for some winter salads 

[pigeonseed]

Sowed some more Japanese mustard greens, the last lot went to seed. I don't know how large the leaves will get now, at this time of year. But I might have a very small meal out of them!

[1066]

we can but live in hope Pigeonseed 

[manicscousers]

planted out the long red florence onions, some pak choi and oriental greens in the poly, still got lots of ishikura to plant, going to grow them as spring onions 

[Ninnyscrops.]

Meteor peas (sow late October-November) about to go in at the plot.

Two varieties of cauliflower, Gypsy and All Year round in the greenhouse.

Ninny

Edited to say Sweet Peas for the show soaking tonight 

[pigeonseed]

The little seedlings of mustard greens came up and were mown down before their time by increasingly desperate slugs. They're attacking all the hot veg they normally don't like, like winter radish. But they don't get through much of that - bet it burns their little mouths!  

But not to be deterred, I sowed meteor peas (snap ninnyscrops) and Bunyards Exhibition broadies this morning. Made me feel very happy to be still growing something, despite winter looming.

We've been eating lots of winter radish, and I wish I'd grown more. Maybe next year  

[Ellen K]

Just sown Douce Provence peas - they are supposed to survive overwinter (like Meteor and Feltham First) and Anstey GC sell them loose/cheap so I bunged in loads.

[pigeonseed]

Sounds nice - such a nice name for a pea! What's Anstey GC?

[Ellen K]

^^ ah, you are not from these parts.  Anstey is a village in North Leicestershire with an independent Garden Centre which is a Mecca for plot holders.  A great place to buy loose stuff: seed potatoes, onion sets and beans and peas, lots of varieties and great on price.

[pigeonseed]

It sounds great. Bit far from Hastings... 

[1066]

well I've started eating some of my winter crops - all the winter lettuce are doing fine, despite a frost the other week, and are a tasty treat at this time of year (oh and the 1st time I've managed to get salads at this time of year) and the winter radish are delicious - loving the black spanish round one !
Need to get round to putting some fleece on some of the salads yet. It will be interetsing to see how they do over winter ......

[earlypea]

My chickpeas seem to be frost hardy so far too - it's a bit of an experiment because I couldn't get any specific variety.  I know some overwinter, but not sure about these unknown Waitrose ones.  Hopefully fresh poddy chickpeas in June or thereabouts.

I'm thinking my August sown parsnips will become a spring treat because they're only modestly sized right now and the first sowing has a much bigger yield than expected.  Whoppers again.

[manicscousers]

all our oriental veggies are doing well outside, even after the early frosts..winter salads are doing great inside, still eating tomatoes, ripening on the window sill..just cut a de cicco romanesco broccoli and a very large swede 

[artichoke]

I felt I had been a failure with my winter garden, missing sowing dates, but today it does not look that bad. I like to mix a few chicory leaves with some sorrel and ground cress and have a good chew while weeding. Broad beans, garlic, winter onions, shallots are showing, with more beans and shallots to go in. Three sorts of chicory, but not enough of each. Will do better next year (usual gardener's claim).

Have dandelions been mentioned? Last spring I put heavy pots over the biggest plants and they sent up very tasty pale leaves at a time when not much was about. Plan to start sooner this time - I'm sure I can find some......