Started my winter garden today.

[Jeannine]

Hi, well after much advice from fellow lottie holders and new seed buying I have finally started to go ahead with trying to have a winter garden this year.

Lat week I sterted various  brassica plants ,varieties specifically for late harvest or over wintering. PSB two types, some Chinese stuff, Kales  and very alte and overwintering caulis. Oh and late leeks were started.

In a new raised bed today I planted black and white salsify (just made it according to the packet)

In the same bed went the  last lot of chitted parsnips  along with a very late carrot and one that will overwinter.

We kept back some seed potatoes in the fridge for growing in bags in the greenhouse.

Have a winter hardy radish, winter lettuce and spring onions ready to go plus some Japanese overwintering onions

Have  a packet of autumn planting broad beans.

Is anyone else doing this please as I am muddling through a bit here.

All help appreciated.

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

[emmy1978]

I'd like to make good use of my plot over winter, all I have ever grown for winter use is parsnips, spuds and carrots in pots etc.
Now I have the plot and reading all the posts and blogs on here I realise it can be producing a wide range of veggies all through the year.
I didn't really have a clue where to start but have jotted down your list Jeannine - you can chit parsnips and carrots??? Will definately be growing broad beans.
Eagerly awaiting more experienced peeps...

[bison1947]

Very interesting Jeannine

Only started full time on the plot last year and when we had
harvested all the crops that was it , the plot was left till around March
so this seems an good idea because we have 3 greenhouses
the biggest being 20ft x 10ft so will be keeping my eye on this one

Bill.....

[Jeannine]

I think I may have confused  you here,by chitting I mean pre germinating which is what I do with the parsnips,but NOT the carrotts.


Most of what I bought is planted in late May/June..some in July and August.

Carrots were Eskimo F1
Onions are Shenshyu
Spring onions are Winter Hardy White Lisbon
Leeks are giant Winter and Blue Solaise
Lettuce is Winter Density and some ohers I have used before

There are several types of cabbage
Tundra,Flower of Spring,April

Broccolli
9* Perrenial,Boardeux,Extra Early PSB

Caulis
Lateman,gGalleon,Maystar,Romanesco,Sunset

Plus some Kales , Chards,Late Spinach and some February picking Brussel sprouts

I hope to hear from others who are doing this too...please

XX Jeannine

[mc55]

good grief, I've only just finished with the summer planting ...

mc slinks off to check seeds ...

[saddad]

Salad leaves? Endive and Chicory...green and red... Purslane if you eat it...
::)

[Jeannine]

Thanks Saddad, got them too.

[lin]

The only thing I always plant in autumn are over wintering onions and also garlic, the onions are usually ready for April/May to eat (in fact have nearly eaten all my winter ones).

And I have two lots of leeks in, some planted in March and some recently ... I plant a lot and am still pulling leeks in February and March following year.

Same goes with parsnips, I planted some a while ago and they are now 6 or 7" high with good sturdy leaves, but have in the last week planted some newbies I started in toilet rolls and they are only half an inch high.

This means I will have some parsnips for late summer and the rest will overwinter and be eaten from November through to March. Anyway parsnips are never really sweet and delicious till the first frost has hit them!!

So I guess I do a fair bit of winter food really... and I am eating Scorzonera now that I planted last year ..
Lin

[Astrogirl72]

I don't usually have a winter garden due to lack of space but I think I might have to this year as I'm already worrying about how I'll survive without the beautiful greenery I have now.  I may copy you somewhat.  I get SAD but my cat, being largely aggrophobic get's it far worse than me as the balcony is the only place she feels comfy.  Perhaps a mountain of cat grass indoors will help us both.

Astro

[sarah]

well i am glad you have only just sown your salsify/scorzona Jeannine as i have only just sown the seed you gave me. i will keep you posted on them.

[debster]

I am planning to have a winter garden with quite a few of the previously mentioned items. as a newie and of a rather anal disposition i have created a lever arch file with plastic folders for each month and the relevant seeds for sowing that month are in the relevant folders. for subsequent sowings i just move them forward to the appropriate month for those whose sowing time is over til next year but i have remaining seeds within date they are moved to the correct months, i have also included in each month a list of the tasks i should be completing that month too well i did say i was anal ha ha  ;D

[cleo]

Jeanine-I think you are a bit quick off the mark to be sowing winter lettuce just yet-the back end of September is when I start.

It`s not too late to sow some whitloof chicory to force for Christmas/New Year . And in a few weeks I will be sowing `sugar loaf`chicory(Pan Di Zucchero) and a whole range of mixed salad leaves.

[Jeannine]

Well, well done to you for all that organisation. I keep my tomatoes in a lever arch too, but nothing else  the tomatoes fill it.

XX Jeannine

[antipodes]

hmm this seems too early for me to be thinking about wintery things! But I have tipped my hat to Jack Frost by putting in my brussels and 50 leeks, and I have some spuds left that I will put in and see what happens. People in France don't seem to know about overwintering garlic and onions? But I think I will try some, just to see. I also have my pumpkins and parsnips which I guess won't be ready for quite some time yet.
the man at the nursery told me that I still have plenty of time for some of the real winter cabbage varieties, he said come back at the end of July!
Anyway I don't really know if I could cope with gardening in the freezing cold, being an antipodean! I was going to use the winter to sow green manure, give the plot a good dig and freeze and get some animal poo on it in some shape and form, so I can set up some plastic tunnels for the spring (and hopefully make the plot supervisor sick with my excellent organisational skills HA HA - oh well I can always dream...  ::)

[Jeannine]

Hi Cleo, I am not sowing it yet, it is waiting in the wings for later.

I have the Whitloof stuff but have never eaten it,what is it like?

I actully have a lot of chicory ,endive,raddicchio things type things that came as a gift but I have never sown them before either.

Salad leaves I do ,in my case a home mixed lettuce selection which  I grow all year in the greenhouse as best I can, I have a ton of it  if you would like some by the way.

XX Jeannine