Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú

Grow your own  permalink

Planting winter veg

• Message 1. 

  Posted by aldaniti (U14803108) on Thursday, 28th April 2011

  Just giving some thought to what i can plant in my beds after the summer crops have gone,
  One bed I have planted charlotte pots in last weekend & I am guessing that these will be ready around late August time?
  
  I will be planting sweetcorn/runner beans etc next month in another,
  
  not long planted out onion sets/garlic/shallots also
  
  What winter veg can be transplanted into beds around september time?
  
  I've looked at some greens & they seem to be needing to be planted in the summer which isn't possible,
  
  I have 5 beds approx 1.5m x 1.5m & 2 beds 1.5m x 75cm
  
  Probably the last crop to be harvested would be the butternut squash

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Thursday, 28th April 2011

  I've looked at some greens & they seem to be needing to be planted in the summer which isn't possible, 
  
  Why not make yourself a 'nursery bed'? It only needs to be 3 or 4 ft square!
  
  In it you can sow the greens you would like to grow!
  
  Just leave them to grow on until ground becomes available then transplant them from your nursery bed.
  
  

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Lokelani (U8896212) on Saturday, 30th April 2011

  I thought this would be sensible too, but when I came to look for things that grew in that time I found it wasn't quite so simple!
  
  I'm putting veg in some sections & flowers in others a big bed, potager style to see if it works this year as I've got a bit fed up with root crops not growing well for me in containers.
  
  I haven't been able to find anything that doesn't need to go in too early, or needs to be in too late the following spring. Eg. garlic can go in, in the autumn when there will be space but will still need to be in until the following summer, but I will need those sections again in late spring! I think as you say cabbages etc. need to go in when the other crops are still there.
  
  Unless others come up with crops I guess the only way to go is growing for a while in modules, pots or a nursery bed as suggested & transplanting. Not as convenient as I'd hoped!
  
  I've heard of people putting in onion sets & broad beans in the autumn, but then have read posts on here where people say they did very little until the spring anyway & spring plantings caught up. Not sure if they need protecting either from frost.
  
  So I'll read replies with interest too.
  
  

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by gaffelbiter (U14481810) on Saturday, 30th April 2011

  Lokelani , if your looking for veg which might look good in a Potager style garden, have you thought about the kales ? Cavolo Nero planted in small groups ? Clouds of Curly Kale ?

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Vixxihibiscus (U13865184) on Saturday, 30th April 2011

  Hi Lokelani,
  
  You're pretty much spot on with what you say. One way to get past it is to grow in pots and cells, my onions, shallots, summer cabbages, garlic and sweet peas are all raring to go in the greenhouse when I finish the last of the parsnips and leeks in my beds. In the summer I have savoy cabbages, leeks, Kale and neeps (turnips :o) ready to go from pots sown now.
  
  It's a bit of trial and error with the timings (I keep a diary) but it works. I have rows of pots all over the place come early spring and mid summer. The only things I've found you can't really transplant are carrots and parsnips. They end up looking like the creature from the black lagoon!!!!
  
  Best of luck!

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by Lokelani (U8896212) on Sunday, 1st May 2011

  Yes so it looks like pots/modules are the way to go. There just don't appear to be that many winter only crops sadly.
  
  Gaffelbiter, you're right Cavolo Nero would be gorgeous, unfortunately I have a husky who in between eating whatever meat he can get his paws on, seems to have a strong veggie streak, particularly towards anything cabbage like in taste, also brocolli & carrots! He's a much bigger, more determined & cunning predator than the usual netting etc. for pests is up to!
  
  So to make my life easier I'm trying things I hope he won't like. The beetroot still looks colourful & swiss chard bright lights should be gorgeous if it ever gets established.
  
  I went to West Dean gardens yesterday for kitchen garden inspiration & looked at their amazing decorative cabbage assortment with total envy.
  
  

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message6

• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by cellarina (U3441540) on Sunday, 1st May 2011

  I hope your Swiss chard gets established, Lokelani. I have been so impressed with ours - it died back a little during the very low temperatures (we didn't bother to protect it as we thought it was finished anyway) but then sprang back and it has been delicious. We could keep it going I think but have planted some new ones now. The roots on the chard we dug up were huge - I don't know if they are edible?

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message7

• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by Italophile (U12516505) on Sunday, 1st May 2011

  No, chard roots don't have any use. Beyond the purpose they served, that is.

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message8

• Message 9

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by Lokelani (U8896212) on Sunday, 1st May 2011

  That's great to hear Cellarina, fingers crossed then.
  
  The ones I tried from seed last year failed but I did just throw some seeds in the lettuce trough in autumn, so little wonder!
  
  This year I will also start some from seed but to get an early start I bought some baby plants from the garden centre. They were a horrific tangle in the module, some I've planted as is, but most I teased apart. They look a bit spindly in the ground so I held some back & gave them a module each. When they're bigger I'll put them in.
  
  I think they're related to beetroot where you can eat the leaves as well as the root, so I'd have guessed yes, but this link on google suggests you can't eat the chard root.
  
  

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message9

• Message 10

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by aldaniti (U14803108) on Tuesday, 3rd May 2011

  Haven't any room for a nursery bed at the moment but would seedlings (greens/cabbages) sown in June ish time sit happily in pots/mods until sept time?

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message10

• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Tuesday, 3rd May 2011

  Haven't any room for a nursery bed at the moment but would seedlings (greens/cabbages) sown in June ish time sit happily in pots/mods until sept time? 
  
  
  You don't mention the size of your modules but I would guess the would become root bound, hence my suggestion of a nursery bed.
  
  At least in that, they will not become root bound.
  
  By the way they wouldn't take up anymore space in a nursery bed than they do in modular trays, less in fact!

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message11

• Message 12

  , in reply to message 11.

  Posted by aldaniti (U14803108) on Wednesday, 4th May 2011

  aah but when the only space you have is solid concrete!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  I'm eyeing up a space that could become a nusery bed in time, I've got a dwarf (8ft ish) victoria plum tree that no matter what I do spray/moth traps etc the fruit just gets riddled with maggots so I think I'm going to be harsh & chop it down, its obviously going to take a fair amount of work which is unlikely to be done this year

  Link to this forum: Planting winter veg

  Report message12

Back to top