Growing all year round

[Tiny Allotment]

Hi All

It has long been a dream of mine to try and keep producing food on our allotment right through the winter so I need some advice from you guys.

Last year we did manage to pretty much keep ourselves fed with purple sprouting broccoli and swiss chard and we have sprouts which we normally manage to eat all winter although last year was a bit rubbish.

What else can we be planting about now that will produce throughout the mild winters we have down here in Cornwall.

We do have a small tunnel and the dome so we can grow some stuff under cover

Paul

[veggiechicken]

What about leeks? They're one of my winter staples.

Here's one I prepared earlier......http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ies_86001.html

[vixylix]

Definitely leeks - also winter hardy lettuce, radish and carrots. If you do some googling theres quite a few articles on what can be grown over winter - I was reading some last week

[WendyC]

I would add that forward planning is key to having winter vegetables. Even in Cornwall growing will be slow so many vegetables need planting or sowing well in advance. I sowed swede in May for overwintering. Winter lettuces like Winter Density are often a good bet and the oriental vegetables like mizuna do well.

[kris1960]

Most of the oriental greens are fine under cover or cloched throughout winter, they taste great as well.

[Tiny Allotment]

I have just put in an order for a load of seed including Sturon and paris early onions for overwintering. I did this last year with great success.

I also ordered
Sanguina beetroot, Giant Limousin turnip, Liesde Hangdown longpod broad bean (or Wizard, depending on availability), Red Ursa kale, Fordhook Giant chard, Touchon carrot, Bleu de Solaise leek, Australian Yellowleaf lettuce, Sobi chinese salad/cooking green, Joan swede, Czar runner bean, Stupice tomato, Purple Ukraine tomato, Striato di Napoli courgette

The last group is a pre made up pack of seed selected to give food all year round. They come with full instructions on sowing etc and also seed saving information.

I chose the pack instead of choosing individually because I am lazy and it also means that I will try things I probably wouldn't have ordered

Paul

[Yasai]

I'll just throw in my standard answer... mustard greens

[Tiny Allotment]

Isn't there some free with the magazine this month?

paul

[Yasai]

Isn't there some free with the magazine this month?

paul

Um... yeah... if mustard spinach and mustard greens are the same thing. I have no idea and much as I rave about mustard greens, the only variety I've tried thus far is green wave... but it's lovely

[Tiny Allotment]

Um... yeah... if mustard spinach and mustard greens are the same thing.

Different things I think. See Here

Paul

[Bigmallly]

Wondered if you would get away with planting some spuds.

[Tiny Allotment]

We don't eat potatoes I'm afraid.

Paul

[roitelet]

For winter I grow, celeriac and parsnips. Chard and PSB although these have to go in the tunnel as they won't stand some of the winters we get here, and kale along with Savoy cabbage,

I've given up on leeks, too much leek moth, and carrots, they are so cheap it isn't worth bothering. Shallots and Garlic although not for eating over winter go in the ground in late October or November.

[Scarlet]

We don't eat potatoes I'm afraid.

Paul

You don't eat spuds

[Tiny Allotment]

No. We don't really eat carbs so no spuds or bread or pasta or rice etc.

Paul