Impact of cold

[annie8]

Couple of quick questions. Is there any point in leaving beetroot in the ground - will it grown any more or just get woody? Have been harvesting the bigger ones so mostly small ones left. Will have to wait until the ground softens mind you as completely solid with frost.

Also am worried about my peas/sweet peas. Planted them in root trainers a few months ago and had been growing well - had already nipped out the sweet peas. They are in an unheated greenhouse which has gone down as low as -4.7 in recent days. I have been covering them with the plastic cover in last week or so partly as am now worried about mice - they moved into the greenhouse in the cold weather last winter and ate lots of peas and seedlings. But not ideal as a bit of a squash as seedlings are decent size. Any suggestions? Do I just hope for the best ?

[ameno]

I've never found beetroot to go woody over the winter, nor because of growing too large. It may depend on variety, I suppose, but it seems like a myth to me.
It will start going a little tougher when it actually starts growing again next April, though.

[annie8]

It’s bolthardy. I planted fairly late as had bought plants and they all bolted.

[Penellype]

I've kept beetroot over winter without it going woody, although not yet through temperatures as cold as we have had recently. It doesn't taste as sweet as summer beet, but it should be fine for roasting. I have been attempting to rescue some carrots from buckets that I put in the greenhouse and garage, but which froze regardless. The ones I have had so far (Sweet Candle) have been pulled half frozen and have been fine to eat. What will happen when they defrost remains to be seen.

I haven't ever grown peas or sweet peas over winter, mainly because of lack of space and the mouse problem. I think all you can really do is wait and see what happens.

[bramble]

Annie8 , I have grown sweetpeas every year in the greenhouse.
Usually started very late autumn and over wintered without any problems.
However, I have never grown them in such low temperatures so I cant offer much advice,
I would say cover your plants with fleece and or newspaper, plastic will trap moisture and will rot your plants.
Let us know if your plants survive...Sweetpeas are quite hardy.