newbie with a veg question

[84darren]

hi all, just diecovered this site and was hoping to get a bit of advice.

i have just purchased my first green house and am quite keen to put it to good use. i am hoping to grow some veg to eat on christmas day but can only find potatoes online. can i grow any veg at this time seen as how it will be warmer in the greenhouse? if so what and when does it need to be planted?

thanks in advance
darren

[mrpaulbradley]

Welcome to the forum - it's really great and there's loads of really helpful experienced folks on here. I'm not the greatest expert but happy to give you some advice that I've gained over the years.

You could certainly do spuds in bags - the greenhouse would remove any frost risk. Similarly for carrots. I've a pal who uses old fish boxes to great success. You're too late sadly for things like brussel sprouts and parsnips - they really need to get going early in the year. Things like brassicas (cabbage, kale etc) do fine outside though - start them off in modules (wee pots) and then get them into some really firm soil and you'll have some nice things to munch on come Christmas.
Good luck and happy growing!

[84darren]

hi thanks for the reply.
at the moment i dont have anywhere to plant the veg out. would cabbage and things grow in containers or would they have to be in the ground? also do i use standard seeds or do they have to be special ones for wi

[Potstubsdustbins]

Darren for your spring cabbage is a good plant to grow for winter it can be eaten as spring greens early in life or left to heart up in the spring. As for containers you would need something sturdy (as the soil has to be firmly packed) and about 8/9 inches deep.

Colin

[84darren]

Thanks Colin
I think I will try some cabbage in a container. I've got two half whiskey barrels so they should be strong enough. Hopefully I'll be a bit more organised when ive done s few seasons. I better start planning for the summer.

Many thanks
Darren

[rustylady]

Hi Darren, welcome to the Vine. Could you add your location to your profile please? Then it will show up on your posts and helps a lot when giving advice (tips for the Southwest of England don't often apply to the North of Scotland)

[Florence Fennel]

Hi Darren, welcome to the Vine. You could also sow some winter lettuce to eat with your cold meat on Boxing Day?

[northepaul]

How about some turnips - broccolli and kale too? They will overwinter ok

[planetologist]

Roughly speaking, it's late in the season to sow things that you eat the fruit/seed of, but anything that you eat most of the plant of will be fine, e.g. of many (winter) roots you can eat the leaves as well, so if the roots are thin you still get a reasonable harvest. See also
Summer Sowing Guide

[Two_Sheds]

can i grow any veg at this time seen as how it will be warmer in the greenhouse?

Warmth is actually less important than light, and daylight hours are too short in the winter for anything much to actively grow.
Winter crops (eg. sprouts, cabbage, leeks) are those that we sow in spring/summer and they stand in the ground until we pick them in the winter months.

You can certainly sow some seeds now of quick maturing things like lettuce and spring onions. Spuds can be planted now for a possible Xmas harvest, but it's not easy and Xmas spuds are as rare as hen's teeth

[northepaul]

You could almost certainly plant some radishes and get a good crop before the autumn. Or how about winter radishes in trugs?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Hi Darren, welcome to the Vine. Could you add your location to your profile please? Then it will show up on your posts and helps a lot when giving advice (tips for the Southwest of England don't often apply to the North of Scotland)

Amen to that

[84darren]

Hi thanks for all the advice. I live in teeside but have updated my profile. Think I'm gonna try some cabbage and lettuce and see how they go. I just need to decide what I'm gonna try for spring/summer. I'm also thinking of growing some flowers from seed.
Thanks
Darren