Winter in an unheated greenhouse

[craftygirl24]

Hi everyone
This is my first year as the proud owner of a greenhouse. At the moment I'm growing tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, peppers, chillies and basil. My greenhouse is constructed directly onto soil so that's my growing medium. What can I plant to grow over winter, bearing in mind that it's unheated? And should I still plant directly into the soil, or would it be better to use pots or growbags? And do I need to protect the plants during cold spells (I'm an Essex girl I'm afraid!), and how much watering and feeding will they need? Sorry for so many questions.

[Snadger]

Let your imagination run riot!

Basically anything that will grow outdoors during the winter will grow indoors. It will mean you have earlier crops and if you plant outdoors at the same time you will also have a succession of crops.
Leafy vegetables which require a lot of water because of transpiration during the summer, grow fine indoors during the winter with very little watering required.(I grew good spring cabbage in 8" pots!)
I tried all types of brassicas last year but the most successful indoors was Spring cabbage and Tuscan Kale.
Christmas flowering chrysanths are good. Mine were all grown in the tomato buckets in the same soil the toms had come out of.
I would containerise plants If I were you as you will get soil sickness if planted into the bedsoil and they are easier to move around if necessary.

Jap onions, leeks, broad beans, and shallots are just a few of the possibilities.

Dont let the greenhouse stand empty during the winter.....go for it!

[craftygirl24]

Thank you - I feel quite excited about winter now. Must be mad!

[DaveInBraknell]

Hi,

You can also grow a fair old few lettuce varieties as well, like Lobijots choice, artic king etc.

Anything basically that as Snadger says can grow outside.

Then your growing season starts off a month or so early, around Jan/Feb with Tomatoes then start with the summer cabbages et al.

If you wanted to heat some pieces use a propogator base, the heat from that will warm the soil up enough to keep things warm, or use a cable.

Don't be like me and heat it with an electric greenhouse heater...Too expensive, not enough yeild

If you feel tempted to heat, there are stackable propogators that heat just the square of air, not the enitre greenhouse, and they can stack quite high as well..


Dave

[zazen999]

And sow some onions during August/Sept and overwinter for planting out in the Spring for earlier onions next summer.

[bobleponge]

Wot they all said, but I would stress again that I would grow in pots rather than directly into the soil.
Last winter I overwintered my chillies in my gh, but it got too cold (cos I was away) and they didnt survive (wimps).
If you are at home every day then leave them in the gh unless its going to be a real freezer.

[craftygirl24]

Thank you. Winter is going to be so much fun!

[nick the grief]

I've just sowed some leeks to grow for next spring( I know they're late but they'll be fine). Some carrots - Amsterdam forcing. winter lettuce and spicy salad mix. You can also sow some peas now for a late crop ( progress No9 - they're quick maturing) Broad beans ans snadger says ( my beloved red flowered ones) and if you're quick some late sowings of French beans (my favourite is The Prince) not to mention some tubs of spuds ( mine have gone in for chrimbo

[craftygirl24]

What potatoes have you put in? And are they in the ground in the greenhouse or in tubs, also in the greenhouse?

[bramble]

You can also start your garlic cloves in pots in the autumn and plant out in early spring.
Enjoy, and don't be afraid to experiment.

[nick the grief]

What potatoes have you put in? And are they in the ground in the greenhouse or in tubs, also in the greenhouse?

errrr, good question. I think they are Elizabeth and Maris Peer ... they were separate but some one put them all into one bag for neatness

I grow mine in plant pots ( they hold about 25 ltr of compost) and they sit under the staging so they don't dry out too quick and get the run off of all the water.

[kentvegplot]

I would add to that - put a few bulbs in too. I planted some tulips and got an early display to cut for the house - and they hadn't been bashed by the wind either!

[nick the grief]

I would add to that - put a few bulbs in too. I planted some tulips and got an early display to cut for the house - and they hadn't been bashed by the wind either!

I forgot the daffs and tulips that I planted for cut flower - good call KVP