Equipment for overwintering

[FijiBob]

Guys

I'm going to try and overwinter some stuff this year for the first year, however having never done it before I don't know a.) what to do nor b.) what to do it with (in this I mean what equipment I'd need). I've only go ta little veg garden (approx 1m by 5m with a huge hydrangea in the middle).

So I was going to buy a couple of small cloches and was thinking of something like this:

Weslon Cloche £17.95

I was wondering what people thought or if there was a better small cloche?

Ta

[FijiBob]

Having posted this it could probably form a subthread to darcyvuqua thread...

[veggiechicken]

Tell us what you would like to overwinter, FijiBob. Yours is outside, Darcy's was inside, I believe He'll soon correct me if I'm wrong!

[FijiBob]

Absolutely anything and everything. My mrs begrudingly allowed my this one flower bed as a veg garden a couple of years ago but doesn't like it in winter as it looks bare.

I've just bought some broad beans so i'd like to give them and probably some onions a go, plus anything anyone else wants to recomend!

[veggiechicken]

You won't need cloches for Broad beans or onions/garlic. Maybe some winter lettuce or peas. I'm sure someone will be along soon with some more suggestions.

[darcyvuqua]

I am only interested in over wintering peppers and chillies to see if you can get a second of maybe even a third season from the same plant I was asking about indoor over wintering too this my question is a totally different category to this one I'm thinking you asking about overwintering for just one season?

[Two_Sheds]

I'm going to try and overwinter some stuff

Overwintering really means (in the sense that we use it on here) keeping the roots of summer crops alive to grow on in a second year. Things like runner beans and chillies are perennial in their native country, but die off in our UK winters, unless you bring them inside.

What you will be doing outside isn't overwintering as such, it's growing winter crops: Japanese onions, Chinese veg, winter radish, Aquedulce broad beans, etc.

[Bigmallly]

Correct me if I am wrong but I always related overwintering to be done in a greenhouse or similar & cloches to be used when planting out tender seedlings/plants in spring to give them a head start.

[ItsEssexRob]

Can you overwinter Chillis and Peppers in a heated greenhouse?

[Paulottie]

Can you overwinter Chillis and Peppers in a heated greenhouse?

Yes...but its probably cheaper and easier to buy them. They do tend to get disease in the winter and grow slowly with short days... fun to keep one going in a conservatory if your heating it anyway

[FijiBob]

Hmm OK maybe I have been found out as a total and utter newbie gardener!

In that case can I ask two further questions then:

1.) Seeds etc to be planted now for growing over winter do they need to be of a particular variety (i.e. earlies) or will any old seed do?

2.) For the new year which is the best cloche for my garden (1m x 5m with huge hydrangea in the middle)

[veggiechicken]

Most seeds are sown at specific times of the year and are not suitable for sowing all year round. For instance there are winter lettuces that will stand the cold winter weather while summer lettuces would not. This chart may help you decide what can be sown now.http://www.rhs.org.uk/Media/PDFs/Gro...Own/VegPlanner. Once you've decided what you would like to grow we can give you more specific advice.
I can't help you with cloches as I don't have one!