What to plant to over winter?

[Aileen35]

I really want to over winter as much as I can and also have something to eat for Christmas. I have spring cabbage I can put in, but what else can I sew in the next couple of months? tried to have a look at other threads but my search wasnt very successful. Any help much appreciated. I dont want to leave the allotment in autumn and have nothing till next year.

[Alice]

Hello Aileen, you could plant some Purple Sprouting Brocolli, White Sprouting Brocolli, Swedes, Chard, Spinach Beet, Winter Lettuce, Mizunna, Leeks, Brussel sprouts, and come October / Nov you could plant some onions and garlic.
I'm sure you'll get planty more suggestions. I had plenty of vegetables all last winter.
You might even be able to leave some carrots in the ground if you give them a thick mulch.

[Snadger]

Just to add Mooli and broad beans to Alice's list!

[Aileen35]

Thanks guys, what is Mooli? got onions in and garlic and swede. thought about planting potatoes really late to try and get some for christmas? daft? Any cabbage I can plant? will keep planting carrots till I run out of seed

[sewer rat]

Thanks guys, what is Mooli? got onions in and garlic and swede. thought about planting potatoes really late to try and get some for christmas? daft? Any cabbage I can plant? will keep planting carrots till I run out of seed

You can grow Savoy or Winter cabbages or both - I grow Primavoy Savoy cabbage and Tundra Winter Cabbage outside up here and they stand really well over the harshest of winters
There are also a wide varieties of kale that will stand over winter too. I will have Winterbor and Tuscan this year.

[Maximillian]

Mooli is a large radish. Potatoes for Christmas?!

[snohare]

Salsify and scorzonera too - they can stand in the ground long as you want. Easy peasy to grow. Also (dare I say it ) Jerusalem Artichokes - a lifetime's worth of food, if only you want it !

[Snadger]

Salsify and scorzonera too - they can stand in the ground long as you want. Easy peasy to grow. Also (dare I say it ) Jerusalem Artichokes - a lifetime's worth of food, if only you want it !

I thought JA's were frost tender Snohare?

[snohare]

I suppose in theory they are, but in practice mine seem not to be worried; despite all the snow this year, I don't think my plants ever lost all their green, just most of it. (Granted we are in an urban heat island, but the snow lay long enough.) And of course the tubers are hardy as anything, I've never seen a frosted one yet. Besides, it would be easy to cut the foliage off at a couple of feet once winter comes - it is recommended to avoid damage from gales anyway - then put a minigreenhouse, or even just some fleece, over the stalk that is left, and let the tubers bulk up while the leaves continue to take in energy. Like tatties, I would expect to find that the tubers keep on bulking up even without foliage, it may well be that beyond a certain point it is mainly the roots that feed the growing tubers. If worst comes to worst, planting now just leaves you with fewer or smaller 'chokelets come hard frosts.
That's my bit to advance the cause of world domination by JAs done for today...

[susiewoosie]

I'm going to grow potatoes for Christmas. I already have them ordered from Tattieman

[Snadger]

I suppose in theory they are, but in practice mine seem not to be worried; despite all the snow this year, I don't think my plants ever lost all their green, just most of it. (Granted we are in an urban heat island, but the snow lay long enough.) And of course the tubers are hardy as anything, I've never seen a frosted one yet. Besides, it would be easy to cut the foliage off at a couple of feet once winter comes - it is recommended to avoid damage from gales anyway - then put a minigreenhouse, or even just some fleece, over the stalk that is left, and let the tubers bulk up while the leaves continue to take in energy. Like tatties, I would expect to find that the tubers keep on bulking up even without foliage, it may well be that beyond a certain point it is mainly the roots that feed the growing tubers. If worst comes to worst, planting now just leaves you with fewer or smaller 'chokelets come hard frosts.
That's my bit to advance the cause of world domination by JAs done for today...

I'm growing them up the cental reservation of my bean trench. I have the 8 foot canes in place and the beans which are 6 inches high.............the trouble is the JA's are 3 foot high now!

[snohare]

the JA's are 3 foot high now!

Yes, they do that don't they !
Time to shift your beans quicksmart I'd say Snadger.
Another small victory in the quest for world domination...

[Two_Sheds]

Ordinary radish (French Breakfast etc) can be sown in October, too. It does better for me than spring sowings, tbh.

I would also sow some limnanthes (poached egg plant) as a green manure, to overwinter on any bare soil. It will provide nectar for early bees, suppresses weeds, and provides lots of material for the compost heap.

[glut]

I had savoy and rainbow carrots for christmas dinner last year. The carrots I picked as I needed them through the autumn and there were still some left at Christmas which were just fine. This year I have planned the same again.

[ginger ninger]

I really want to over winter as much as I can and also have something to eat for Christmas. I have spring cabbage I can put in, but what else can I sew in the next couple of months? tried to have a look at other threads but my search wasn't very successful. Any help much appreciated. I dont want to leave the allotment in autumn and have nothing till next year.

hi there
If you want, try some of these, I'm planting my winter seeds at the end of july, i'm growing:- Kalibos(red cabbage), Belstar(broccoli), Trafalgar(sprout), Veronica(romanesco), and Gipsy(cauliflower). I'm also trying a swede a friend recommended called "MAGRES" she say's it's fully winter hardy, all from T&M. Who might still have there seed sale on!